The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-08-23
THE OLD SETTLERS.



The pioneers Of La Sale county, the brave
sons and daughters of now almost Il former
generation, with their children and grand
children, met at the fair grounds west of this
.ity,on Thursday, and Notwithstanding the
many adverse circumstances, enjoyed them
selves as Of yOre.
The attendance was much larger than on
any former occasion, but the place was badly
chosen not that il was the fault Of the La
Sale County Agricultural Society, who took
special pains to have everything put in The
pest order possible, and made no charge for
hat expense nor the use of the grounds, nor
was it the fault Of the citizens Of Ottawa, who
always gladly welcome the old settlers, The
DAY was icariully hot, and tie dust blew in
clouds everywhere stopping the breath,
binding the eyes and filing the nosrils,
mouth, ears, and clothing, making each Dipcd
= begrimed monster, such as Dante saw in
MS inferno" or Ulysses found among the
,hades in Pluto's dark domain,
At about noon probably three thoUsand
people had assembled and filled up the yari.
ous holes with their table cloths, chicken
.XingS, cakes and all the numerous edibles
hat belong to picnic dinners. But there was
one draw back-a picnic dinner without
natures table CLOTH the beautiful green grass,
is q fraud, and no covering answers so well
IS one which is furnished by the trees or
groves, Goods first temples"
The programme Of exercises was followed
~. announced Hon. Washington Bushnell
distinguished himself in an excellent address
and was responded to by the president, Rev.
W. Batcheldcr, in good speech, Afterwards
short speeches were made by John 5. Arm.
strong, Esq, Of Mission; |. II. Frcdenburg, of
Ottawa; Nathan Hardy, Of Buffalo Rock and
Mr.. Samuel Oliver, a gentleman who has be
come ccntcnarian, having passed his one
hundrcdth birth day, and yet being hale and
Hearty, and apparently good for many years
10 come.
Following these and OF course the dinners,
came music, or rather, intcrspcrscd with
everything at the proper time was music,
conducted by Mr. Lansing who with the help
If Mr.. Simon, got up an old folks CONCERT,
which was a decided success, The ladies
and gentlemen named below were con,picuos
III the costume Of 100 years ago, viz:
Mr.. and Mrs. Lansing, Mrs. Jesse Dickcv.
The Misses McNair, Miss Lena Ackcrman.
Miss Munger, Miss Mcclure, Airs. q. c.
Thompson, Mrs ]. :. Dewey, Miss Burgess.
Miss Lansing, Mr.. Chambcrlin, Mr. McNair,
Nr. Thompson, Mr.. Munger, Mr.. Baldwin.
Thomas Spencer Mr. Pcricy, Mr.. Simon
INTERESTING RELICS.
There were many relies Of old times
exhibited on the grounds, and among them
We saw a flax hatChCI such a. or great grand /
mothers used when Adam was scarcely YET
invented, and following this was a pillow /
share 50 years DID, and To make this more .
binding there was mother EbeTsol's Dutch .
oven with which she baked bread during a .
400 miles trip As she came from the cast TO
Lhc west and in those days Illinois was so tar
west that shutdown had 10 rush westward in
orde. 10 get away from III a-uc. The popular
amusement OF the early pioneers, though after
several months close attendance to this bus
mess Il seems ~ grow m0notonous. and be
comes. as it were disaCrecablc, or Il; least is /
calculated 70 make party nervous. Near
t.U OH puich oven wl> a. - ,gaw's exc plowcd Il
Id in 1890. east Fox river, found by Jesse II