The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-08-25
OLD SETTLERS' DAY

ME OF the Old Settlers Assoclatlon. oi j
Sale county, on Thursday last, was large
attended. The grove was crowded Wi
people, showing that their annual
unions, OF which this last was the fifteenth
continue as popular as ever. III there WI
any difference IN the size of the crowd tn
year from last, it was larger.
The Association and guests were Gale
to order at II o'clock A. NJ, by the Presl
dent, Jackson II. Shaver, Esq, of this cit!
owing to some misunderstanding the choi
tailed to put IN an appearance and ther
vas no music. The venerable chaplain
Rev. w. BatchelGer, of Freedom, made tn
prayer, and then the President delivere'
HE Address of Welcome,-a hearty wei
come TO all guests, and a very interestin!
and comprehensive review OF the growtl
OF La Sale county during the last 30 or u
years. Hon. John Miller not being present
10 respond that duty fell upon Elmer Bald
WIN, who replied tlttingly.
Rev. w. Batehelder then made a few re
marks to the memory Of the Old Setter'
who died during the year, dwelling partlc'
alarly and fceingly on the death of The
late Secretary of the Association, Amos NJ
Ebersol, whose face and hospitable hand
shaking were missed Wy scores Of old set
tiers during the day. The Reunion hardly
seemed complete without him.
In the afternoon, Mr.. James Lansing
hastily improvised choir and the songs
Aud Lang Syne," America" and "Old
Hundred" were given, an organ beng
supplied by Mr. j. Hill Thompson,
The Hon. b. G. Cook, upon whom the
death OF his assistant A. NJ. Harrington,
OF Geneva, has thrown an unusual amount
Of work in the law department of the
Northwestern Road, was unable to be pres.
ent to deliver the address of the day. He
vas called to Dakota but sent word of his
great disappointment at not being present.
The letter had hardly been read by the
Secretary when Judge Cation and Mrs.
eaton appeared. The President at once
pressed him into service for an address,
dc said the presidenthad an eminent quail.
iication for meeting emergencies The
number OF Old Settlers from his stand.
point are few, Year by year they disap-
pear. and you who come here year by year
know how las, AS your sight grows
DINNER and your hearing fainter, you
gather closer together, each year the circle
growing smaller. How sacred IS the mem
Dry of old friendships! How dear the
memories Of those we knew when young,
and with whom we trod llfe's path in those
days, and those who are lett feel specially
favored; and now as we stand on the
banks Of the dark river and look back.
wards and forward, we feel we have been
guided by Divine Hand tor which we
cannot be sufficiently thankful lie then
ieeliDgly alluded TO the venerable chap
ain, who sat near by, whose appeals to the
Divine Grace have been heard so long and
which he believed had been 30 often an
swered; who has labored 80 many years
Tor his fellows; who has broken the bread
Of life for fully two generations. Most of
those who frs, heard him have gone be-
yond the river, but wait for him there
with outstretched arms. He Is still spared
ana we thank our Heavenly Father and
Redeemer that he IS left of so few, and may
1t please Him to still further prolong his
days that We may meet him again IN the
future. The old settlers laid the
foundation for the society of the present
and no community ever had ADLER, more c
jealous, determined or energetic "od set.
.lers' than La Sale county. They began /
on the prairies and you to day see what
they have made. | say to the Young
settlers:--wc are passing away, our respon- q
sibilitles have fallen upon you You shall
III our places, and If we have set you d
worthy example We call on you to fill our Q
places so that future generations man look r
to you as you now lock to the old settlers
81 to-dsy-look TO their predecessors with t
As much satisfaction as you look to yours. 4
Il Is no small thing to stand here as the re- t
preventative of q former generation. As l s
look about all seems new. The faces are &
aew and youthful. They know not of the
past. They look to the present, as they d
should. But when their labor is done and
old age comes they too will look back and {
10 the future more than to the present. s
pray you delay not too long, that when the +
future comes II may find you ready.
Rev. A. w. Chapman, OF Kendall county, {
representative of the younger settlers, '
SAID they accepted the trust the old settlers t
had imposed in the gift of this great land a
md assured them 1t would be worthily be. +
slowed Already the young settlers had 8
done something; they had changed the
sickle to the self binder, the wooden mould l
board to the riding pillow, &c. The great
heritage OF the old settlers Is the free school c
and the church, both of which the young I
settlers will preserve and perfect q