The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1886-06-24
THE ESsIG FAMILY.
Delivered by DIR. Lorin w. Pontius at tho
Annual Esaig Family Reunion Held
June 10th, iss0--A Prolific Race
Of Good, Industrious People.

MY DEAR FRIENDS AND MRMBERs on
THR ksslG EAMILY.-A year ago you 10
lected me 10 address you upon this Occa-
sion, and confess that II In with doubt
ful confidence In my ability 10 perform
that duty that / undertake the task of
but briefly addressing you.
The report OF the historian will leave
II unnecessary for me TO recall In spa
cihc detail much OF the history of this
family, bnt rather, and especially aa my
name Ia not Essig, 10 pronounce sort
OF eulogy upon the virtues aud good
deeds OF brave, niOus aud noble ancea
try. Indeed, do not deem II unbecOm-
Ing pOateTlty who are now enjoying the
fruits OF their honest Efforts 10 pOlnt
out with honorable pride and In words
Of grateful remembrance aud Gf tender
est affection memories Of loved O1ea
gone before,
In thia world certainly no grander
flow OF lofty inspirations, OF wise c0un.
ellis, Of cautious admonitlOna, and OF
t0nderest sympalhlea, ach the hearts
Of poalerity than those waited TO them
Ia silence over the grayea Of a cautious,
prudent and honorable ancestry
Words fail TO express my sentiments
aud language seems inadequate for the
0ccaolOn, Your Indebtedness 10 the
memory OF your noble sire can never be
met, The debt you owe hls memory for
having cast hia lot In land like thia, a
land 10 day blushlng with prosperity, u
land iweetly perfnmed with the 0dOra Of
Natures l0yelinesa, u benelieent land,
where all nature seems In close com
munlOn with the author OF oil that Ia
beautiful aud good.
Yes, this debt you can never repay, al.
though there IN nothing TO mark hla
grave but the ashes OF his old log cabin,
yet there comes up from those ashea to.
day Inspirations richly laden with all
that Ia love, and peace, and happiness
and Joy.
The sire OF this family 10 Wendell Rs
aig, q native OF Switzerland, who was
born about the year 100. Az maturity
he went 10 Prussia, aud after having
served In the Pru Sian army and az one
OF the body guard 10 Frederick the
Great, he concluded 10 emigrate 10
America, Tradition has II that, having
become heartsick OF the tyrannical
methods OF European governments, no
00ught q home In this country, and
landed NJ Baltimore and married about
the year 1850. He was q man Of power
ful physique, q natural Democrat, q Re.
publican In fact. A deaplser OF lnt0ler.
ance, he became the natural follower Of
the doctrines OF Luther. Although his
subsequent history Ia somewhat imper.
feet II was certainly eyentful, having
passed through tho War OF the Reyolu.
ti0n and tho casualties Incident TO the
Indian troubles, we ilnd hia only sur
ylying son, Simon Esslg, two OF whose
children are yet alive, In the year 1903,
moving hia entire family, consisting OF
himself, his wife, six sons and ak
daughters, with ages ranging from two
year0 up 10 manhood and womanhooA
over the Alleghenica, and settling on the
cast bank Of the Nlmiahillen. The city
OF Canton In now located Just one mile
southwest Of this Important point. Yea,
Just aeyenty'eight yeara ago, this brave
good man, desiring TO fulAll the Wishes Of
his father before him, sought homes for
himself and hia p0st0rlty amid the
rugged f0rOsta of Ohio.
Oh. how fruitful have been the ambl
tl0na OF thoal good men, Here upon the
beautiful banks ot the rlppllng streama
children were bornl Blrn and reared
amidst tho sweet odors Of The wild flow
ora Of The woodl5nh, Taught bcnoath
The or0eplng yiupa Of tho l0l0lt, FAINT
les hOrnl Born In thla State, OhiOl the
gtbAt0at State IN the greatest oouuiry IN
Tho world, State born NJ free rppub.
lie, whose ehgr,ora are ualOtnlqhpd byI
The insignia VI Glng9 and prncea, The
fame OF whose sons OF liberty has
reached The romn' VI pnrta OF the eNrth
What grand foresight your fathers
dl6Jl yod ~ 1--we In a land Ike tnla,
uoHnuful in phyNcM .fuOlurA, beau
ful IN the flchnON OF ltl lOll, beautiful
IA climate, beautiful IN all thAt tl,yatos
mauklnd, Douutiiul IN government IN
a land Of liberty All honor 10 our noble
sire, 1000 OF HIS children aro enjoying
the blessings Of u free country. lnatcad
OF your lot being cast In land where
Idiots and 'mbeollea become klnga aud
prlncoo, aud brave men are sent 10 ex-
lilo or aorfdom, sou hre here, here through
The wlad0m OF your fathers, here 10 on
Joy your homes ana your llroaldos, here
IN n land OF plenty, eOj0ylng the fruite
OF your own lab0ro; here gathering your
harveets aud parhking Of u bountltnl
board. Such my frlenda, IN the bnals for
q glorious family reunion, Wo are here
TO speak out IN words OF tendere9t aifec
ton OF loving memories OF the past,
The log cabins OF our forofathere aro no
longer 10 bO seen, The comfortable
homes and rich haryests. which are the
outgrowth OF their honest toll, are here
In their etoad.
OF the sous and daughters Of Simon
Easlg oil but two have gone TO their NJ.
lent gave. Yet two r0maln 10 relate 10
the fourth aud llf,h generations tho story
OF their early harduhlpe. The absence
0i the fax brake aud aplnnlng wheel
has made the world strange 10 them,
and OFT, am persuaded 10 think, they
look upon the present age IN Silent awe,
We aro proud 10 have them with us,
Th0y DO ~ honor. Their presence IL
a source Of lofty inspiration, while their
virtues tend 10 purify our hearts.
My dear friends, you descend from n
noble parent You belong 10 q brave,
American family, Tho blood Of your
forOfathtrs etalnod tho battle fields OF
tho Revolution, whll0 IN tho war OF
1919 they responded gallantly 10 the
call. Their etrugglee against the sav.
age Indians WIS desperate, yet Though
tho evolution OF eyonts they found
homes amid the beautiful forests OF
Ohio, Aud, 40 II by the law Of tho sur.
vival Of tho 0ttOat n stroDg family
exists, strong In numbers, and strong
In phyelcul and mental vlgor.
Hardly State or Territory In this broad
land, Ia without representation Of this
prolific family. They have entered tho
numerous highways and byways Of life.
The farm has its share, while others
have entered tho nold OF merchandising
They have gone TO the mlnou OF tho west
whllo other have engaged In manufac.
turing, They arc found In pulplts ~
mall Al. "A A.. ha a.. - ...aNlaa H.. A..