He lived in Three centuries!

On a recent trip to downstate Illinois we stopped off at Oak Hill cemetery in Lewistown to see some unique markers and photograph the wonderful Civil war monument there. While we were exploring the place one tombstone in particular caught my eye and I snapped a couple photo's of it. My helper, Tom Anderson, was intrigued as well and did some research on the man buried there and as it turns out he led quite a colorful life.

Nathaniel Bordwine was born in 1799 in Albermarle county, Virginia to Lewis (Louis) Bordwine and Anna Tuggle. His biological father died three weeks before his sons birth and so he lived with his grandfather Tuggle until he was 13 at which time he moved back in with his mother and stepfather. In 1822 he married Olive Robbins and together they emigrated to Fulton County, IL. where he purchased land for farming. When the Black Hawk war broke out in 1832 he enlisted under an alias (Minard Van Dyke) and fought as a mounted ranger in Sain's company with distinction.

When Olive died in 1834 He had four children to look after and he married Elizabeth Simms in 1837 and had several children by her. In all, he married three times (Four if you count the woman he married twice) and had a total of Fifteen children. In his 100+ years of life he never learned to read nor write, didn't attend church, and considered himself a Republican. He also chewed tobacco and had three shots of whiskey every day without fail.

Nathaniel died on July 24th, 1900 at the ripe old age of One hundred years, Eight months and Nineteen days old and laid to rest in Oak Hill cemetery near the civil war section.  So if you ever find yourself in that neck of the woods consider stopping by for a moment and reflecting on the life, and accomplishments, of a great man.  A big Thank You to Tom Anderson for doing all the  research for me!