Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-09-21
MEMORIES OF THE PAST.
The ReuniOn aud Barbecue or the
Old Folks OF Shelby County at
Esttvai Park on Yesterday.

grassy lawns, beds Of plants and flowers,
rustic fountain with its spray shining
like diamonds, and its beautiful open
pavilion were not the only objects Of at.
traction. Some four hundred people
were at the Park for the purpose
of enjoying the annual reunion and bar
becue Of the Old Folks Of Shelby county.
Old men and mstrons, young men and
maidens, youth and beauty, smiling hap
py children we're scattered around the
grounds, each and all intent on
enjoyment. The frat meeting of the
Old Folks was held in May, 1851,
on which occasion Nathaniel Anderson
was chosen president; VIM. D. Fergus
son, vice president; j, B. Moseley, secre-
tary, and Eugene Magevney, historian.
The society adopted a constitution and
bylaws in May, 1857, and had its first
annual celebration at the Fair Grounds
on the 10th OF June. The society kept
on increasing and Aourishing up to the
breaking out Of the war, and was reor-
gained after the war. in 1866, with
Charles d. Mclean as president and
John B. Moseiey as secretary, and an.
nual celebrations followed. In 1870 an
other reorganization took place, and a
more perfect constitution and system of
bylaws we're adopted, and for several
years the society advanced and pro-.
crossed 10 usefulness. In August, 1871,
the society was chartered by the State,
and Mr.. James s. Wilkins was elected
president and a board Of managers was
organized. The society now consists Of
seventy-tbree active and twenty-six hon.
orary members, and is about as live an
old institution as can well be imagined.
The active members of the society must
be residents Of Shelby county twenty
IyearP, and all honorary members mus.
be non-residents, excepting clergymen.
THE CELEBRATION YESTERDAY.
, At an early hour the Old Folks and
their friends began assembling at Estival
Park, Three generations of people faced
each other at the place. There were
? talking age, whispering lovers and pratt.
I'll ng children.
The exercises of the day were intro.
dueed with music by Arnold's band.
Singing by a quartette, composed Of
. Misses Jenny Jones, Marie Hitzteld and
Messrs. Petersen and Hollenberg. "old
Folks at Home" "Auld Lang Syne" and
other reunion songs we're rendered in
quite an effective manner, and we're re
ceived Enthusiastically by the folks, both
old and young.
Rev, DR.. Landrum, of the Contra
Baptist church, delivered an eloquent
prayer that found a responsive echo il
every heart.
President j. S. Wilkins introduced thr
9 orator of the day, R. Dudley Frayser
Esq. This gentleman delivered a lengthJ
Grafton, full of personal and historical
illusions blended together in a happ,
manner.
ELEGANT EXTRACTS.
10 Colonel Frayser presented the follow
IT ing graphic pictures of the Memphis o
old and the Memphis Of the present day
Memphis, composed Of a few " woodel
houses, quaint and brown lay at tn
mouth of Wolf river, and all around yol
we're dense thickets and wild woods
. | will essay to draw you
lie portrRiture OF Memphis. | will pictur
her a magnificent Orb Of most efulgen
light, Of the most perfect and dazzling
:. b%rilliancy, resting upon the bank of on
9 great Father Of Waters, as upon a dis
Fl tant horizon. would have this orb Sit
d uated in a splendid and expansive coun
try, whose soil teemed with and CAV
forth from its bosom all that mankind 70
food could desire or bis varied wants anC
- comforts could find use for. / woult
:, have this orb encased by a climate q
ii salubrious as could be found in the lard
From this great orb of illumination
would reflect divers and various rays o
light, each ray so reflected beaming ant
dsrting across the vast, broad land,
around it, l would have, as railroad
stretching and reaching their long irol
% arms to the iarthest aud uttermost part
% Of the continent, and the heat of thesl
rays permeAting everywhere and devel
y oping everything they fell upon, | woult
n symbolic loaded trains of creaking cars
loaded down with the great staple OF GU
city's commerce, borne by the Vulcan
wrought engine to millions upon million.
OF our race, for their comfort anC
warmth.
Those overriding walters Of that ma
jestic river which in former years howeC
n past the picture, on this bluff, Of the wilC
Indian at their camp.6res, lighting up
= background Of dense foliage and i'm
penetrable f%orests, now passes that SAINT
bluff to 6nd it 6edecked aud adorned
n with buildings whose architecture ant
< finish will vie with that of cities of an
Gent renown, and inhabited by q peopI,
whose intelligence and culture will com
e pare with the most learned in the land
Instead of the canoe OF the savage, host
ing to the queer melody OF his whoop:
{, and loaded with furs, the product oil BIZ
hunt, We have now the shapely steamer
gliding to the music OF trained bands o
5 musicians, and freighted to her guard
with tons upon tons Of products anC
fabrics from every land on the globe
Yonder, where the wild bear hoarsely
howled and the graceful deer was wont t
browse, still in the recollection Of som,
Of you "Old Folks" a very forest o
steeples point their spires, glistening
Nh nnnl.nkA A. La.-.m III - L.