Wilmington daily commercial., 1874-08-25
social Pic-Nic AT rIt. Cuba.

me- ,.y,os or THE soNs AND DAUGHTERS OF HOOK
IssIS-THE SCATTERED REoATHERED.
large party Of both sexes, and all ages,gath-
cred at Mt. Cuba, on the Wilmington Western
Ralroad, on Saturday, in response to private
invitation to attend Basket Picnic Reunion
.of old friends and associates, especially but
not exclusively of Hockessin." The day was
somewhat showery, but the time was pleasantly
spent with croquet, games and dancing.
An informal meeting was also organinzed, j.
I. Head being called to the chair, and after he
had made come preliminary remarks, John q.
jackson smoke briefly. Emma Worrell read a
poem. and Lydia H. Price, of West Chester, ad-
dressed the meeting John Jackson began by
aluding to the fact that Hockessin had become
somewhat celebrated in the little world OF Della
ware-tlat in fact it had been made almost clas-
sic ground by being referred to 30 handsomely
in the writings of our noted fellow countryman,
Bayard Taylor, espec ally in his late poem OF
Lars," The walks Of his hero
"Beyond the town where deeper wales bring down
The winding brooks from Pennsylvania h.lls"
we're aptly illustrated and realized by the deep
valley Of he'd Clay Creek and the sparkling wa
ters right there in presence flowing.
More appropriately still for the occasion, the
poets words were quoted and commented upon,
"Thc land was called Hockessin Der Its hills
High, wide, and fertile, blew healthy air;
There was homestead set wherever fell
Asnnwari 81 pc, and breathed its crystal vein,
And up beyond the woods at crossing roads
the heart Of all, the ancient Westinghouse
Mr. Jackson next produced an old deed writ
ten in quaint Old English text, dated the six
and twentieth day OF August in ye fifth year OF
ye reign of our sovereign Lord George, King of
Great Britain and Ireland, A. D. 17lS," from
which it appeared that Hockesein Valley was a
part of the Manor Of Steining of 15,500 acres,
granted by Vim. Penn to his daughter Letltia,
by patent dated 1907. In 17l5, a tract OF bOU
acres of this land embracing the main body OF
lockesHn Valley and the hill slopes fronting
Sonth-Eastward, was sold by the attorneys OF
William Asbury, and Letitia his wifo. late Lett
tia Penn, to John Houghton. From John
Houghton the valley lands passed by deeds oil
conveyance and otherwise more or less direct, to
the hands Of the present owners.
Mr. j. then made some flattering illusions to
the character Of the people who have come
from the valley Of Hockessin and vicinity anc
gone forward to make their mark in wide fielc
Of action, or who. perhaps, he jocosely SAID
left their country for their country good.
The name OF several families we're mentioned
the Marshalls the Heads, the Pus
eys, the Romans, the Phillipses, th'
WorrelA and others, who had left the old home
stead and gone forth to battle-some IN the Con
srers Of the Nation, some in the Halls OF Legis
lat0n Of their own and other States, some a
successful manufacturers and enterprising bus
lness men in various fields of labor, some a
Instructors and teachers-all demonstrating tn
pluck, energy, and integrity inherited from thei
ancestors and the free and Independent charac
ter lmbbcd from the imprisoned air Of their ma
tive hills
Mr.. modestly laid claim that those who sti
ved IN the valley and did their duty towards II
Development, should, according to the old Most
c rule, be entitled to the same share of rewar
as those who went forth to the battle.
After some brief illusions to the good ol
times enjoyed as school mates by those now Al
sembled in pleasant reunion, to the vast in
proyements in mechanical art and scientit
knowledge, the birth of railroads, steamboat
telesraphs, ETC., ETC., since those good old time
Mr. j. closed by brief exhortation to tho
present not to forget their honorable descent al
the noble testimony to the freedom OF col
meIce and the iniiuidudtity Of all true religio
so nobly borne by their ancestors.