Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1875-06-11
THE lUSTIKBURG ANNIVERSARY.
SeTenty-f fifth Anniversary Of the Settle
ment Of the Town Of AHstfpburg,
Ashtabnla County, Ohis. sasd "a
A Full ReDOrt Of the Proceeding

OF EeNcIGl OUya UIENlJl1 W flul140AsIJ e-AS
9th inst, the enterprising and public spir-
tied citizens Of the town Of Austinbnrg, one
OF the pioneer and representative localities
of sNew Conneeticut," had been making
great preparations for the celebration of the
seyenty-ffth anniversary Of the settlement
of the town. Convenient seats and plat.
forms were erected in the pleasant grove on
the grounds Of the Grand River Institute;
fags and banners were made readyj invita-
tons had been sent to an known surviving
old residents of the place, and, with 3 due
regard to the practical, as their fathers had
before them, the good people had prepared
a great abundance Of eatables NhefeWith q
spread the hospitable board for the many
hundreds whom the occasion vas expected
to call together. Expectation stood ON tip
toe; the good time coming was atihana.i .
But with the morning came the rain. An
the forenoon it poured. All outdoor exer.
cises must be abandehed.i At 10:45A!M,
however, eoodly number Of the old eli.
zens and their descendants, with members
from other towns, gathered in the. north
chapel Of the institute and were called to
order by Lewis B. Austin, on whose mqtien
William Il. Price, Esq, of Cleveland, was
chosen chairman. After the performances OF
Ys1ree doodle by the Harpersfsld Martial
Band Mr.. Price took the chair and said::
Iad;es and eentletaex .AaEe have assembled
to-day under the fnfaenoe of one q the noblest
qualities Of human natuge-- thai which saactl-
fes the home Of our birth. the place where our
hearts were hrst touched Wltn tne aenumens
L. - Ifr-af funo
first set up our household gods, where curehIl-
dren were born, and where orr early struggles
for position and comp pet5nce commenced. II Is
that sentiment which leads rs 70 erect monG-
ments and statues to. the gOOd,f the great and
the brave, and which thrills rs with emotion
whenever We approach the place where they
and their heroism. We have come to eommens
orate the industry, kperseY Ysranee, piety and
many minor good qualities Of the men and Ro-
men who first settled the tewn Of Austln0urg.
We have come to drink in their spirit. and TO
carry away some Of It, 50 that We may be qetter
men and women. In the mans OF th cir descend
ants welcome you here. Let us haTe good
day, and carry away its memories 10 strengthen
Us in the future work Of life. The programmes
as ARRANGED, will necessarily be somewhat in
terfered with on account Ofthe rain, butNe VII
adhere to it as closely As pOssibts. tfs .s5f q
The 18th Psalm was then read by the Rev.
J. Z. Nutting, pastor Of, the CongTegahonA
church Of Aushnburg; alter which the
mighty deeds, which God performed Of old, y
was rendered in excellent style, to the good
old fashioned tune of 'fSherburne, BY the
Pioneer choir-sonne Of the lady singers be-
ing dressed in the antique costume Of over
seYenty.iye years agos " ,l-h 9lt
PRAYER was then offered by the Rev. s. d.
Peet, pastor Of the First Congregational
church Of Ashtabuls, and followed by Aud
Lang Syne" by the choir. rr.... .srsa s.fiT q
The press was represented on the plat
form By E. Cowles. of the Cleveishd
Times, James Reed, Sr., Of the Ashtabula
Telegraph, and A. f. 6perry, Of the Ashta-
bula Nescs. Mr. Chester LO0nis, the Oldest
living resident Of the town, aged ninety
i've years, was brought to the platform in
the arms Of friend, Mr.. Boudfnet Seeley,
and retained his seat during the entire exer-
eises, taking part in, the old fashioned singing
with evident pleasure. He was attended by
his neiee, Mrs. Jane Csse, who devotes her
time to him with a daughters loving care.
