USA > Iowa > Report of the organization and first reunion of the Tri-State Old Settlers' Association of Illinois, Missouri and Iowa, 1884 > Part 16
USA > Illinois > Report of the organization and first reunion of the Tri-State Old Settlers' Association of Illinois, Missouri and Iowa, 1884 > Part 16
USA > Missouri > Report of the organization and first reunion of the Tri-State Old Settlers' Association of Illinois, Missouri and Iowa, 1884 > Part 16
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29
Again thanking you for your kind invitation, I have the honor to be
JAS. W. DAVIDSON.
PRINCETON, Ills, Sept, 28th, ISS5.
J. H. COLE, Esq., Secretary :
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of an invitation to attend the Second Annual Reunion of Old Settlers of Illinois, Missouri and Iowa, to be held at Rand Park, Keokuk, on Wednesday, Sept. 30th, 1885. And while I have been hoping .1
1
101
might be able to accept the kind invitation and be present at your reunion, I regret very much now to say that I cannot do so. If I could, it would give me much pleasure to be present and meet the old settlers of the States mentioned who may assemble on an occa- sion of so much interest, as I trust that of your Reunion may be, but circumstances are such as to prevent me from doing so, and thanking you sincerely for the invitation and wishing your Reunion may be successful and interesting, I am,
Respectfully yours, &c., THOS. J. HENDERSON.
BURLINGTON, IOWA, Sept. 29, 1885. C. F. DAVIS, EsQ., Chairman.
KEOKUK, IOWA.
MY DEAR SIR :- Accept my thanks for your kind invitation to attend the "Tri-State Old Settler's Association" in Keokuk on Sept. 30th. Nothing would afford me more pleasure than to do so, but I am'so situated at this time that it is impossible for me to be with you in person, but rest assured that I will be with you in spirit. Hoping you may have a good time, and that we may meet at many such reunions in the hereafter,
I am yours always, LYMAN COOK.
SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, WASHINGTON, Sept. 29th, 1885. S
HON. EDWARD JOHNSTONE,
President, Tri-State Old Settlers Association .
Dear Sir :-- The invitation to attend the meeting of the associa- tion on the 30th, (to-morrow) has followed me from Washington to Block Island and back again, and is now just received. If it had come to hand earlier, the necessity of discharging official duties, delayed during a summer vacation, would forbid me joining you on this occasion.
The satisfaction I had in attending the meeting of the association last year adds to the sharpness of my regret at being unable to do so now.
102
It is fitting that these three states of Missouri, Illinois and Iowa, no longer the younger children of the great republic, but its full grown offspring, now in sturdy manhood with their united popula- tion of more than eight millions, occupying the central position of the country, on each side of the most important navigable river of the world should call together the men yet living who were pioneers in the early settlement and witnesses of the growth of these states. No such progress is to be found anywhere in all that makes the useful- ness and happiness of man .
In wealth, in education, in morality, in political power, in all the elements of social happiness, these states have shown in the last half century a growth so, wonderful, yet so quiet and steady, that it may be doubted if history has its equal .
When, therefore, this association brings together the scattered rem- nants of those who were the real pioneers of the settlement of these states, the men who later led the tide of progress in social, political and religious advancement, and those who to-day in the various de- partments of human progress, social life and public service of all kinds contribute to uphold and push on the standard of improve- ment, it is an occasion for congratulation, for enjoyment and reflection.
My heart, Mr. President, is with the purpose of this meeting, and my warmest feelings with those who, with better fortune than myself, are present. I am, with thanks for the kind invitation,
Your fond friend,
SAM'L. F. MILLER.
STATE OF MISSOURI OFFICE OF RAILROAD COMMISSIONERS.
CITY OF JEFFERSON, SEPT. 29th, 1885.
