The Baltimore County union., 1874-05-16

The HICKsITE QUAKERs this week held an
annual meeting in Philadelphia, in the meet
ing house on Race street. Delegates were pre-
sent from every section of the country, and the
proceedings were of an interesting and impor
tant character. A reporter, who was present
on the first day of the meeting, has this to say
about those there assembled:
GAS reached the church the little park in
front of it was crowded with many people, and
an hour later it became uncomfortably full 1t
was funny to study the characters standing
around, for many of them were exceedingly
quaint and peculiar. Leaning against the trees
were seen these sturdy, substantial old Hickstes
whom wave of progress can detach from
their old customs, whom worldly spirit OF
enterprise can inspire but who, dressed in their
dark, solemn costumes, their low, shiny, broad
brimmed hats and their long, full, continental
vests, fud their sole happiness in remaining
quiet, and steadily holding fast to the habits
and traditions of their ancestors. There they
were, standing with their aged and venerable
sisters, who, like their brethren, were happy
in their great bonnets and broad aprons, at
peace with the world without and secure with
their own opinions. Every now and then there
would come slowly up very attenu ated old
Hcksite, weak, faint and tottering, with ap-
parently just breath enough to express his graf
itude at being present, and with just sufficient
pump near by and would bring him draught
of cool well water in tall porcelain mug, while
the old man would receive it with one of those
indescribable bows which were, no doubt, at
some time il vogue, though no one can tell ex-
actly when. And then again about another
tree could see other Hcksites, differing from
the above by vests slightly shortened and hat
brims not quite so wide. They were city bred
and city taught, and in habit if not in faith,
seemed slightly estranged from the age that is
past, and which was represented by the per
sons under the other tree. Ali along the walk
which surrounded the park, and even upon its
green turf were hundreds of people, almost all
of them young, the females outnum bering the
males. | do not think | ever saw so many
young ladies assembled together before in my
| life. The scene cannot be well described. The
| girls seemed to be exceedingly happy, either
because the Hicksites had survived to meet
again, or because the day was the first of the
year in which they could display their new hats
and costumes. The latter were of every pattern
and color, many of them being exceedingly
| rich and beautiful"
| The FATHER OF Forty ONE CHILDREN John
Hepner Of Reading Pennsylvania, claims to be
the father Of forty -one children by three wives
The Eagle says: 'He was born in 1915, and
twenty-6v years afterward -l940-he married
his first wife in Germany They lived happily
| together for eight years. when she died During
| that time they were blessed with seventeen we'll
| formed children hence, at the age of thirty
three Mr. Hepner found himself the father Of quite
an extensive family The little ones came on
earth as follows: Two pairs of twins, four sets
of triplets and one at single birth, seventeen in
all The chdren of this marriage are now all
dead Mr.. Hepner remained a widower but a
short time, for in less than a year after he mar
ried another fair daughter Of Germany. He was
made the happy father Of another child in the
month OF February, 1910. On Christmas fol-
lowing, in the same year, aAother was born unto
him Then they were blessed with twins FIVE
times in succession, and subsequently, three more
children at single birth were born unto them,
making fifteen in all His second wife and him
self lived together nine years and then she died.
By the two marriages Mr.. Hepner at the age o:
forty-two, had become the father OF thirty-two
children, of whom only two are now living
Twenty years ago Mr.. Hepner and his second
wife came to this country. He was then thirty
nine years of age Three years afterward his
wife died. Mr.. Hepuer, not desiring TO live in a
strange land entirely alone, selected third wife
in 1858. They are still living happily together,
and during the sixteen years of their married life
nine children have oee" horn unto them. each by
single birth, making forty-one iu oil His .hird
| wife was a widow with one child when they
married. Hence forty-two children have called
| him "faher." OF the third set of children Only
three are living, making FIVE living in ALL to-
| gether with the extra one belonging to his third
| wife ~