In the absence of Hon. Charles Case, Of
Washington, who was announced to deliver
the Historical address, VIM H Price, ESQ,
of Cleveland, President of the Day. took
the stand, and spoke IN substance as follows
giving the history of Grand River 1Rsti-
tate: 1., 80 a.5Irffz ,.-svs Vi b51i
Ladies and Gentlemen; Some ten, OF fifteen
days sgo was solicited By Miss Bstsey CoFles
Of Austinburg, through my friend, Edwin
CoHles, of the Cleveland gLEEDER, to- appear
here to-day and say something 81 to the early
history Of Grand River Institute. I feel, IN
fit to perform any such duty, as my knoWl-
edge Of the Institute extends only over the Pc
years am slmost entirely ignorant of, its his
tory. Ny remarks VIII necessarily be diecur-
siEe, IS I am quite unprepaned. sfQad pi.
When the New EnglandeT started out to ea-
tohI5nh = r1nu toI0nvrS the w Wpaf-and a
many Of cur States we're settled largely from
New England-he alBays took with him the
school house and the church, !Lhe New Eng
for himself than Of building church and
a school house. The idea was very early
conceived Of an insttut1nL Of leaEnssng m
selieVe, there was ehtsrtsizsd sti1s idea
Of establishing here school especially to pre-
Pars young men for the ministry. pr. o., k.
HaFiey is perhaps entitled 70 tpe main erealt
was obtained frem thee LegislRture for Ihs
Grand River Institution of Sciences and Indus
Try. Among the charter incorPorators were
Dr.. HsHley,li Eliphalet Ausnn,- y. H.
WOlcott, Giles h. CoWles, and several toth7
ers whose names have not been able TO obtain.
In 1881 q building which had been eoeper's
shop was fitted up, and Mr.. Lueius NJ. Austin,
who is here jto-days was the first tsacher.d He
had at hrst but one pupil, whose name was
Tower. Soon, however, the number Of stu
dents became quite large, and the school pros
Peredy he giving instruction in the seiencsSg
mqathesmIaties. etc., and preparing young men
Nj. Austin eo1tinasd IN the school two
terms. and then resigned. / do not know who
succeeded him, but think that not much vas
done with ths school till 1885. when the build
ing was erected which stands south Of the one
We are now IN. This was 81 N echaniesvllie, and
the building was capable Of accommodating
some thirty or forty studeBts. The eeh0ol FaS
opened in the fall Of 1885, with r. Nj. Walker
as the teacher. In 1886 set my eyes for the first
time upon t.. A large number Of students had
collected at 0berlin in October, 1895. Qbetlin
was overrun, having neither room nor supplies
enough for 50 many. "A colonization must Be
made. The ReYs Henry COwlesl met a large
number Of the young men at Qberlin, and ex-
piained to us the condition of things at Austin
burg; and seIae tWenty-seven Or twenty eight
of Ne volunteered TO ccme heret and thus reliBye
obsTlin. We walked nearly all the Wayi and
on the 9Th Of March, l835, foOt-Hore and weary,
we first came over these hilis and arrived at the
Institute. iii HIug lgi lgsns sll 80
We found here seven students, among Ehsm
remember Lewis Carr, young man named
Gage, now a Methodist preacher somewhere In
Michigan. and othezB. The good people 81
green as We were. Some Of us Thought Ne were
going 10 oVerturn The world ia sshort time. OF
convert the heatben in a single year. But !
can never forget the eordiality with which the
tbeIess. Very soon tbs inssituts 81 and sii te
houses near we're filled WithsGtudentssHA About
t6.a the lsI q June RrofesseE Timsthy z. Hpdson
during the term. Professor Hudson Was 4 man
personally very dear 10 me. He lost his life
accidentally on the railroad near 0karlin
some eighteen years ago.
That summer was Obliged to leave the In
stitute, because the burning Of my fathers
house had deprived me Of funds. It was appa-.
rent even then that young man could not &C
cOmplish much and at the same time earn his
support by manual labor. The labor system
was Afterwards abandoned, having bean found
almost entirely impracticable. II required Of
the students the 1neSt natural constitution.