GENTLEMEN OF THE INVITATION COMMITTEE :- Please ac- cept my thanks for your kind invitation to be present at the "Tri- State Old Settlers' Reunion" to be held in Rand Park Sept. 30th. It would afford me much pleasure to meet with my brother pioneers, but official duties will prevent me from enjoying such a pleasure at that time. Your invitation awakened many mem- ories of the days "lang syne" and I have ventured to jot down a few incidents which I hope will not be uninteresting.
103
I am one of the oldest settlers of North-east Missouri, my father having moved there seven years before the county of Scotland was organized, and eight years before the town of Memphis was surveyed. During the winter of '36 the old Fox Chieftain Keokuk paid us a long visit. Now his faults are buried in his grave, and time has obliterated all traces of savagery from his nature, and he lives to-day in the hearts of your people as "Noble Warrior" and sort of "patron Saint," of "guardian angel" of your beautiful city, but fidelity to truth compels me to state that at that time he was a typical red men, and endowed with all their traits. Dur- ing his stay with us he became very much attached to two of our finest horses, and when he left, the horses were also missing (he could not bear to part from them.) As soon as their flight was discovered, we started in hot pursuit and succeeded in overtaking them at an Indian agency near where the city of Ottumwa now stands. At first the old chieftain was loth to part with his dumb friends, but a little moral suasion together with a plentiful display of firearms, soon convinced him of the error of his ways and he hade the weeping horses a tender farewell and went on his way sorrowing.
We lived in the most primitive style during that time. In the winter of '36 I went to mill for the first time; previous to that we had pounded the corn in a mortar, or ground it in a coffee mill ; that was literally "earning our bread by the sweat of the brow." After the panic of '37 we had very little money in circulation, and the taxes were paid in wolf scalps, deer skins and wild honey. I have in my possession now, notes given then which read "One year after date I promise to pay W. G. D. twenty dollars in trade at trade rates, for value received."
Our means of transportation were very limited; much of travel was over land on foot. I remember in the month of November '38, I drove a large number of hogs from Sand Hill to the little town of Benton in Wisconsin, sixteen miles from Galena, a dis- tance of 400 miles. Such a story of pedestrianism may seem marvelous to our dainty modern youths, but we old men were made of tough material and such feats were not uncommon. In 1844 1 bought 2,000 hogs, fattened them during the summer on mast, which was very plentiful, and in the winter months killed and packed the greater part of them, and when the river opened I hauled the bacon to Smoot's Landing, two miles below Canton, and shipped it to St. Louis. Finding absolutely no sale for it
.
104
there, I re-shipped it on the steamer Uncle Toby to Galena. Again I was disappointed in finding a sale for it; so I gave it to Capt. Cole of the steamer Toby for fuel, and thus my speculation in hogs ended in "smoke."
We old land marks could tell many such stories of hardships endured and privations suffered, but when we look around and see the results of our labors in the thriving towns that cover our broad land, we do not regret a day of the past, and many of us in our inmost hearts sigh for the good old days of yore.
Yours Truly, W. G. DOWNING.
IOWA CITY, IOWA, Sept. 30th, 1885. EDWARD JOHNSTONE, EsQ., President.
KEOKUK, IOWA.
Dear Sir :-- I had fully intended to honor your kind invitation to attend the Tri-State Old Settlers Association Meeting to be held this day in your beautiful city of Keokuk, but am sorry to say that pressing business engagements forbid it. I am heartily in accord with you in this very laudable enterprise, the object of which is two-fold; 1st, to bind us who came to this western wilderness to grow up with a new empire and make it what it is now seen about us, and to lay plans for its further advancement to bind us, I say, who have done this in the bands of true friendship, that as years roll by us, we may know each other better and become a sustaining power to each other; 2d, to preserve the history of the past and hand it down to posterity, and to preserve ever the memory of those who have gone before us. A noble band whose deeds are engraven on every step which the civilization about us has taken . toward perfection.
I send you with this, a copy of the Iowa Historical Record, with my humble effort in it to define truthfully the meaning of the name of our state.
I am very respectfully, Your humble servant,
C. W. IRISH.
105
IOWA CITY, IowA, Sept. 30th, 1885.
