The Portland daily press., 1886-08-19

York unfolds before me, the tide of years
ebbs backward-the clouds break away, h0r-
lions widen, memory aWakenS again, aid
again walk the green lanes, beneath the
whispering trees, surrounded by the incl
dents and companions of childhood. Again
| hear the glad shout, the outburst of youth
full merriment and joy; again the tender
words of love and counsel from lips upon
whose utterances the SOFT cold finger Of
eternal silence rests again l revisit the old
scenes-woodland, meadow, mountain and
stream again, in brief imagination. am
boy This short hour, stolen from the work
of life, and so appropriately spent on this
beautiful island is one Of benedicti0n to the
ways further and further from these sunny
days of youth, these reunions OF the sons
and daughters of York grow dearer to us all.
Following the reading of Mr.. Clifford's let
ter Mr.. D. B. Kicker of the committee of ar
rangements read the following letter from
Mayor Chapman:
CITY OF PORTLAND, !
MAYORS OFFICE, Aug. 18th, 1861
d. B. Kicker, ESQ, Secy "Sons of York."
myself unable, ON account of public business, to
accept your kind invitation to accompany the
"Sons of York" in their annual excursion.
Portland is indebted to York county for many OF
its most worthy and successful citizens, linen
eminent in professional and business circles
who in thus honoring their adopted home reflects
Knowing that the anniversary which calls you
together today, will prove another occasion fol
mutual congratulations, and realize for you all
a reunion of the 'sons and daughters OF old
York" Very truly yours,
CHAs. J. CHAPMAN, Mayor.
A letter from Stillman B. Allen of Boston,
and one from the daughter of York who
was to have read paper upon the "War of
the Roses" were omitted.
Ex-Mayor Deering was called upon for a
speech, but declined, saying that the excel
lent speech of Mr.. Clifford's which Mr.. Nc
Intyre had just read was in fact, his speech
and that he had lent it to Mr.. Clifford. Mr..
behring's remarks put the company in good
humor, and at the conclusion Mr.. S. M. Wat
son, the public librarian was introduced and
spoke as follows:
MIR. wATs0N's 5 REMARKS.
Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen:
Our good friend Mr.. R called on me a
few days ago and said the York Society
would meet at this place today, and that the
committee had looked the list of members
carefully over and finally decided that l
ought to be the best man to read paper, or
deliver an address to the society on this oc-
casion; now, my friends, l think this COM
pliment a whopper for me, or else a very
poor one for the Workers, for in the course
of our conversation he mentioned the great
number of York people, q think about 500
who are in the city Of Portland from that
county, and remarked how few men who
had been born in the city ever became its
mayor or in any way leaders among its peo-
Pile, but York was well Represented among
Portland's prominent persons, and went on
to tell of the great men great in purse, great
in brain power, great in this and that, and
all after he had told me what the committee
said. Only think of it. The committees
reason for their choice was that | had been
so much over the historic ground, &C." |
frequently hear accomplished singers asked
to favor the company they happen to be in,
with some favorite song, either vocal or in
strumental, anb how often they beg to be ex-
cused because they have not their music
with them. Now have not my historic
ground" with me, nor have L had time to
gather anything | might say, which Is not an
old story concerning the county of York, or
its people To be sure York is. the oldest
county in our State, and was really the State
itself at one time believe; but whether its
people, wherever they may be, are the oldest
people in the State, cannot tell.
There have been some good people raised
in the county of York. l happen to know
several, and they were not ministers, or law
yers, nor doctors. | mention this because L
have heard some of the papers read before
the Oxfords, and before the Yorks, nearly
all of which were like John Nea's Portland
on "our ministers, our doctors, our lawyers,
our public buildings, &C., &c." scarcely
touching our people; as the knights OF Labor
would say, the producers. Uncle Simon
once made trade with WheelWrlgnt TO
build him pair of cart wheels, and at GER
tain time they were to be finished, painted
withall and Uncle Simon would then drive
the steers over and get the wheels; but the
time seemed long to Uncle Simon. He want
ed to see them Wheels so one rainy day.
when he could not work out of doors, he
ha xyOnln fleV
were coming along. He went into the shop
and found Mr.. Wheelwright at work on
them; had the wood and iron work done,
and the whole primed over once, as Uncle
Simon directed with blue paint preparatory ritCG
thought the workman was using good deal
of putty and made some remark to that eff
feet, but the workman said, Cant help it;
have to use more or less to fill up the lmper-
feet places in the wood to keep out the wat
er, &C." Well, hold on! said Uncle Simon,
you may keep these wheels and make me a
pair all putty. We very well know that
wheels all putty would not amount to much,
neither would town or county, composed
entirely of our worthy professionals, yet we
all admit, and can't help it,. that they are
useful in repairing imperfections and keep
ing people straight.
have never seen history of York coun--
ty. | wish it might be written, and that OF
the families as well as the towns: Some
grand good families have sprang up in York
and radiated to all parts of our country, car
rying with them their New England traits
and virtues. We find among these such
names as Emery, Lord, Leighton. Clark, Fer
paid Cults Peppersb b.nsg5 M3HSeo@Gb GbadbdTT5 SaT5e1
Fairfield, King, Burleigh. Preble, Dennett,
Thomson, Neal, Allen, Davis, Frye, Hill,
Fogg, Weekes, Frost Lewis, Williams, Burn
ham, Wentworth, Sevey, RemlcE, Berry
NSseI Woodman, Hammond, Gerrish, Mitchell,
Hutchings, Chauncy, Mcdonald, Grant,
Hayes, Spinney Ghe name, we have seen on
SO many greenbacks,) Tyler, Kicker, Whit
ney, Stanley, Brooks, Sterer, Huston, Saw
Spencer, Hobbs, Glover, White, Butler
Hight, Stimson, Hamilton, Childs, Hart
Quinby, Roe, Addington, FoXwell, Harmon
Phillips, Wakefield, Meserve, Cram, Edge
comb, Libby, Gould, Adams, Perkins, Bur
CESS, TUCKER Moore Merrill sdt AndfeTS US
gals, Bradford, Woodbury., Mclntire, anG
Watson (the latter was like the policeman
and did not get there until afterwardsQ Mos
of these names, as they are hastily men
toned, suggest many good families or per
| sons some of us have known in York. These
of course. are not few, and are not mentioned
| because they are considered by us the best
| or most prominent, but as so many came
| rushing through my mind, these were caugh
| and fixed by my rapid pencil. My deal
| friends, every one Oh tnese names SuSSesE
| to our minds voluminous history. Tedious
voyages to those shores, the parting from
dear ones at home, never perhaps to NEE
| them again. home and life among savageS
| surrounded by every hardship human life
can encounter; the establishment of homes
of schools, of churches, of roads, of laws ane aI
| courts, and everything else required Tor tnt
| comforts and peace which we, their children
| are enjoying today. ,..-. 81
While we can only suggest a history 4 o.
| York and its families, let us hope that III INT
near future some of her sons or daushter'
may take upon themselves the task TO wrltt