" LONGEVITY "
Sia,—The following record of longevity may interest some of your readers. My grandfather, Lt.-General W. A. Johnson, was born in 1777, 60 years before Queen Victoria ascended the throne. He married at the age of 58 and had nine children, all but two of whom lived to between 6o and 9r. His youngest daughter, Mrs. Martin-Atkins, who was born when he was 77, died, aged 91, at the close of last year, so that she could then say that her father was born 10 years ago. She lived recently in Bath, and barely escaped with her life when her house was practically destroyed in the " blitz " of a} years ago. She was ultimately rescued after being without food or water for some 24 hours.
General Johnson served in the Peninsular War 18o8-1809, was A.D.C. to the Duke of Wellington, fought at Corunna, and was present at the last battle of Walcheren, the Dutch island so recently in the news. He afterwards served in Ireland. He also served with Nelson at Copenhagen in tSar, as in those days soldiers often served for a time in the Navy. He died in 1863 at the age of 89, and was buried in the family vault at Witham-on-the-Hill, Lincolnshire.—Yours faithfully,
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