HON. C. F. DAVIS, Chairman.
Committee of Invitation.
DEAR SIR: Storin-stayed a distance from home, I find it imprac- ticable to reach Keokuk, to-day. I passed by your city on the Illinois side, by land in Sept. 1839, on my way to Iowa. I crossed to Fort Madison, where I met the Rev. James A. Clark, who built the Presbyterian church and a brick parsonage, floating the joists and rafters from the island above. After many toils and trials he re- turned to Connecticut, having been a pioneer missionary in Iowa.
Thence I went to Denmark, Lee Co., spending a Sabbath and preaching for the Rev. Asa Turner, agent for the home missionary society. He carried me and my trunk on the back end of his buggy with his wife and baby on the only seat, drawn by the faithful "old Jerry." He and his wife gave me very warm hospitality. My bed was on loose boards in the loft over the kitchen stove. Sabbath I preached for him. On Monday, he forwarded me to Burlington, where I preached the next Sabbath to the Presbyterian Congrega- tion. With Mr. Edwards, editor of the "Hawkeye," Wm. H. Starr, James W. Grimes, I took an excursion to Wapello, where he ( Mr. Grimes, ) attended court. I rode his Indian pony, fording creeks, as there were no bridges at that time. There had been considerable sickness and several deaths at Burlington. I went up to the grave- yard in the oak opening, where all the graves looked new, and as I was not ready to die yet, I took a stage the next morning for Chicago, though solicited to remain at Burlington. I preached at the First Presbyterian Church, seven Sabbaths and was the guest of the. mayor, B. W. Raymong, Elder Wright, Wm. H. Brown and others. On my way to Galena, I preached three Sabbaths to Guiteau, the father of the assassin of President Garfield. In the month of February, 1810, I preached to Brown in his bar-room surrounded by a company of banditti, who in the spring of the same year had a fight with sheriff Warren in which eight men were killed, four of whom were citizens. Brown and his gang were resisting the sheriff.
Mr. Chairman, Iwish to offer the following toast at your enter- tainment, with many regrets that I cannot be there to respond to it : "The pioneer ministers and missionaries of lowa."
Respectfully yours, SAMUEL STORRS HOWE.
( Written by an amanuensis, as I am nearly blind. )
S. S. H.
106
ADDITIONAL RESPONSES
Were received from the following :
J. II. Hooper, Esq., Chicago, Illinois. Hon. Oliver Mills, Lewis, Cass Co., Iowa. HIon. N. E. Worthington, Peoria, Ills. Mayor L. II. Condit, Canton, Missouri. Hon. W. N. Neece, Monmouth, Illinois. Capt. L. Parkhurst, Davenport, Iowa. S. S. Vail, Esq., St. Louis, Mo. Geo. C. Furman, 229 Broadway, New York. John Lorrain, Esq., Galena, Illinois. Alexander Cruikshank, Esq., West Point, lowa. Fitch B. Stacy, Stacyville, Iowa. Judge E. S. Burton, Ottumwa, Iowa. Rev. L. B. Dennis, Knoxville, Illinois. Hon. E. H. Conger, Des Moines, Iowa. Hon. L. H. Weller, Nashua, Iowa. Hon. S. McPherson, Red Oak, Iowa. W. H. Barnes, Esq., Jacksonville, Illinois. Hon. H. C. Bulis, Decorah, Iowa. Chas. W. Hine, Esq., Ft. Mckinney, Wyoming Ter. Hon. J. D. M. Hamilton, Ft. Madison, lowa. Hon. John N. McClanahan, Corydon, Iowa. J. M .. Asher, Esq., El Cajoun, San Diego Co., Cal. Lieut. Gov. J. C. Smith, Chicago, Illinois. Edward H. Stiles, Esq. Ottumwa, Iowa. Judge P. M. Cassidy, Des Moines, Iowa. Rev. Thos. E. Corkhilll, Oskaloosa, Iowa. B. Miles, Esq., Houghton, Iowa. W. F. Merrill, Esq., Burlington, Iowa. Mrs. Moses F. Shinn, Omaha, Neb. Hon. A. G. Adams, Burlington, Iowa. Dr. G. S. Bailey, Vernon, Iowa. C. Gibson, Esq., Northern Minnesota. T. S. Parvin, Esq., Iowa City, Jowa. E. D. L. Sweet, Esq., Chicago, Illinois. F. N. Chase, Esq., Cedar Falls, Iowa. Col. John Adair McDowell, Chicago, Illinois. Major R. W. McClaughry, Joliett, Illinois, Hon, Barlow Granger, Des Moines, Iowa. Hon. John M. Wood, Kahoka, Mo.
