The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-06-20
PIONEERS.
Reunion of the Old Settlers of Hend-
ricks and Adjoining Counties.
A Large Crowd Present and General Good
Time Is Had.
Incidents of other Days Related BY Old
Settlers, Among hom Is Cover
a nor I'LL ANS

a reunion yesterday at the farm of Jehu
Hadley, about two miles from Pecksburg
Notwithstanding the unfavorable weather
some 1000 people turned out and had an en-
Joyable time. The grounds were a perfect
sea OF human beings, horses and buggies.
There were old people and young people,
and old settlers and new settlers present
The grounds are splendid for meetings of
this kind, being very large and provided
with stands for speaking and dining pur-
poses. and through the attention of Messrs.
Truster and Marshall the wants of every
one were attended to.
The crowd paid close attention to the ad-
dresses throughout, especially to the one de-
livered by Governor Williams, who, by his
many incidents and anecdotes, kept them in
good humor the whole time. All the
speakers had many incidents to tell, which
seemed to be of interest to all. especially
when they related the difficulties of receiv-
ing an education, and all seemed thankful
that the rising generation had much better
opportunities.
The weather made the people late IN CON-
ing, and it was IL o'clock when the speech
making began.
Morning Meeting.
The meeting was called to order by Mr..
Truster, the president of the association, and
after few Introductory remarks he called
on DR.. Stevenson for a speech, and he re-
sponded in a short address full of the Incl
dents of pioneer life in this portion of the
state. He was followed by Jacob Cox, of
Putnam county, who said that he was
born in Virginia In 1914 he moved
to Kentucky, in 1887 moved to this state,
and in 1888 he wintered in indianapolis and
afterward moved to Putnam county. He
used a one post bedstead when he came
here, the bedstead being built in the side of
his hut. The only schooling he got was in
q hn1roo oxx-ifh n a ffr,r he ox.vs.,
we're made of creased paper. He was glad
that educational facilities were much better
now than in those days. He was thankful
he had come to Indiana, as he had better
chances in this state.
Mr.. Haworth, of Hendricks county, then
spoke for few minutes He was born in
Ohio in 1918, and in 1926 with his father
moved to near Danville, where he now re-
sides. He related many funny incidents of
old times, one Gf which was about frozen
corn being thawed and then ground, and af-
terward il became solid mass and had to be
broken and sieved before used. He said
the audience could imagine what kind of
bread it made. He had no opportunities Of
getting an education, being raised in the
woods. He said he was not raised. but Just
"growed" up. He then sang an old fash.
ioned song, which amused the crowd very
much.
AT the conclusion of Mr. Haworths ad-
dress the meeting adjourned for dinner.
Afternoon Meeting.
The meeting was called to order at /
o'clock by President Trusier, who in
troduced Governor Williams as the first
speaker.
GOVERNOR wILLIAMs's ADDRESS.
Governor Williams spoke as follows:
1t is delicate matter for some gentlemen to
tell ages, especially when ladies are present.
born be In Piq1a, Ohio, % in Isos. e' In 1878 fsis
/, with my father and his family, removed to
Knox county. The ages Of the four surviving
years, or, combined, 2so years.. have IS grand nd
children. am like the boys who belong to
debating societies-I want to speak first-be-
say the same thing as they do.
In early days We used TO have 10 sieve our
cornmeal through sieve made Of deer skin,
full of holes, stretched on a wooden hoop, and
not on an iron hoop, as the papers stated
said at the log rolling. We were too poor to
buy iron hoops. We used to grind our corn
meal in hominy mortar, then after a while
we got hand mills, and then horse mills.
We did not use steam mills much because
they took all our corn and then had fuss for
the sacks. paid dollar for the first wire
sieve we had. We used barshear ploughs.
these 70 show the difficulties then and the
advantages to-day. In those days our good
mothers used TO make our cotton and wool.
go TO the stores and buy your woolen
and cotton because IL rs much
easier. This is done too much now
merchants, who take most of our crops. We
were happy in those days, because we did not
have such large bills to pay We had to r1ll roll
drove our horses without lines, the driv,r rid
ing on one horse and leading the other. Men
plowed with their boys riding and driving
the horse We went TO school in log houses,
and when anything was going on outside
which the boys couldn't see they punched
teacher wasn't 10 king and pteped through,
the hole. We had three-cornered rails TO sit
on at the schools and churches.
/ will now relate n story, told by
Methodist minister, how William Saffer, OF
Harrison county, got an education: "His
got an old spelling book and his mother
taught hiDs his letters at night He would go
out and kill coon and boil the oil out OF them
too much time at his books. He would
lake his book in the field and plow awhile
found @ Out @ and H tied bell to she horse so That
he would know whether ne was at WORK. He
made string and tied 1t to the bell, and would
but i n his father soon caught him: He told his
father that he must 60 TO school, Tor some day
he might be called on TO take part In the az
go to school four months in the year, The ad-
vantages for education are different now.
They formerly used the rod toemuch instead
There is a great deal of work to be done yet
In clearing the forests and cultivatipg the
land In Knox county the bottom lands have
been improved and are now used to raise corn,
while the higher land, which has become
worn, is used more for pasturing and grass.
He then talked to the boys, urging them
to beware of bad company. He closed by
saying he was glad to meet his friends, and
that he felt as IL he was at home. IF i can
be the means OF making other people happy
it makes me happy
The governor was listened to attentively
throughout and related many amusing an
,cdofo~ d,1r;uo hts arsoanh