Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1871-09-06
TEE GLE SETTLERS. PICNIC.

course of people, who have met again; for
-mos.ly-thsy can look back to old times
when they met before they made celebration
of their meeting. This morning, headed BY
BiehPs Band, thirty-six equipages passed
along Illinois street on their way to the
Island. In them were grey and white head.
ed men their children who we're born in
Rock Island when its population was but
small and in rome instances their grand
children, looking happy and merry, but per
haps hardly understanding as yet what il is
to be an Old Settler anywhere. On arriving
on the Island, "marshsled" by their gallant
old President, John A. Boyer, the band
played an appropriate piece, after which
prayer was offered by the Rev. F. Ketchum.
John W. Gregg then spoke as follows:
Mr.. President old Settle. s. OF Scott
and hOck island LOuat.es-Ladaes and
GenHeiHeH "Oat OF the mouths OF baDes
and stockings comes perfected praise
such must have been the text uppermost in
she minds of the committee who have as
signed me, . mere babe in Arms in Old Set
slership,th the veriess ~neophyte in the rites and
mysteries of that ancient order, TO this hon
orAble position.
On the frat day of September, in the year
of our Lord one thousand eight hundred
aud fOrty-one, thirty years ago last Friday,
the sun arose over the prairies Of Illinois,
gliding with the early morning light the
lowly roofs of the few houses that constitut-
ed the small village of Stephenson, lighting
up one of the finest landscapes that ever
g~lsddensd the eye of man. But the glorious
sunlight, the beautiful scenery had, on that
eveniful morning, no place in the thoughts
of one OF the d~wellers In the little town, q
rising young physician, for now all other
consideration were as naught, he WAS su
anxious husband, bat whom Old Sol sank 20
rest behind the hills of Iowa his last beams
lighted up the smiling face of that same
young man, . happy father. The sun that
rose this morning found the innocent Cause
of ell that trouble Just "a anxious IS to the
result Of this, his first born speech, his maid
en- effort and let Us hope that when the sur
shall set behind those same everlasting hills
his latest ray will be shed upon as success
ful an issue as was that of thirty years ago
Ii would seem thGtthose,t to whom hss beer
delegated she management OF the orator.
cal department of the Rock Island County
Society are prone TO recognize and make con
spicuous that particular class who may be
designated rs the young old settlers, oi
whom your orator OF '69 was &n able repre-
sentative, as able as | fear your present on
is feeble.
There is, however, much good reason why
some prominence should be given TO tn,
young, for they are In the truest sense Ole
Sc tlers. To the manor born, growing viii
the growth of their county they are from tn,
very nature Of circumstances, particular,
identified with every interest, as childreI
aud as men and women, every evidence o
ublic growth finding IT'S prototy pc 10 then
growing lives, the sports, the studies, tn,
Ia oors, the courtshlp. the marriages. al
weaving together the bright fabric OF tbei
~county's prosperity. Upoa them too mus
eventually fall the mantle of the Old, Oh
Settlers, and theirs will BE- the duty Of pei
pstusliug the deeds and virtues Of thel
slres. Among them we mus. naturally loo
for that lItIle bshu who shall meet III III.
distant future, and with tears And twice to-
tales recall and do reverence to those goDu
before. Long may 1t be, however, bef0r
The gray beaded pioneers are missed trOu
our annual meeting. Poorly indeed i fes
could their descendants wear their mAntles
MAY they ali live 10 see the sllvery thread.
OF coming age whitening the temples of th
. Youngest among Us. Without their pres
ence, their management. their work, l cal
readily see that We would be by no means g
well prepared for our yearly good times, q
I was a Scotch friend of ours for the christen
. ing Of his BARN. The minister sent TO
him the Saturday night preceding the Sun
day appointed for the ceremony and cate
chised him thus :-Jeems are you prepared
for the solemn event tomorrow "Aye, sir
| bought a cheese last NIGHT" Oh, but
Jeems you misunderstood me. Are you
spiritually prepared? Aye, middliug, | hsv,
two or three Dutehkins of whisky in the
house. Oh, Jeems | fear you w~ilfully mis-
understand my words. Are you fit to hold
up your infan, to be baptized Hold him
hold up that wee bit body. Why cir, l coulC
hold him up if he was q yearliDg calf.
Ar Old Settlers Address, Mr.. President
should have q stong reasoning of histor]
and statistics without these 1t is very like In,
play of Hamlet with Hamlet left out bu
statistics are dry and in them you Sre vel
posted while talking history to these AROUND
me who have made it is carrying Goals tt
Newcastle or Coal VAlley-Not that there
is any lack of material. This Island issel
furnishes them and inspiration. Here it Ii
that Black Hawk and his BrAres had thsil
Garden Of Eden, the home of their Gooc
spirit, their type of the Happy Hunting
Grounds in the land of the Hereafter
Here too the Kingly Keokuk, that Indian
"Ola man Eloquent" awoks the echoes o.
this peaceful valley with his terrible denun.
~cistion of q tempted injustice to himself
and his tribe and his steady maintenance o.
the rights of himself and his people.
Standing upon Yon point, viwing will
the eye of q prophet as we'll as that Of
soldier and 9 love of nature that grand oil
veteran Scott, then in bis fullest prim.
marked the advantageous location and fore
told the arriving prosperity of the count,
{ that has his name.
And there was that other one, 9 gallan
Young soldier, O promising officer ; did b
dream while lettering among these leaf
p groves dreaming of future glory and ambii
4 ION Rrati6ed. that here thousands of bette
men than he would suffer the penalty of hi
y great crime, and through q long weary i'm
" prisonment, yearn for their fAr-of home
, and families, and cuvse the name of this
q ! same mhu grown III wars NlShSN
meas that arch-trsitor JEFF Davis.
Over there upon the rocky northern shor
70 looking out upon Iowa's green pasture, fac
to face across the water with that oldest
pioneers, Antoine lie Claire, stands q lo'
weather. be Aten, uncovered cottage, wit
its door step washed by the restless tide
old Mississippi In that cottage. the piC
!. neer house of the many that now loo
down upon it. lived and died that Old Sc
sler-par excellence-George Davenport
10 friend of red man and white; friend to a
b. humanity; big hearted, open handed an
clear headed. So thoroughly identified vii
every interest of the young, sparsely iuha'
AZ lied settle ment. 40 thoroughly interested
oil every detail Of its growth into the beautitr
So trio OF towns, it became even before be lie
4. tit is little enough that his name has b
come-both from the ever green memory
Jh ] 1s---4f - E-~- "a l. Al