107
Judge James J. Lindley, St. Louis, Mo. Hon. Robt. T. Lincoln, Chicago, Illinois. Hon. James Ilagerman, Topeka, Kansas. llon. Chas. P. Swigert, Springfield, Ills. Hon. W. G. Donnan, Independence, Iowa. James Barker, Esq., Milwaukee, Wis. Col. W. H. McDoel, Louisville, Ky. Hon. D. B. Henderson, Dubuque, Iowa. Hon. Henry Rabb, Springfield, Ill. W. J. Young, Esq., Clinton, Iowa. Judge David Davis, Bloomington, Ill. HI. Swimmer, Esq., Quincy Ill. Hon. Sam'l J. Kirkwood, Iowa City, Iowa. Hon. Hoyt Sherman, Des Moines, Iowa. Hon. Geo. W. McCrary, Kansas City, Mo. Judge C. C. Cole, Des Moines, Iowa. Hon. C. E. Whiting, Whiting, Iowa. Hon. M. M. Ham, Dubuque, Iowa. David Parsons, Esq., Detroit, Mich. Prof. S. N. Fellows, Iowa City, Iowa. Capt. Jno. A. T. Hull, Des Moines, Iowa. Ilon. Wm. Larrabee, Clermont, Iowa. Hon. John II. Gear, Burlington, lowa. Hon. Lafayette Young, Atlantic, Iowa. llon. Franklin Mc Veagh, Chicago, Ill. Hon. E. Il. Gillette, Des Moines, Iowa. Hon. H. W. Clendenin, Springfield, Ill.
INDEX.
PAGE.
Appointment of committee to nominate officers 27 Adjournment . 59
Allison, W. B. letter of . 66
Austin, Henry S. letter of 96
Ballingall, Hon. P. T. response to "State Militia". 41
Belknap, Gen'l Wm. W. response to toast "Volunteer Soldiers."
42
Beardsley, Hon. Charles letter of
65
Bell, Casper W. letter of 67
Brown, A. letter of 71
Bross, Hon. William, letter of
83
Bussey, Gen'l Cyrus, letter of. 90
Bridgman, Maj. Joseph, letter of
91
Brannan, Judge W. F. letter of 93
Bruce, Judge John, letter of. 98
Constitution 4
Committees. 5
Carr, Clark E. address of 27
Clute, Rev. Oscar, letter of. 65
Cockrell, F. M. letter of. 67
Collum, Gov. S. M. letter of
68
Carpenter, Hon. C. C., letter of
77
Crittenden, Hon. Thos. T. letter of.
78
Clark, W. L. letter of. 99
Cook, Lyman, letter of 101
DeCailly, Rev. address of 8
Drake, Gen'l F. M. address of 30
Dean, Henry Clay, response to toast "Pioneer Preachers" ..
