The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-09-03
JOHNSON COUNTY PIONEERS
An Enjoyable Meeting of Old Settlers
Held at WhiteIand.
"Reminiscences of Sixty Years Ago-SenatOr
HarrisOn's Address--Some of the
Pioneers in Attendance.

The old settlers of johnson county held their
third annual reunion Saturday at BoOnes
grove short distance east of Wbiteland. About
TWO thousand people were on the ground Cap
tain VIM. II. Fisher, on behalf of the Old Set
tiers Association, acted as master OF ceremo-
MES, and the day pleasantly spent. Vocal
music was furnished by the Whiteland choir,
while the brass music furnished by the
Rockland band. After prayer by Rev. Mr. wyde-
man, of Greenwood, Judge Fabian NJ. Finch, of
indianapolis, was introduced to the audience
He said that he had como TO Johnson county
from Indianapolis in the olden time in a stage
coach, and over a corduroy road, and to-day in
a railway carriage and over smooth road, and
could appreciate the difference At that time
the land Whereabouts was not considered worth
entering, being beech woods marshy, and full
of spcewood and other underbrush To-day
johnson county ranks among the best farming
counties in the State. The Judge thought it
spoke well for the county and the health of the
people that SO many old men were there. and
doubted If any other western State could
show, for the population, as great a
number of men alive after sixty
five years. He thought that great
progress and improvement had been made in
that public virtue had deteriorated somewhat
from the standard of those days of homely vir
tue and rugged honesty. Something had been
lost in the administration of justice from fifty
years ago. He remembered when johnson
county justice was administered in a log court
house. The judge did not delay his decision
longer than to think over a case from night to
morning, and all the court business of the
county was done in a week. Judge Finch said
he was in his seventy-third year. and came to
Marion county in 1919 removing to johnson
county q few years later.
AN oCTOGENARIAN
Robert Wishard thought he was about the old
est man and the oldest settler on the grounds.
He said he was eighty years old day before yes
terday and had come over sixty years ago from
old KainUuck and used to think he was half
horse and half alligator and little swapping
turtle besides. "But." said the old gentleman,
'sixty years in johnson county have taken
most of the swapping turtle out of me. I
had five brothers In the war of 1912 and
four sons in the late shOotin' match l was II
Republican then, and I'm Republican now. l
reckon you might cut me up and feed me TO the
dogs and I'd still be Republican, and" after a
pause, "the dogs would be Republican, too. We
had pretty hard scrabblln' here gentlemen, in
the early days. Not much white bread then. L
was good shot and used to sit at my cabin door
and knock down a buck for meat. Turkeys were
and come back with a couple of bushels of corn.
feeling as rich a hog drOver." The old
gentleman concluded by saying that the Lord
had been kind TO him. That he had more than
lived out the scriptural three score and ten, and
that in his life he had been greatly favored and
blessed. "And now" said he, 81 am only work
ing to get out of this world in good shape"
Samuel Brewer, eighty-three years old, spoke.
He, too, came to the county sixty years ago. J.
Mszingo, John Stz. Captain Fisher, Isaac Duck
worth and Oliver Harbert also gave their expe-
rience.
OLD SETTLERS
Among the old settlers present were: George
Myers, Jacob Warner. Anthony Brunemer, Mel
vim Wheat, John McQuinn, Robert Dobbins, John
Robe, Jefferson Davis Calvin Covert John
Beard, Isaac Farmer, Peter Whiteneck, Squire
Hendricks, James Griffith, Daniel Covert. Isaac
Brown, Ira Graves James Park. Samuel Henry,
stephen Brown, Isaac VOrhis, Taylor Ballard,
John Webb, Lanty Hendricks, James Graham.
SENATOR HARRISON.
Senator Harrison spoke in the afternoon re-
TESS of nearly two hours having been taken for
dinner and social intercourse. The Senator said
he thought his presence there among the old
settlers was an incongruity. He had come there
not expecting to speak, but under the invitation
OF Captain Fisher, an old comrade of the Seven
tieth Indiana and asked what he could say
mere sprig of boy who could lay claim to no
partnership with the grand old men who had
fought out the battle of life In the wilderness,
and laid the foundation for the good things we
enjoy to-day. He thought it a mistake to call
young men and lawyers to address these
meetings. 1t was far better that he old men
should speak and give their "reminiscences of the
days of long ago. Looking over the audience he
the patriarchs, their children and their chill
drenS chlldren-all pleasant faces and stirring
Ones heart to patriotism and thankfulness to AL
mighty God. He did not believe that anywhere
out Of this country could gather such prosper
Dus and happy people as he there. He felt
great gratitude W6lI1ng up to these grand Old
pioneers. They had labored and we have en-
tered into the enjoyment of the fruits of their
labor. He said that looking over the audience
he could not see sunbonnet, and the ribbons
and feathers of to-day were in great contrast
with the homely oOnnets In which their grand
mothers hid their honest and not uncomely faces
Out OF what humble things these blessings
nave, nave come tho to unyyo you; 1t doesn't
though, and ribbons and feathered hats have
taken their places II the same honest, faithful,
loving heart is kept in the bosom. He thought
IL took wonderful faith and the eye of prophet
TO see farm brought out of the wilderness as it
was fifty and sixty years ago, and man was made
TO prove his patent to the land by q toll that
can not be understood now. And we can but
Seebly appreciate the selfdenal OF the mothers
of that day and their dull humdrum cabin life
The men in those days had their shooting
matches, their cabin-ralsngs and other means
OF intercourse, but the mothers, until the coun-
try settled up and neghbors nearer to-
gether, had lonely life of it. The Senator
spoke OF the great inventions that had been
made to tighten labor and to make free the inter-
course OF men, ana concluded that If We are to
do better and achieve higher standard of citi-
Zenship IL will be through patriotism, fear of
God, love of man, and that Industry that tends
10 keep men out OF mischief
Escaped COnvicts.
Henry MakAnetce the marshal of Noblesvilla