Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-04-21
Christening q New Town.

The people Of the thriving village OF
Groton Junction, Mass, having outgrown
their village bounds and become town,
petitioned the Legislature of the State, and
the village of Groton Junction became the
town of AVER, named after DR.. j. @.
Aver, name familiar with every house
hold in the country. Not long SINCE the
people of Aver gathered en- masse to
celebrate the important event, and the
new town was christened amid general re-
joicing. Upon the occasion DR.. Aver was
present, as well as many distinguished
gentlemen Of the State; and, when the
Doctor was introduced, he responded as
follows:
On the western coast OF Scotland where It slopes
into the Irish sea, river, rising the mountains
of the inner land winds down among the hills and
time 1t has been called Ayr from old Scotch
word " "Ayry,h meaning an eagles nest-the river
of the eagles nest Near its mouth and a con-
tguous harbOr, long stood hamlet which became
royal burg or town named from the river, and
now about One-third as large Lowell-the city OF
Ayr. For more than thousand years 1t has been
noted in the history of Scotland During the wars
OF Robert Bruce 1t was one of his resorts, and
was especially favored BY, him because he was
there cured OF leprOsy. Oliver Cromwell made 1t
ono of the depOts and headquarters of his army in
his attack upon cotand, and one Of his old forts
s now the citadel OF Ayr.
But above oil It's distinctions, Ayr the birth
place of the poet Burns. And what poetl What
a voice he has given to all the endearments OF
homel How has he hallowed the cottage and all
1t coyers-weans and wife, patches and pow
erty, beans, barley, ale, hardship and the poor
mans toll. How he wraps with tenderness what
ever he names, even his bleak leagues Of pasture,
the subble aeld, ice, snow, sleet and rain, brooks,
birds, mice, thlstles and heather. His Bonny
Doom, John Anderson, my 10 John, Aud Lang
Syne and Highland MARY roll round the world in
ever ringing symphony with what IL purest and
best IN human nature His songs WOO and melt
the hearts OF youth and maidens bring solace TO
the sorrowing, and courage to tho oyerb1rdened
by their lot His inspiration has set the affections
to music in strains that are immortal
No other one man ever made language classic,
but he has rendered that lOwland Scotch Dorc
dialect OF fame. The name Of his home and his
beloved river AYR was lifted on the wings of his
pathoa, and now the approaching traveller yearns
to reach the spot his genius has sanctihed.
Along the borders Of the sea IL paraelogram
name--Ayrshre.
1t would weary your patience to hear the history
OF my ancestors from one ancient John OF Ayr,
then John Ayr, down through the centuries to this
Aver now before you; through their vlcssitudes OF
poverty and plenty-of fortune and misfortune;
how they have intermarried with England, Ireland
and Scotland, and later with the Americans, who
are an excellent mixture of them all.
lUp brteHd8-1ou have chosen the name inher-
tied for your town with an extraordinary unanim-
ity, and have thereby conferred an honor upon
me, the proper acknowledgment of which do
not feel fllly able to express. But | beg you to
he assured that II Is appreciated, and that II will be
gratefully remembered with a living interest In
your prosperity while life Jsmans TO me, and,
trust, beyond that by my children after me.
If this name has become noted among the many
that are worthier around you, that is greatly due
to its publicity. May / be permitted TO state
whence that Gamer Until within a few centuries
all the civilized nations Of the globe were pent
upon the Eastern continent. Two or three hun
and iearfnlly al first then more and more, but al.
ways in their settlements timidly huggng the At
lantic coast. Within the last two or three genera
tions, they have burst out as II were and overrun
these vast continents Of the West Now they are
scattered here and possess these measureess
stretches OF mountains and valleys, hills, plains,
forests and prairles with the boundless pampas
and mountain ranges of South America. Former
generations lived In villages and towns thickly
settled together, where ply soians were plainly and
near at hand. Now, the people are widely scat
tered In many sectiQns Of these many countries.
For great numbers the timely treatment of physi-
clans cannot be had; over large tracts Of country
good or competent physicians cannot be had at
all. q They cannot visit patients enough many
miles apart to live by their profession, nor can
they carry medicines enough with them on horse
back for their reQuncments.