December 19, 1884: Catherine Gabel Celebrates Her 100th Birthday

By Margaret Leidy Harner from her book One Day at a Time: A Social History of Boyertown, PA.

December 19, 1884: Catherine Gabel is celebrating her 100th birthday at her Gabelsville home Popodickon Manor. On this cold and blustery day, starting early in the morning, she has been visited by all of her eight living children (of the 11 born to her) and most of her 35 grandchildren, 105 great grandchildren, and 24 great-great grandchildren, as she relaxed in her big chair in the warm and cozy living room of her house which had been built by Thomas Potts around 1731.

She was married to Jacob Gabel at the age of 18 and widowed at the age of 39. She vowed that she would remain a widow the rest of her life, and she has kept that pledge.

Her son Jacob brought a 36-pound turkey for the occasion and many others contributed cakes and assorted goodies. During the day, she entertained her visitors with “pleasant reminiscences of long ago.”

She lived to celebrate her 101st birthday and passed away peacefully on May24, 1886. She was buried in the old Mennonite Cemetery in Boyertown.

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