The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-08-18
OLD SETTLERS.
The Roman Fathers" Re.lJn,on
A BIG TURN OUT--A JOLLY TIMEAND
EVERY ONE HAPPY.
The Speeches, Relics, Etc.


=, largely attended, lE,vc always been ENJOYABLE
ana l"Nc Always oeeh interesting. The reunion
on Thursday last was no exception to fine ru,,
established IN the history of the society during
inc iaSl . OF" years for the attendance was rs
large as usual and the exercises us interesting
i The weather being delightful the roads LEADING
: INTO Ottawa from all directions from as early as
; cight or nine in the morning till noon were
= crowded with convcyanccs loaded with "Rom,p
Fathers or their de scendants. cominn tn nay
their annual tribute to the hcroism of thc mast ren
O. erations OF the white man in La Sale countv.
and by noon the city and the grounds bevond the
river were crowded with heads gray with bonoro.
bic and venerable age and bowed down with the
4 Toll OF earlier manhood, and crowded with the
smiling faces OF younger generations of settlers
only TOO happy to call themselves ''odn for one
day Fully 1000 people, including those of the
city, must have been in attendance on Thursday
We noticed, hover, that many of the familiar
faces of the bona .tae Old Settlers were conspcu-
Gus by their absence, such men as b. c. Cook, J.
o. Glover, r. f. Goodell, VIM. Hckling, and
many others who were sadly missed and enouir.
ed after by not few. But the day was a happy
one for all that and many battle with savage
foes was fought anew, and many hardship
laughed over by the sufferers, as on this day
those old scenes came back to the memory rosy
hucd and mellow with age
! Al about III o'clock the assembly about the
stand was called to order by DAVID GREEN, ESQ,
OF Dayton, Ill.,, who in II few words thanked the
audience for their attendance ut this the Old
Settlers Ninth Annual e-Union, and announced
Aud Lang Syne" by Prof. Ford's 9uartctte
Then followed feeling prayer by Elder Bachel-
dcr-nonc of your modern diamond editions" of
metaphysical text books, but II prayer overflow
ing with gratitude TO God for his mercies and
deep suppcation for their continuance.
The president then announced Hon. T, A. ARM.
STRONG, of Morris, who delivered the annual ad
dress as follows
MR. PRESIDENT anil OH Settlers Of In SaNc
County-Ihrough the kind partially N the Off
GERS of your society to me is assigned the duty Of
bidding you welcome to this your ninth annual
reunion and pic mic. This is Il pleasant duty,
yet il is not free from embarrassment. Having
lived in good old La Sale and the adjoining coun.
ty for period Of nearly half Il century, and be-
ing familiar with the great changes and current
events that have transpircd during that time
hnd so many subjects trooping forward for utter
anee that am at loss to select those incidents
which shall best meet your approval. Like man
to double business bound stand in pause where
shall first begin when to close. How to
awake rcmcmbrances of carly days and with fee
bic tongue portray them, shall be my aim during
the few minutes that shall endcavor to engage
your attention.
Silent to-day are your mowers and thrcshiug
machines idle are your rakcs and hay forks.
Your meadows and barns are deserted, while you
with your families have come up TO this beautiful
grove to rest from your abors, and commune to-
gethcr and talk the tolls and trials you were
compelled to pass through in the early settle
ment Of this noble county, then Il barren waste
now the second IN population and wealth IN tue
great state Of Illinois.
Before me behold the countcnances If many
whom have known for nearly half II century.
Their heads are blossoming for the grave, and
soon they Will pass to the other side. Their mis-
sion is nearly fulfilled, but they will leave behind
them children and grandchildren and in many
instances great grandchildren who will cherish
their memories and emulate their virtues.
The state of Ohio, though comparatively speak
ing of the younger states, contributed large,
~ towards furnishing the first settlers Of this
county, among whom will mention the Greens,
Shayers, Groves Debolts, Dunayans, Humps,
Brumbacks, Pitzers, Rcheys, Strawns, Milgans,
Walaccs and Burners, all of whom have left
many descendants New York also contributed
handsomely to the first inhabitants, while Penn
syvania, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and
many of the eastern states had their representa-
tycs here at an early day. As II general rule we
could distinguish whether the incoming emf
grant were Yankee or from the Middle States.
The Yankee drove but one span of horses to
his wagon and rode on the wagon to driyc--thc
other drove from four to six horses to his wagon,
riding the left hand wheel horse TO drive. The
wagon of the Yunkee was coupled longer than
the other, had Il flexible tongue held up by
liyoke, and was OF several inches narrower
gauge and far lighter draft. The box was much
lower and longer than the others, and of simpler
construction and more easily taken apart to put
on and OFT,
The Buckeye or the Middle State wagon was
schOoncr-shaped and closely coupled together.
The rear wheels were some II inches greater in
diameter than the front ones. 1t had still
tongue, which was ever busy pounding the legs
of the wheel horses. The team was driven by 4
single line. Three sharp Jerks to turn to the
riglt-a steady pull to turn to the left, guided
them.
The harness was both Il curiosity and mon.
strosity-a curiosity how ii ever came into use;
IL mOnstrOSity by way of punishment TO the poor
horses who wore them Great heavy blind bril-
dies, huge collars, massive names, broad back
band and heavy tracc-chans for the leaders, i'm
mcnse brccching that literally covered the hind
quarters of the whcchOrscs, side-straps full five
inches wide for tugs, and large bear-skin hous-
ingS upon the wethcrs of each horse, were suiii-
cicnt to melt anything in the shape of flesh.
The box was much higher at the ends than in
the middle and was made of panel work, and SO
mortiscd together that the entire weight had to
he lifted up in taking il oil putting il ON the
wagon Hence it required the united effort of
whole family to handle il. These schooner way
Ons being about inches wider than the Eastern
wagon, they of course never tracked with them,
and hence they made Il new track, at least ON
one side Being very heavy they sank To hard
pan in every slough, and when planted they are
- solid muldoons.n
These wagons. so dssmar, each had their adj
yOcatoS for while, but the superior advantages
possessed by the Eastern wagon were So patent
hat the prairie schoOncrs were abandoned and
suffered, like the wonderful onc-horSe chaise 10
e. T.. min md
Dlicutcd
Carriages and buggics either open or covcred)
we're unknown to Us. Instead of buggy-riding
sc practiced that far more elegant ana ln'iSOrd-
inc mode of pleasure riding-horse-back eXcr-
.i>c our Young ladies enjoyed riding ON horse
iacL with more genuine pleasure than those Of
o-day cnioy the buggy or phacton. II gave them
osy cheeks and robust constitutions, even though
..-.r.. IN dr..