Davidson, Gay, poem -- "This Trinity." 60)
Dey, Hon. Peter A., letter of. 71
Davidson, Jas. W., letter of . 99
Downing, W. G. letter of 102
110
Executive Committee, Appointment of 59
Edwards, A. G. letter of 64
Eckert, James, letter of. 78
Foote, Dr. Geo. W. response to toast 47
Fry, Smith D., letter of . 68
Fairall, Hon. II. S. letter of. 74
Freeman, Mr. and Mrs. O. S. letter of 75
Fleak, L. B. letter of . 86
Gregg, Thomas, response to Pioneer Press 52
Gordon, Samuel, Address of 55
Historical 3
Hillhouse, Capt. Wm., address of 43
Hargadine, W. A., letter of,. 65
Hatch, Hon. W. II., letter of 69
Hogan, John, letter of. 69
Hepburn, Hon. W. P., letter of
72
Harlan, Hon. James, letter of
72
Hatton, Hon. Frank, letter of
78
Hamilton, A. II., letter of
86
Harris, D. Smith, letter of .
89
Henderson, Thomas J., letter of 100
Howe, Sam'l Storrs, letter of 105
Iowa-Origin of Name 30
Irish, C. W., letter of. 104
Johnstone, Edward, address of
Jennings, Berryman, letter of. 75
Jones, George Watkins, letter of 81
Kulp, Wmn. O., letter of. 71
Knowles, Judge Hiram, letter of.
Littleton, Jacob, letter of 64
Logan, John A., letter of
Leib, Herman, Letter of .
Morehouse W., Gov. A. P., address of .
Marshall S. T., response to Pioneer Women 39
Marmaduke, Gov. John S., Telegram 11
111
Militia State-Toast, by P. G. Ballingall 41'
Manning, Hon. Edwin, Reminiscences 48
Murphy, Hon. Jerry, letter of 70
McGinnis, Jas. C., letter of,.
78
Miller, Justice, Samuel F., letter of.
101
Mitchell, Hon. Thos., letter of
82
Maclay, J., letter of . 87
Moore, R. H., letter of . 90
Merritt, Wm. H., letter of 93
Noble, General John W., letter of 70
Officers and Executive Committee, .
59
Oglesby, Gov. Richard J., Address of. 16
Programme 2
Phelps, William, letter of . 97 7
Proceedings-
- 612
Parsons, Charles, letter of.
92
Price, Hon. II., letter of. 82
Prather, John G., letter of .
80
Pratt, George Cooley, letter of.
66
Pioneer Preachers, response
22
Press, Pioneer, response .. 52
Poem,-"This Trinity," by Gay Davidson 60
Resolution of Thanks, 59
Russell, Edward, letter of .
76
Randall, Hon. Sam. J., letter of
91
Rothert, Hon. Henry W., letter of 95
Regrets, letters of
106
Second Reunion. 3
Stanard, Gov. O. E., address of
11
Sherman, Gov. B. R ., address of
13
Street, Wm. B., response of.
37
Seeberger, A. F., letter of .
75
Saunders, Hon. Alvin, letter of.
81
Stanwood, George, letter of
Strong, Henry, letter of. 83
Townshend, R. W., letter of
70
Taylor, Hawkins, letter of 94
.
Patterson, J. T., Poem
1
112
VanChoate, S. F., to Judge Johnstone. 80
VanChoate, S. F., letter from, to W. A. Brownell 63 "Volunteer Soldiers" toast, response by Gen'l W. W. Belknap,. 42
Vilas, Hon. Wm. F., letter of. 79
Vest, Hon. G. G., letter of . 94
Women, Pioneer, response by S. T. Marshall 39
Wright, George G., letter of 64
Wilson, Hon. James F., letter of . 66 Williams, Geo. H., letter of 77
Walsh, John Carroll, letter of .
84
Wentworth, Hon. John, letter of 85
Walling, Hon. A. T., letter of 98
REPORT
OF THE-
THIRD REUNION
-OF THE ---
TRI-STATE
Old Settlers' Association
--- OF ----
ILLINOIS, MISSOURI AND IOWA,
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13th, 1886,
-IN-
KEOKUK, IOWA.
RESOLUTION OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. .
RESOLVED, That Dr. J. M. Shaffer and J. H. Cole, Secretary, be authorized to have the proceedings of Third Reunion printed in form similar to the report of September 30th, 1885.
