The 'Oldest Twins' in World Meet Again

Mark and Anthony Thrash Born in Richmond 118 Years Ago

By Emmie Binns Wingfield

In the early part of the nineteenth century, on a Virginia plantation, Christmas was a gala event in the lives of both family and servants. At the slave quarters, particularly, there was great rejoicing because no work was required from Christmas to the New Year. Preparations for the feast, divulged by savory odors emanating from the kitchen, had been in progress for weeks so that when the day arrived all would be in readiness for the festivities. It was a welcome holiday and merrymaking with its kindred noises would flourish unrebuked.

Fiddle and banjo were lifted from pegs on cabin walls and the fiddle squeak and the banjo plunk-plunk accompanied shuffling naked brown feet as they "patted Juba" in their exuberant delight. Before dawn, the family in the "big house awakened to hilarious cries from shrilling throats of "Chrismus gif' Ole Marstuh! Chrismus gif' Ole Miss!" It was the supreme day of the year.

Christmas Gift An Unusual One

On December 25, 1820, in Richmond, Virginia, Dr. Christopher Thrash, a resident of Church Hill, which at that time was sparsely settled, was thus awakened. He was to learn a few moments later that he, himself, was the recipient of the Christmas gift--a valuable one too. In a cabin upon his place a young slave mother cuddled close to her heart twin baby boys: lusty little fellows, worth $100 each in money to Dr. Thrash, for being born in slavery they became his property.

As the babies came on Christmas Day it was a good omen, but none who welcomed the tiny specimens of humanity ventured a prediction as to the remarkable longevity which awaited them. Those twin babies were destined to experience many vicissitudes, and live through great world events, before attaining the serenity of more than 117 years of age. Now, in this year of 1938, these Richmond-born twins claim the right to be the oldest living twins in the world.

The Negro babies were named Mark and Mark Anthony. At first those names sufficed, but when the boys approached manhood they assumed the surname of their master, which was the custom of their race, and were known thereafter as Mark Thrash and Mark Anthony Thrash. The passing of the years separated the twins and Mark Anthony became Reverent Mark Anthony Thrash, a Baptist missionary in Africa, where he has lived many years. The other twin remained in America, and it is of this one, "Uncle Mark" Thrash, as he is now called, that this sketch is written.

Both brothers followed their "young master" in the War of the Sixties and wore the uniform of the Southern Confederacy. On September 20, 1938, the twins met again, after their long separation, at Chattanooga, Tenn., when the seventy-fifth anniversary of the noted "Battle Above the Clouds" which was fought on Lookout Mountain was being commemorated. "Uncle Mark" Thrash and Mark Anthony Thrash witnessed this battle on September 20, 1863, when they were 43 years old.

Uncle Mark Lives at Park

In a two-room log cabin built for him by the United States Government in Chickamauga Park, Georgia, "Uncle Mark" Thrash smilingly received his numerous callers. The register he keeps of his visitors records names from as far away as China.

Apparently in robust health, seated on a rush-bottom chair with his trusty walking-stick beside him, "Uncle Mark" beams upon his inquisitive visitor and recounts in his soft Southern voice some of the episodes of his long life.

Gracious and courteous with a dignity befitting his years, he welcomes his guests wearing a white apron, for without the apron he said he would not feel properly dressed. His found attachment to that particular part of his attire harks back to the days of his youth when he was a slave. Dr. Christopher Thrash, his master in Richmond, required certain favored household servants to wear white aprons to distinguish them from the other help, and so "Uncle Mark" in his old age still dons the white apron, not as a badge of servitude but as a guerdon of honor.

"Uncle Mark" is a strong advocate of matrimony; basing his conviction upon the scriptural admonition in Genesis, to wit: It is not good that man should be alone." Attesting this belief are his five marriages.

Uncle Mark Married at 17

Romance has played a large part in his career. He first became enamored when 17 years old and the wedding was solemnized by the ritual of "jumping over the broom." He and his bride clasped hands and jumped forward over the broom handle and then jumped backward over it again. This ceremony in the presence of witnesses duly "tied the knot," and the youthful couple were thus launched upon the matrimonial career.

This mode of marrying was extensively practiced among the slaves and its legality was not questioned; in fact, the laws of marriage in slavery were decidedly lax for any one, not necessarily a minister or magistrate, might perform the rites. The origin of "jumping over the broom" is lost in the mysterious past, but it may have been derived from some African ceremonial.

"Uncle Mark" is very susceptible to feminine charms, as evidenced by his five marriages, and undeterred by the presence of his latest spouse he gleefully chuckled as he said, "I'll git ma'ied agin if I gits a chance." His wife grinned. Eleven years ago, at the age of 106 years, he led her to the altar--a widow much younger than himself.

"Uncle Mark" Thrash proudly declares that he is the father of 29 children; 18 of them are living, the oldest is 94 and the youngest is 58 years of age. His innumerable grandchildren with the great and the great-greats have never been inventoried. He seems very grateful to his children for teaching him to read and write.

"Uncle Mark's memory is excellent and he vividly recalls his experiences during the War of the Sixties when he served his young master in the Confederate Army; later on, he became a body servant of General R. E. Lee. He was in the battle of Kenesaw Mountain but uninjured; in Meriwether County, Georgia, he was captured and made a general servant for General U. S. Grant, thus achieving the unique distinction of serving the commanding generals of both Confederate and Federal armies. He proudly displays an old army coat given him by General Grant. He was serving General Grant and was at Appomattox when General R. E. Lee surrendered his starving remnant of the Confederate Army to the overpowering hosts of the Federal forces. Released at the close of the war, "Uncle Mark" found a horse and rode back to Georgia; there he makes his home in the little lot cabin built for him in Chickamauga Park, a pensioner of the United States. "Uncle Mark" attends Confederate reunions and has been back to Virginia, but for many years he has been living in the State of his adoption, Georgia, where his great age of 117 years makes him a notable figure.

"Uncle Mark" Thrash's physical condition is remarkable. The onward march of the years have touched him lightly. His once black hair and beard is now white like picked cotton and frames his benevolent dark brown face. His eyes need no glasses, even for reading; his hearing is good, and he is the fortunate possessor of his natural teeth and can eat anything he wants; tobacco, he uses, but no whisky. "Uncle Mark's" demeanor is reminiscent of those days when manners played a large part in the esteem of people. Although his years more than span a century, he keeps abreast of the times and often broadcasts over the radio.

"Uncle Mark" attributes his longevity to the fact that he told General Lee and General Grant that if he knew a battle was near he would "git out." And he naively added, "that's why I'm livin' today."