Centenarian Laughs At Coffee Bugaboo A newspaper article from an unknown newspaper in St. Joe, Arkansas on Sept. 9, 1932.Bessie Jones Poe had saved this article and wrote on the top Grandpa Owens sister. Bessie is the grand daughter of Jasper Newton Newt Owens who is Caroline Owens Arnolds brother. Barbara Poe Petersen Hemmer (daughter of Bessie) gave this article to me, Connie Wallukait, (granddaughter of Bessie) June 2005. {image of this article is in my files which includes a picture of Caroline} Picture of Caroline Owen Arnold: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ar/searcy/photos/ carolinearnold.jpg * Note: this article states that Caroline married William in 1855 but this is incorrect. Caroline married William in February 1879 after the death of his first wife Elizabeth Dean in July 1878. * St. Joe, Sept. 9 (Special) Writers of coffee ads could find good arguments for coffee users in the life of Mrs. Caroline Arnold, living with her step-son, Martin Arnold, near St. Joe. Grandma Arnolds life experience and opinions are just another one of those things that upset all the dope. She recently observed her one-hundred-and first birthday and says that as far back as she can remember her favorite and principal drink has been black coffee. In her childhood she cried for coffee. Her lunch basket at school always contained a bottle of coffee. Grandma says to tell the girls that coffee has a slenderizing effect upon the figure. It was not until a year ago that her health began to break and she became feeble. Her health is still given as reasonably good. she can read large print without glasses, and takes a lively interest in neighborhood happenings as well as world news. Her maiden name was Caroline Owens. She was born in Georgia and came to Arkansas with her parents when she was 13. They settled on Slay branch, 10 miles south of here, their nearest neighbor living near Yellville, 30 miles distant. When the Civil war broke out she and a widowed sister accompanied the latters children behind a yoke of t wo-year-old oxen to Springfield, Mo. Caroline drove the oxen, and after the return journey following the war, Caroline drove the oxen and worked them in the fields, enduring the hardships of post-bellum days. She was married to William Arnold in 1855, but never reared any children of her own. However, she reared 21 other children, including her stepchildren, her widowed sisters children, and children of other relatives. All her life she has had a great fondness for sweets, including sweetened fruits and cakes. She has been a mild user of tobacco for many years. {this last sentence is blacked out in ink must have been something my Grandmother didnt like} For three-quarters of a century she was an expert horseback rider and had the reputation of being able to tame and ride any mule or horse that ever ran over these hills. She gave up horseback riding about 10 years ago when the autos on the improved highways made the pastime more dangerous. She has ridden in everything from the ox cart to the train and auto, but says she has no desire to ride in an airplane. She was one of the pioneer teachers of the county, teaching a subscription school in the territory between Richland and Slay branch many years ago. She comes of a long-lived family. A brother, Newton Owens, aged 87,and a brother Zack Owens, aged 80, live near Russellville. A sister, Cynthia, lived to be 90. From 1831 to 1932 is a long time, but Grandma Arnold says if she had that many years to live yet, she would insist on having her drink of coffee at least four times a day.