-
KEOKUR, IOWA. Tri-State Printing Co. 1887.
INDEX.
Adams, A. G. address of 15 to 18
Afternoon Meeting 25 to 26
Ainsworth, J. C. letter of -
55 to 56
Asher, J. M. letter of 63
. Armstrong, P. A. letter of
65 & 79
Additional Responses to Invitations
86 to 88
Bush, Col. address of
45
Belknap, Wm. W. Genl. address of
51 to 52
Babb, W. I. letter of
77 to 78
Bogen, Joseph Rev. letter of -
84 to 85
Constitution of Association,
11 to 12
Committee to Recommend Officers,
54
Cleveland, Grover Hon. letter of -
53
Cartwright; W. H. letter of 65 -
1
Crittenden, Thos. T. letter of -
79
Duffield, Geo. C. address of
48 to 51
Diggs, D. W. letter of -
67 to 68
Dey, Peter A. letter of
74
Dennis, L. B. Rev. 81
Davidson, Gay letter of
82 to 83
Exercises, Program of
5
Fulton, A. R. letter of
68 to 69
"Gate City," Extract from
8 to 9
Griffith, I. W. address of -
46 to 47
Graves, J. K. Senator letter of
58 to 59
Historical, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Reunions,
7 to 10
Hutchinson, A. C. letter of
73
ITillhouse, William letter of
74 to 75
IIenderson, D. B. Col. letter of .
79 to 80
Hogan, John letter of
83 to 84
Johnstone, Edward, address
14 to 15
Jones, Geo. W. letter of
81
Love, J. M. address of -
Logan, John A. Genl. letter of
18 to 25 60
-
4
Lindley, James J. address of
64 Lewis, Judge address of 1
34 to 65
Murphy, J. W. extract "Burlington Post," 9 to 10
Matheny, Jas. II. address of 27 to 33
Moore, Col. David, address of 47 to 48
Miller, Sam'l F. Judge letter of -
59 to 60
Merritt, Wm. HI. letter of
64
Maclay, J. letter of -
65 to 67
McClanahan, J. N. letter of
69
McKinny, T. I. letter of
73 to 74
Officers, List of 1886
13
Officers, Elected for 1886-7
54
Programme,
5
Phillips, John F. Letter of
61
Parvin, T. S. Hon. letter of
62 to 63
Parkhurst, L. letter of
76 to 77
Pratt, Geo. Cooley, letter of -
78
Pettengill, Sue Clagett letter of -
56 to 58
Responses to Invitations, - 53 to 85
Remarks, Concluding 89
Salter, Wm. Rev. Dr. 45 to 46
Skinner, D. D. letter of - 61 to 62
Singleton, Jas. W. Hon. letter of
62
Springer, Francis -
67
Thompson, Rev. Aaaron Prayer
25 to 26
Taylor, Hawkins address of - -
46
Vest, G. G. Senator letter of
60 to.61
Wright, Geo. G. address of
35 to 45
Wells, Guy address of
48
Walch, John Carroll letter of
75
Woolley, J. J. letter of
76
Welsh, II. P. letter of
80 to 81
Zwart, Barnard letter of
-
69 to 73
Welcome address of J. M. Love
KPROGRAM.ยป
Association called to order at the Speaker's Stand, at IC A. M.,
By Hon. Edward Johnstone, President.
Prayer, By Rev. I. P. Teter, Ottumwa.
MUSIC BY KEOKUK MILLITARY BAND.
Introduction of Hon. A. G. Adams, of Iowa, - President of the Day. Address of Welcome, By Hon. J. M. Love. -
MUSIC BY MARTIAL BAND.
By Hon. James H. Matheny, of Illinois.
Responses to Welcome, - By Hon. John Hogan, of Missouri. By Hon. Geo. G. Wright, of Iowa.
MUSIC BY KEOKUK MILITARY BAND.
Appointment of Committee to Recommend Officers for the Ensuing Year.
RECESS FOR DINNER.
