John Charles Darst 1861-1961

John Charles Darst (1861-1961), the son of Benjamin F. Darst (1838-1901), the grandson of REV John Darst (1790-1875), the great-grandson of Samuel Derst (1754-1791) and great-great grandson of Abraham Derst (1725-1772), our Pfeddersheim, Germany immigrant ... lived to the advanced age of 100 and operated a motor vehicle until the ripe old age of 97!

Ohioan Sports

New Driver's

License at 99

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) --- John Charles Darst has a new Ohio driver's license even though he doesn't drive anymore -- hasn't for two years.

"Not that I couldn't drive right now as well as the next fellow," he asserts stoutly, "but my children used to worry about me, so I quit to humor them."

White - bearded Darst will be 99 a week from today.

He retired from the railroad mail service in 1917, just a year after he bought his first car - a 1916 Maxwell.

"I always held more for horses and buggies," says Darst, "but my wife insisted that we get one of those new-fangled cars and then she was afraid to drive it. So I had to."

He figures he's driven in 48 states and says he's never had a serious accident. He confides:

"The trick is to keep in your own lane and mind your own business."

As for speed:

"I say 40 is fast enough for anybody, although I used to nudge it up to 50 sometimes, myself."

Wednesday 11 MAY 1960 - The Marion Star, Marion, Ohio