Just 95 years ago, when the Loyalists were in their prime and had no idea that the streets laid out by Paul Bedell would ever be fenced in with electric light poles, the friends of John MELICK were contrulating him on the arrival of a bouncing boy at his house on Market Square, immediately north of what was then Judge Putnam's corner lot, now occupied by the Western Union Telegraph building. In due season the little boy was baptized and received the name of Henry MELICK. From the 26th January 1796, Henry Melick has lived without knowing in his own body the meaning of a serious illness. He is hald and hearty, mentally and physically today, and were it not for the annoyance of ingrown toenails, which prevents him from being active on his feet, he might be seen after every storm cleaning the steps and path which lead to his house on Elliot Row. This, by the way, is a comparatively new house for him, as he has lived there only about 40 years. Last winter he was at work in all sorts of weather and up to the latter part of last autumn his figure was a familiar on on the streets. For three months his feet have troubled him so that he has been unable to take his usual exercise and this has led him to feel that death would be no unwelcome visitor. He is a sole survivor of the children born in St. John prior to 1800 and is the oldest freeman of the city, his papers having been granted in 1817 when he attained his majority. Mrs. Stephen HUMBERT, who died last year, was born about four months before Mr. Melick, but he stands alone now as the veritable oldest inhabitant. There are, however, some other well known citizens who have reached a ripe old age and some of the bid fair to live for many years more. Charles PATTON was born July 17, 1799. John WISHART and Thomas M. DEBLOIS in 1800 and Peter BESNARD in 1802. None of these are natives of St. John, but they doubtless owe their longevity to the influence of its invigorating climate. When William MULIG and John MULIG separated from their Dutch ancestors to mingle with the English, the latter people pronounced the name Melick and as a matter of convenience this spelling was adopted by the family and endured to this day. The brothers were loyalists and John came to Parrtown to take care of William who had been wounded in fighting for King George. The brothers were tanners and their tannery was on the north side of King St., on the lot where the stores of Messrs. Hay, Kerr and Humphrey are seen now. Henry Melick clearly recalls events which happened when he was a mere boy. This first occurrence which made a vivid impression on his mind was the execution in 1808 of BALDWIN and LANNON, soldiers of the 101st Regt. who had attempted to desert and who had killed Clayton TILTON, who had attempted to arrest them on the St. Andrews Road. Mr. Tilton was proprietor of the Musquash hotel, 16 miles from the city. The executions in those times took place a little way 'out of town' in the vicinity of what is now the junction of King and Pitt streets. The 'Block-house Hill' was the name of the mass of rock Wentowrth and Pitt streets, sloped toward Courtenay Bay. At the excution in question the men were marched to the gallows Stephen HUMBERT walking between them and singing hymns to comfort them in their last hour. The hanging was bungled, for both ropes broke with the weight of the criminals and the wretched men were kept standing there until a messenger went to the South wharf and returned with a piece of hemp of sufficient strength to choke out their lives. At an instance of the summary method of criminal procedure in those times, it may be stated that the men deserted on the 17th if October 1808, were arrested later in the month on an island in the Passamaquoddy Bay, were tried on the 15th November and hanged on the 23rd, thus having less than eight days between the verdict and execution. In 1862 or 1863, a piece of decaying board sticking out of the ground on King Street below Pitt, was pulled up by some boys and found to be part of a coffin, containing bones. Further search disclosed another coffin close by. Fragments of red cloth and much oxodized brass buttons, showed that it was at this place the two soldiers were hanged and after the fashion of the times buried at the foot of the gallows. When Mr. Melick was a boy, the greater part of what is now the thickly inhabited portion of the city was scarcely reclaimed from the wilderness. Fields with a scrubby growth of bushes occupied many of the places now covered with brick blocks. Winding paths led over the hills and from Gable's house on King Square, where Dingee SCRIBNER now lives, there was not a house until the abideau at the Marsh Bridge was reached. The old Golding tavern at what is now the corner of Waterloo and Golding streets, was considered as up in the woods on the hill. The road which passed it followed along what is now Union Street. All the land east of Waterloo Street was unsettled and was utilized in part for pastures by BUSTIN and GODSOE, the butchers. On Union Street, the fashionable quarter of the town, was the residence of Judge CHIPMAN. A quantity of land owned by Squire WHITE, adjoining the judges grounds, was bought by William BURTIS for $200, not because he thought it a good investment, but because David MERRITT made him a bet that he did not dare to do so. A strip was taken from it and another from the Chipman land to make what is now Wellington Row. A few years later Mr. Burtis had the satisfaction of selling his ground for $4,000. His father, John Melick, was about 95 when he died, and hale bodies have been a characteristic of the family for generations. He does not ascribe his preservation to any care he has taken of himself. He was never particular about the hours he kept or what he ate and drank. He never used tobacco in any form, but all his life he has been in the habit of taking spirituous liquors when he wanted them and he considers that good gin is by no means to be disposed of as a solace and a medicine in his declining years.