RE-ASSEMBLE AT 2 P. M.
By Rev. Aaron Thompson, Illinois. Prayer, -
MUSIC BY MILITARY BAND.
Volunteer Addresses not to exceed ten minutes, on topics appropriate to the occasion.
Report of the Committee to Recommend Officers.
Music at Order of President of the Day.
HISTORICAL.
The Tri-State Old Settlers' Association of Illinois, Missouri - and Iowa, owes its origin to the earnest desire on the part of many old citizens of Keokuk to meet their friends of earlier days and renew old friendships and acquaintances, and to form new ones. To this end the organization known as the Citizens' Association was asked to take the preliminary steps, toward establishing, on a permanent footing, an association that would bring together, in annual reunions, the pioneers of the three States.
Accordingly, the Citizens' Association invited the citizens of Keokuk to meet together on the evening of July 3rd, 1584, at the U. S. Court Room in the Estes House, to determine the question as to whether such reunions should be held, and if so, the time, place, etc.
A large number of citizens responded, and it was resolved unanimously to organize a Tri-State Old Settlers' Association. The following Executive Committee was selected: . J. M. Reid, Geo. F. Jenkins, J. O. Voorhies, D. F. Miller, Sr., J. B. Paul, S. E. Carey and J. II. Cole. September 4th, 1584, and Rand Park, were agreed on as the time and place for holding the first reunion.
At a subsequent meeting the Executive Committee reported the Constitution, which was adopted, the programme of exercises, and October 2nd, 1984, as the date for the first re-union, on account of the local fairs being held in surrounding counties in September.
SECOND REUNION.
A Committee on Invitation was appointed, who sent out about 3,500 special invitations. Responses to many of these were made in person and to some by letters, which may be found in their proper place.
September 28th and 29th, 1885, preceding the day of the Second Reunion, were cloudy and dark, with nearly constant
OK 8
drizzling rain; 30th, the same rains with not a ray of sunshine. Tents had been secured for headquarters for Missouri, Illinois and Iowa for the officers and the press and were erected in Rand Park, where the programme was to be carried out. The weather rendered this impracticable, and the exercises were held at the . Keokuk Opera House.
THIRD REUNION.
This meeting was anticipated with great desire by the hosts of pioneers and younger people who had pleasant memor- ies of the preceding occasions. It was regarded a great delight to meet many whose labors had laid the foundations of the great prosperity attained and enjoyed by the people of the three states. The older ones to recall their privations, and the younger to rejoice in the glad time in which they find themselves, would be a pleasure, and an incentive to go forward in the march of progress.
"It was a greater success than any of its predecessors, or at least equaled them in attendance and enjoyment. Sore was the disappointment of those who arose yesterday morning and. discovered the sky o'ercast with ominous elonds. For a time the rain poured down in torrents and for several hours there were intermitting showers, which seemed to forshadow the failure of the reunion. Towards noon the clouds broke, the sun peered brightly through the vaporous rifts and there was promise of a pleasant afternoon. Notwithstanding this inclem- ency, the merchants on Main and other thoroughfares displayed attractive decorations, which enhanced the appearance of the city."
The annual meeting and exchange of greetings and remin- iscences is of far more import to the old settlers and pioneers than to those who did not share in the hardships of early life. From the resources of a native wilderness those advance couriers of progress have evolved the living monuments of enlighten- ment and modern civilization. As the gray-haired patriarch gazes upon the paved streets and marble halls his heart throbs with strange and tender emotions. He has witnessed n marvel- ous transformation. Amid the uncultivated wilds of boundless
9
territory have sprung into existence magnificent cities as if by magie and waving fields of grain supplant the interminable forest. In a few years the pioneers will have passed away and old settlers' meetings will live only in the dust-laden tomes of tradition. Those who faced the dangers of frontier life and hewed a path of progress to the golden sands of the Pacific are worthy of the highest consideration; let there be honors for the living, prayers for the dead .-- (Gate City.)
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.