 |
"The next oldest living native of Swaledale is, I believe,
Widow Nancy Harker, who was born at Muker, October 6th, 1800. She
was a daughter of Henry Spensley, of Muker, and was married at Muker
to James Harker, of Whitaside, in 1832. She has had a family of
four sons and a daughter, and has been a widow since 1850, and now
resides at Ripon. She is a hale and hearty body (of medium height
and fair complexion), who rises every morning at seven o'clock,
makes her own breakfast, and busies herself about the house until
dinner time, when in the afternoon she sits and sews.
|
| *Since the above was
written I regret I have to record the death of this wonderful old
body, who had never a day's illness up to within two days of her death.
She was busily baking her bread, when probably from over exertion
she became indisposed, and taking to her bed, died suddenly the following
day, March 2nd, 1896, in the 96th year of her age. The portrait was
taken only a few months before her death." |
