The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-02-22
THE OLD SETTLERS.
How They Appeared in Annual Reunion Last
Night


wives, daughters and sons, made merry
last night in Armory and Turner Halls in
annual reunion. They began to arrive as
early as z O'Clock and for an hour or more
the large hall, city council and other rooms
of the Armory building We're well filed
with the men who fostered the growth of
this portion of the vineyard Somehow
| or other the ARGUS likes to see these old
people together and to be in their company
| when opportunity offers and as we looked
last night upon the heads which many
wears ago were frosted GER we felt that
each of those pioneer men and women was
entitled to something more than mere
commentator or admiration for the part
each had taken ia the development of this
western prairie. Looking backward
through the long drawn corridors of time,
we beheld the approach of
FEW STURDY YE0MEN
from way down in York state" or from
New England, making their way slowly
westward in prairie schooners, drawn by
oxen, perhaps. Arrived in this delightful
section of the state the promised land,
indeed, to many of them, we looked again
and beheld in few short months the grass
covered prairie transformed into a para
disc; nature, aided by art, had transformed
the grassy wilds into vast Elysian Field.
Here these hardy pioneers. whose brains
and Drawn were well matched, cleared fer
tile farms, erected their humble. but cheer
full, log cabins; here many of
them married, and as their sons and daugh
tiers grew up about them to manhood and
womanhood they gave in marriage. and to-
day, with the mellow light of life's sunset
shining full upon them they have right
to meet, and in story and Renaissance,
song, perhaps,
LIVE OVER AGAIN THEIR PIONEER DAYS.
Yes, most fervently does the ARGUS
voice its respect for these self denying
men and women in God bless them, every
one. These are they who preceded the
locomotive and the telegraph, steam and
electricity, and in this Ito them) far Yves
tern country, each carved out for himself
a home and, what is of far greater impors
lance, a record second only to that of the
men who stood on Plymouth Rock.
After an informal, therefore happy
con0ersazfone Mr.. August Herkert an
nounced that supper was ready, and the
company, old and young, proceeded
to Turner Hall to the number
of upward of hundred and fifty Every
ftI,a III III t
filled, and after very expressive and inn
pressive invocation by the Rev. S. S Cry
er general assault was made upon the
toothsome edibles, which had been pre-
pared under Mrs. Herkerts direction.
Bleuer's orchestra, seated in the gallery,
meanwhile playing some of its most
delightful music After the supper Score
tary A K. Philleo announced that before
returning TO the hall the society had lit
tie business to transact in the presence of
the entire assemblage and called for
THE FORMAL CANE TRANSFER
as the first business of the programme.
Thereupon Mr.. Adolph Dunlap, the retir-
ing president and the sharp shooter of the
society, in few happily chosen words
transferred the badge of office, a gold
headed cane, TO the newly elected presi-
dent, Mr.. Daniel Mosher who made brief
but effective response. Rev. S. S. Cryer
was then introduced and delivered one of
the neatest after-dinner addresses on rec
ord, facetiously referring to himself as
native of this city. Thirty-two years ago.
he said he had unanimous call here laugh
teri and subsequently he had a second call
which was almost as unanimous. He con
Guided with an effective tribute to the Old
individually and collectively
Mr.. Dunlap was then called out and pro
ceeded to read the following graphic
of pioneer life in Rock Island
county:
Mr.. President, Old Settlers Ladies and |
Landing at Clarkes Ferry, as |
it was then called, now Andalusia, early |
on the morning of the 1st of May 1885, it |
is now nearly forty eight years that have
lived in Rock Island county. When | |
first saw Edgington township it contained |
but three log houses. Two of them were |
the other we moved into. 1t had |
been built by my father-the summer |
before. As there were three families of |
us it was pretty well crowded. |
The first thing to be done was to build |
more cabins, fence and break up land, and |
plant it in corn so as to raise something to |