Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1884-06-18

is to partake somewhat of the character
Of q religious meeting, where people are
wont to relate their experiences and cen
fess their sins. My first view Of Austin
was about 20 years ago. I arrived one
evening about dark, with only $3.50 in.
my pocket. Judge Allen in his address
speaks of n murder, that of Leverich.
Iregard that as Q case of granddaughter,
as it was not premeditated. Leverich
came out of his saloon to administer
chastisement. and was struck on the head
with a wagon spring with greater vio-
lence than was intended. There was q
case where q man, after drinking in the
saloon, was found dead, evidently by
foul means. Another case occurred
where a Norwegian killed his son in q
quarrel over a discussion Of tile question
as to the route they should take home.
Hon. John Frank of Leroy, was called
upon, and responded by saying he had
spent 20 summers in Mower county and
SO winters. He proposed to stay 80 years
more.
The following letter from Hon. Noses
K. Armstrong, Of st. James, MINI, was
then read by the Secretary:
ST.. JAMES, Mimi, June 8. 1884.
c.. Davidson, Esq, Austin, Ninn.:
DEAR SIR IL am very sorry that I am
not able to accept your kind invitation
to be present at the Old Settlers Re-Union
ct Austin. June 12. Nearly 80 years age
I wAa GO,1nf1y 2,,rvoryor ne KKo-or oo,,nt..
and laid out West Austin IN town lots.
There were about q dozen houses nAus-
tin at that time. There wa not q printing
office in the county. I rode 40 miles
south OF. Austin down into Iowa to get
election tickets printed; there were no
railroads, and hardly q wagon bridge in
the county. l swan the Cedar river at
Austin on a blind white horse with
my compass on my back to sur
vey your town. AT the corner post
in West Austin, we buried a black
bottle of Austin whiskey for old settlers.
Jerry Yates protested stoutly against
putting whiskey in the ground when there
were SO many men above ground that
would like to have il. 1t was q common
saying among early settlers that there
was no beverage known to the Oldest
inhabitant that would bring quicker
/ A~VuA ! y " A4UA AkAV1uk OxuuA
sooner than a drinkof Austin's Territorial
whiskey. understand now that Mower
county old settlers drink nothing stronger
than pure apple cider produced from their
own fruit orchards.
l hear my brother Tom is to be over at
your meeting. Please keep your eye on
him; he never drinks q drop, but his
looks are d~eceiving he is as slick and fat
as q man raised in a brewery. l have
aften wondered where he got it, unless it
was at these old settlers meetings.
My life has been a busy one since l left
Mower county long years ago to survey
government lands in the far west. At
one time I fell from grace and ran for
Congress, and the people were fools.
enough to elect me; when for the first
time they realized that they had spoiled
q good surveyor to make a poor Congress-
man. I have now reached the meridian
of life and can look back over my past
mistakes. The old saying is that the first
20 years of a mans life he is q fool, the
next 20 years he is engaged in finding it
out, and the last 20 he is busy correcting
the mistakes of his past life.
Let us all live to close our lives honor.
ably and peacefully, and respected by our
neighbors. This is the highest achieve
ment of life. Give my kindest regards to
the old settlers. Yours truly,
MOSES K. ARMSTRONG.
Jerry Yates said he came into Mower
county, Sept. 1, 1856. Said old settlers
had had lots of fun, and some of it wasn't
so funny after all: ~
Lyman D. Baird was called out, as one
of the first children bornsin Mower cO1n-
ty, 1857. He made a short pleasant adj
dress, but had TO appeal to DR.. J. N.
Wheat to authenticate the incidents of
his settlement. !: - .::
G. H. Huntington then read an original
poem written by Mrs. Mercy Greene. =
Timothy Chapman of Spring Valley,
first Register of Deeds of Mower county,
came toward at the call of the audience,
and spoke briefly of the occasion. We
hope to see him here at our next annual
meeting. !.
Jonas Haney, P. F. Rooney, w. /.
Brown, Dea. J. N. Cook, J.. T. Sargent.
Thos. Smith and others, filled up the
time of the morning session, with incl
dents of their experience in the early days.
About half past one, as the dinner hour
was at hand, the proceedings were check.
ed, and an election of officers was held,
with the following result: d..
Thos. Gibson, President. -.
J. B. Yates, Vice-President. So
G. H. Davidson, Secretary and Treas
urer. -.
Then q representative of the corps of
writer's now preparing a history of Now
er county, presented the subject, and
asked for cooperation, and presented q
list of committees for approval, which
committees are for the purpose Of revis-
ing the proof sheets of the History. On
motion, the names as presented were ap-
proved.
A motion was then made and carried
that the next annual meeting be held on
the 18th day of June, 1885.
Then tho meeting adjourned for dinner,
and the old settlers to the number of
about 200, proceeded to the banquet,
spread at the Mansfield House. The
tables presented a beautiful appearance,
and were loaded with the varieties Of the
season.
After the banquet, they repaired to the
hall where tho love-feast was resumed.
Addresses followed by j.: J. Furlong OF
Window, o. w. Shaw and G. Z. West Of
Austin, NJ. B. Slocum of Rose Greek, A.
Dickerson and T. F. Goslee Of Austin
township. and Thomas Gibson of Lans.
ing. Knute Anderson Qvale, who came
with one of the first two or three families
that settled in Nevada township, in 1854,
was called upon, and gave a brief account
Of his journey from Milwaukee by OK
team and other incidents.
It wa. then suggested that the exercises
be closed with the singing of the Doxoloey
by George Baird. After the motion ia
q adjourn was carried, all were invited to
partake of an old settlers smoke, C. H,
Huntington of Austin township and F.
T. Mcbride the Grocer, having furnished
q wooden bowl of tobacco. fringed with
clay pipes, which had been a conspicuous
ornament on the Judges bench ali dax