The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1869-05-06
Old Settlers Meeting.

! OS 'AAO, pACdo'tu1 DCCuuSC OuCAO was ~
little display, and so much cheerful SYM
patty More than one hundred, with
good proportion of ladies were present,
pretty near filling Halliday's long room.
Mr. Isaac George, Familiarity known as
the Bishop, appears to have taken the
lead in getting up the meeting; and with
Messrs. Tarbell and Brockett, constituted
the committee. 1t was at first designed
to confne the call to Kenosha, but was
soon found more proper to extend it to
the county. A good many came in and
enjoyed the friendly interview. All who
came as early as 1871 were deemed early
settlers. e e-S-,
Hon. Charles Durkee, now Governor of
Utah, settler early in 1886, being pres
ent, was chosen President; Michael
Frank, Secretary; David Crosit, Thomas
Rowland, and T. D. Parsons as Vice Pres
idents.
Governor Durkee, on taking the chair,
expressed qualification at being per
mitted to participate in this social and
friendly reunion. He rejoiced to see
once more, so many of his old friends and
associates convened together He spoke
of the great revolution which had. tax.
en- place, since the first settler had chosen
Kenosha for home. The march of en-
terprise and the development of the
great west, had been unparalleled in his
tory. The vast region Of country stretch
ing to the base of the Rocky mountains
an unbroken wild only quarter of CEN
tury ago, is now teeming with life and
activity. Nor had the tide of population
stopped at the Rocky mountains; civil
cation, religion and intelligence had, du-
ring this period been planted on the Pa
cific coast. Railroads have interlaced the
great west in all directions, wondrously
facilitating trade, and telagraphic lines
disseminated intelligence. All these re
markable achievements had taken place
within the memory of the present resi-
dents of Kenosha.
NJ Durkee spoke feelinglY of the
| probability of this being the last time he
should ever be permitted to see another
such gathering of his old friends and ac-
quaintances Time was hurrying us on
ward, with rapidity, to our final destiny
beyond the tomb. He expressed his abid
ing hope in glorious Immortality, and
trusted, that when the earthly pilgrimage
of the settlers of Kenosha shall have end
ed there would be more blissful re-un-
ion in the society of angels in the pres
ence of God (Gov, Durkee expects to
leave for Salt Lake City in few days, to
resume the duties of his office)"
Elder Stebbins offered prayer SO seas
enable and appropriate that all might
unite in it devoutly as their own.
Elder Jason Lothrop, an early settler in
Kenosha, being present, was called upon
for facts in our early history He stated
that many years ago, he had, in pursuance
to an ivitation of. the State Historical So
ciety, given pa Der on the early history
of Kenosha; tina Mr.. Frank had contin-
ued that history with much of great in
terest and that Mr.. W. Mygatt had given
communication, which excepting few
things, might be read with interest. He
did not wish to repeat much of what is
/ riyen in these volumes. He stated that
he started from Oswego, N. Y, in July,
1886, with company Of thirty persons,
bound for the west The party embarked
on the schooner Detroit, and were four
weeks on the water. They, however, did
not spend this long time idly. All the
juvenile members of the company went
j through the common school exercises each
! week day; and all joined in sunday
school every Sabbath. On the 18th of
4 August the schooner came in sight of the
present town of Kenosha The view of
the land was most beautiful. The groves
of trees as seen by the passengers appear
ed more like an orchard than, wilder
ness. The vessel Yentured no nearer than
q mile from shore, because the soundings
were unknown. The passengers were
landed by the small boats of the schooner
on the sand beach at the north end of
i Washington Island.
! At that time there were five log dwell
ings IN the place, the occupants of which
were members of the Emigration Com.
pany, except that on the island, which
was owned by Perigue and Mobiles; be-
sides Hudson Bacon had one west across
the barean, where he resided till he left
lately for Michigan. G. Wilson, was just
north of the island, j. Butler half a mile
north of that and CIV. Turner half that
distance still further north. There was
the body of log house erected south of
Pike Creek, which Mr.. Lothrop had fin
ished, and made his residence. This was
the first dwelling south of the creek but