The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1883-06-15
PAW PAW, MICHIGAN, JUNE ID, 1883

held by the society. At quite an early hour
ia the forenoon. the members of the Associ-
alton began to enter the village with teams
and at little before eleven Clock a. m, the
Toledo and South Haven train brought
large number of pioneers from Hartford,
Lawrence, Paw Paw, and the al accent coun-
try. The meeting was held in the beautiful
grove which surrounds Lawton's fine High
School building.
The assembly halin been called TO order
10y the President, Mr.. Eaton Branch, of Law
renee, the exercises began with song OF well
come by select choir, composed of some of
Iawton's accomplished musicians. Prayer
was then Offered by the Rev. Mr.. Durham,
of Lawton. After another song, the Presi
dent announced that the Hon. Mr.. Bitely had
been expected TO address the meeting but
was prevented on account of sickness and
that Judge Lawton had kindly consented to
take his place.
The Judge then spoke substantially as fol-
lows:
Mr.. PreSidtat:-The pleasant duty of
bidding you welcome 10 this village and It's
Inequalities has been assigned 10 me. This
welcome extends to all the members OF the
pioneer society, with whose gray hairs we as
aociate so much of the early history of this
forest that extended hence westward, IN
broken, TO the great lake, they could hardly
have noticed this spot except as a portion Of
the oak openings forest, that then covered
the hills and valleys about Us. Then there
were no suggestions that the pioneers would
In after-time assemble upon it, and beneath
the walls of commodious brick edihce.
where hundreds of school children meet
daily. 10 acquire that education that you al
ways highly priced and labored 10 secure for
your descendants. The changes have indeed
been many and great. We younger people
share in il. we have lived 10 see the progress
that the development of steam power, Of
electricity. and the pubic press have wrought,
bat you reach back 70 primitive days, TO the
dark. depressing forests, broken in upon by
yen IN spots by clearings that you have lived
to see extended into miles of fertile fields,
fitted for the sulky pillow and the reaper. You
have lived 10 receive the loving tones of the
voice of friend, borne TO you on tremu-
lous wire from a distance leagues and leagues
beyond the farthest reach of the strongest
voiced pioneer who ever hallooed his hogs
in from the thicket at night, or drove his
oxen on a breaking. We associate many
things with your early life-most!y imagina-
tion-we conceive your venison suppers 10
have been the juiciest, and most delicious.
never smoked, nor baked bitter. nor tough
az hide. So with your wild game stews Of
squirrel, coon, and opossum. Even roast
OF bear meat and acorns from the sweet
acorn tree, makes our mouths almost TO water:
and then the coon roasts by the log-heap
fires that were hardly allowed 10 cease
through the years of clearing: but i am not
to recall your experience, that is your priv
l.. L.
welcome here and TO wish you many pleas
ant years of life yet to come, and TO ask you
when you are wearied with the work Of your
association, TO pause and invigorAte your
selves upon repast of oranges, ice cream,
and rose leaves. which the ladies have abund-
aDtly provided"
The Secretary, DR.. Andrews, being absent,
Mr. B. A. Murdoch acted as Secretary pro
TEN; reports of Secretary and Tresaurer were
read and and adopted.
The roll of the Vice Presidents was then
called, and several responded TO their names
by giving a list of deaths of old settlers in
their respective townships.
The choir then sang "Rejoice III the Lord"
and j. j. Woodmap, by request, read poem
which was originally read by its author, Ed
win Barnum, at the Pioneers meeting of 1873
After song, recess was taken until two
O'Clock p. IN. a bountiful collation. was
spread in the grove by the ladies of Lawton
and vicinity, of which those pioneers who
were not otherwise provided for, were cor
daily invited to partake, and to which they
did ample justice. Al two o'clock the meet
ing was again called TO order, the next thing
on the programme being the election of Off
GERS for the ensuing year. This election re-
suited as follows:
Pres, Eaton Branch Vice Pres. j.. J.
Woodnan: Secy., b. A. Murdoch: Treas. w.
Il. Hawkins.
Executive Committee-SouthH Haven, G. J.
Monroe: Pine Grove. David d. Wise: Alme-
ne, Asa Crofoot: Antwerp. c. NJ. Morrill,
Bloomingdae. H. II. Howard Wavery. ia
cob Rungerford: Paw Paw, David Woodman
ID; Decatur, VIM. Anderson: Arlington. Al
bert Palmer: Lawrence, Eaton Branch:
Hamilton, Solomon Hagar; Geneva, Irving
N. Pierce; Bangor, John VanAuken: Keller,
Tobias Byers; Covert. John A. Hunt Porter.
jacob Markle Columbia, Jonathan Howard;
Hartford, Luther Sutton
The remainder of the afternoon was pleas
antly occupied with five minute speeches by
members, interspeIsed with music.
Many interesting anecdotes of pioneer life
were related. The Hon. A. b. Copley opened
this part OF the exercises by few very elo-
quent remarks, which were heartily applaud
ed. Mr.. Reynolds. of Arlington. gave some
thrilling "reminiscences of the time when
llved in Porter" and NJ. L. Fitch paid fine
tribute TO the pioneer women. for which he
was afterward rendered the thanks of the la
dies present. The feminine portion of the
association was ably represented by Mrs. Hun
gtrtcrd and Mrs. David WoodInan, both of
whom proved themselves TO be equal TO the
occasion by making some very happy re-
marks. Other edifying speeches were made.
which We have not space to mention. BY
special and urgent request, w. X. Hawkins
favored the audience with a fine rendition of
~ Sword of Bunker Hill" which he sang
with all his old time spirit and energy.
The next meeting will take place in Paw
Paw. on the first Wednesday in June. 1884.
The meeting at Lawton may we'll be voted
q success, from every point of view. and al
though, through slight misunderstanding
In regard to the trains, some of the members
were obliged 10 accept for the night the hos
pitality of their Lawton friends, yet we think
pcne regretted being there. BY these meet
incs, and the social intercourse afforded by
them. the spirit of energy and indomitable
courage which animated the Van Buren,
County Pioneers, is kept alive. as is also the
memory of fhoca bravo man aud ,voY,1at, w no