The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-06-15

| Dlnner was served shortly after
twelve, being under the able superVi-
sion of Canton ladies, who attended to
the wants of their visitors in excellent
shape. At p. m. the crowd, which was
over thousand in number, repaired to
the speakers stand, in the grove, where
they seated themselves on the benches
and chairs provided.
JUDGE J. W. UNDERHILL
was the genial master of ceremonies,
and announced that only those who
were over seventy years of age were en-
Titled TO seats on the grand stand. 1t
was filled. right speedily with men of
that age, and there were plenty more
left in the au&ence.
AN GOLD TINE" BAND.
The first On the programme was mu-
SIC, which was furnished by quaint
band of old settlers of Portage and Sum-
NIT counties, which deserves more than
passing mention. 1t consisted of six
members, as follows: VIM Deyins, Sc
vile, Medina county, first violin; S. NJ.
Burnham, Akron, second violin; Chas.
Bronson, Tallmadge, clariOnet; VIM.
Bronson, Tallmadge, flute; II. W. Bell, OF
Gqyahoga Falls, elariOnet, and Dr.
| wright, of Tallmadge, bass yiOl. This
band is an institution which plays reg
ularly at all the meetings of the Pho
neer brethren of Portage and Summit.
Their music was weird, yet plaintiVe,
and at times vigorous, indicating very
clearly that the "Old boys" had not for
gotten their musical skill acquired in
''ye auld lang syne."
The Star Spangled Banner" was then
unfurled musically by a chorus of five
young ladies of Canton, after which
Judge Underhill stepped to the front and
said: The duty of opening and conduct
ing the ceremonies of this occasion has
been placed upon me, by request of Mr..
Daniel Dewalt, your President, whose
great mOdesty does not permit him to
| say what he would like to on this Occa-
sion. L shall not say much about the
late PRESIDENT, MIR. Peter LOutzenheiser,
Tor he Is In better land now, and a
| eul0gy on his character is superfluOus,
as all know him so well. But, as Mr..
| DeWalt has placed me in the position of
| speaker, will emulate one of Dickens
characters, and give yOn piece of my
mind. L welcome you all, and am glad
to see you here. Some are unavOidably
absent and others have been claimed by
death. am especially pleased to see so
| many friends from other counties, and
| the music makes me feel young again.
| don't believe in being called 'Old I'm
derhill, and in the enjoyment of tie
the memories of the past
During the address Uncle Dewalt
stood by the Judges side, smiling vet
eran OF over eighty, whose reCOllectiOns
OF Stark county date back to its earliest
history.
THE PROGRAMME.
In the absence of Rev. Peter Her
bruck, Rev. Mr.. Morris, of Portage
county, acted as chaplain and offered 1p
a prayer, whose sentiment was "In God
Is our trust" Secretary Dr.. Lew
Slusser of Canton, then reported the
list OF deceased pioneers since the last
annual meeting, and stated that he re-
| gretted to say that in several cases the
| vice presidents of townships have not
furnished him with reports of deaths,
but would present them as far as he had
received lists.
Lawrence township, John Kitzmiller,
aged 4; Cyrus Young, 81; Samuel
| HOuk, y; Mrs. Elizabeth Gufse, 70; Mrs.
John NJ. Porter, p. Paris township.
Jesse Macenderffer, 50; Rachel Myers,
| %; Rudolph Martin, 50; Mrs. BeckneI.
| 81. jackson township, Anna Willaman,
| 81; Jacob Willaman, So; Christina
Braugher, 81.
Tuscarewas township, Adam Shilling,
80; Daniel Wampler, Gl. Nimishillen
! township, none. Osnaburg township,
Peter human, 81. Perry township,
Henry Wagner, So; Mrs. YOst, SO; James
| Hays, 16. This township also reports
| the name of Mrs. Rebecca Stafford. aged
| 9S years, as being the oldest resident in
| the county, and there was SnO dissent
| ing voice in the audience. Lake town
| ship, Mrs. Susanna Cans, p; Diebold
| Smith, a; Jacob Gearte, 75. Plain town
| ship, Peter LOutzenheiser, SO; Adam
Oberlin, 81; Jonathan WarshtIer, y.
Canton township, Michael KrOft 81,
LsOldier of 1879; John P. Rex, 66; Mrs.
Sarah keplinger, 76; Mrs. LOngabach.
81. The other townships did not report
After reading the above report, the Port
age band again furnished music, and
then the orator
JUDGE GEORGE W. RAFF,
was introduced, who in an elOuuent
and mastery speech of an hour and a
quarter, held his audience deeply inter
ested while he indulged in "reminiscences
of how the fathers and mothers of Stark
county lived, labOred and enjoyed them
selves some fifty years ago. He de-
scribed minutely how many so-caIIed
comforts they worried along without
and in what a plain and hOmely way
they spent their lives, and drew strong
contrasts between the pictures afforded
by the past and the present.
We take pleasure in announcing that
next week his able speech will be re-
| produced in our columns.
OTHER SPEAKERS.
The time was spent after the Grafton
in listening to other speakers, owing to
the unavoidable absence of some of them.
the programme was slightly changed,
| and the audience was addressed bv DR.,
\. NJ. Sherman, Of Kent, Secretary of the
Portage and Summit County Association;
Andrew POntius, of Plain township:
James Bayliss, of Perry township; whose
remarks were pointed and full of inter
est, after which Rev. DR.. Osborne of the
First Methodist Church of Canton, made
a most felicttOus address, urging the
| Importance of a closer connection of
auxiliary township societies, in keeping
| up the county pioneer organization.
| After the genial doctor had concluded,
! the dOXolOgy to that time hOnOred tune
of odd Hundred" was sung, and the ex-
| ercises of the day closed with a bene-
! dictiOn by Rev. Osborne, and as the
shades of evening drew apace, the yari-
! GUS participants returned home well
pleased with the enjOyments and pleas
ures of Stark county's old Pioneers
third annual reunion. The grim reaper,
Death, will inevitably gather them in
/ sometime buT TInip r14nr,prf11 vr-II1 -