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Show HERO'S BURIAL PLACE IS IN CHICAGO PARK Pleasure Spot Holds Gravs of David Kenr.ison. j Many of the thousands of visitors to Lincoln park have discovered for themselves near the Wisconsin street entrance a granite boulder set with a bronze tablet designating the spot as approximately the burial place of David Kennison. It has been seventy-two years since Kennison's death, when, at the age of one hundred fifteen years, three months and seventeen days, he was the last survivor of the Boston "tea party." Now his grave tablet with the Inscription, In-scription, is the only reminder of a life that was picturesque in more ways than one. Kennison was an early settler in Chicago, as well as a veteran of the Revolutionary war and the War of 1812. He came here in 18-15, when he was 109 years old. Since his fighting fight-ing days he had been crushed by a falling tree and wounded by a cannon can-non ball fired at a military review, and had only a pension of $8 a month to maintain him. Nevertheless he started west looking for thrills and fortune. For a year ocso after coming to the young metropolis on the lake shore, Kennison worked as a day laborer. lab-orer. Then his fame as a "pourer" at tlie Boston "tea party" having spread, he obtained the post of lecturer lec-turer at Mooney's museum, 73 West Lake street. Besides introducing Prater's Genuine Virginia minstrels and discussing the wax figures and other strange exhibits, he gave a lecture lec-ture at each performance on the dumping dump-ing of tea in Boston harbor. Kennison was made manager of the museum in 1848 and he announced that to the public In the following manner: "I have taken the museum In this city, which I was obliged to do in order to get a comfortable living, as my pension Is so small it scarcely affords the comforts of life. If I live until the 17th of November, 1S4S, I shall be 112 years old, and I intend making a donation party on that day at the museum. I have fought in several battles for my country. All I ask of the generous public is to call at the museum on the 17th of November, which is my birthday, and donate to me what they think I deserve." The aged patriot not only lived to be host at his donation party, but almost al-most four years beyond then. His death occurred February 24, 1S52. The funeral was held from the First Methodist Meth-odist church and the procession was the most imposing military turnout seen hi Chicago up to that time. His body was buried in the cemetery that then was situated in the present park. After the cemetery had been moved the Illinois chapter of the Sons of the Revolution, and the Daughters of the American Revolution marked his grave with the boulder and tablet. Chicago s. The Century Plant The belief that the century plsat blooms every 100 years Is a myth, according ac-cording to Pathfinder Magazine. The flowering of this interesting plant depends de-pends upon the climate and rapidity of growth. In warm climates such as Mexico and Central America, the original home of the century plants, they grow rapidly and usually bloom about the seventh of eighth year, seldom sel-dom later than the twelfth. In colder climates the period before bloom Is much longer. Some authorities say that in hot houses SO to 100 years may elapse before the plant flowers, a fact I which probably gave rise to the cen- tury myth from which the plant gets its popular name. After flowering the century plant dies down to the ground. However, new plants arise from iat-j iat-j eral buds. |