Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-06-21
coxrrxuED FROM FIRST PAGE,

itv. who were sent out by the mother
institution. which was located in Phil
adelphia. Sister Gertrude was the
mother in charge. She was beloved by
all and is still kindly remembered by
the older members of the church. They
were removed in 1852. The Sisters
conducted young ladies' boarding
school, which was patronized by the
leading citizens of the county and did
much good.
Such is the history of the church for
the last fifty years. There is much
more of interest, but the lack of time
for the necessary research must be my
excuse for the deficiency. The facts
are derived from the most authentic
sources. and have no doubt the names
will recall to many pleasing associations
of the past and bright memories Oh
things forgotten.
Gov. Dewey then introduced the ora
tor of the day, j. w. Murphy, Esq.,
of Platteville, who delivered the follow
ing
GRAFTON:
Mr.. President, ReUerend Clergy, Ladies
and Gentlemen:
1t is with mingled feelings of pleasure
and pride that / arise to address you
on this occasion-pleasure that |, boy
raised here in Grant County, a boy who
has often handled the pick and shovel.
should have been permitted, here at the
gateway of civilization. to add a single
blossom to the garland which here
to-day YOU Irvine around the memory OF
our pioneers-pride that | may in the
future count it one of the landmarks
of my life that have been permitted
to address an audience presided over
by the first Governor of the State of
Wisconsin, the honored Nelson Dewey,
at meeting graced by so many of the
reverend clergy-among them my
former loved pastor, Father Cleary.
under whose care my early years were
spent, and whose fame is now as broad
as the nation-to appear before men
whose names are connected with the
early legislation and history of Wiscon-
sin, Kaltenbach, Seaton, Coohs, and
others. | shall always consider it one
of the landmarks of my life to be con-
sidered worthy to address such an au-
dIence as this.
When time has placed upon the brows
of those we love his silver crown of
honor we meet with them in glad re-
union on some festal day, when sweet
perfume from field and forest floats like
incense on the balmy air, and tender
our congratulations while they mingle
pleasant recollections of the past. So
here we come to-day when nature
wears her richest robe of verdure, to
greet those few survivors of that early
time when first the songs of praise,
the voice of gentle supplication, as
eended from these valleys.
The event which we commemorate
to-day is one of many incidents that
mark the entrance of the most import
ant era in our country's history. The
discovery of lead in this upper Missis-
sippi Valley was drawing to it tide of
immigration such as no other region of
the country had known before. This
was then the Ell Dorado of fortune
seekers, and the hills and valleys where
a few short years before the red deer
roamed in peace, the summer sun
looked down upon blooming wilder
ness, were noisy with the hum of indus
try.
This immigration was not confined
to natives of the older states, bat, like
that later immigration to the gold fields
of the West, it numbered many who
had come from distant lands. The
fiery Frenchman, the sturdy German
and the enthusiastic Gael, had bid adieu
forever to their childhood's home and
come to this wild land to build another
home upon whose threshold tyranny
would never cast its shadow.
They knew that they must give up
many of the luXuries and even necessi-
ties which they possessed at home, and
this they did without q sigh. The
joys of friendship they surrendered,
though with many tear; but there was
one loved friend and guardian of their
youth from whom it seemed they could
not part. To the church beneath whose
watchful care their childhood, youth and
manhood had been spent, whose kind
reproof. wise counsel, gentle consola-
ton influenced all their lives. they now
must bid farewell, and words could
scarce express their lonely feeling.
They knew that in the hour of sorrow,
when the trials of the world are upon
ms and the way seems dark, there are
no words of comfort half so dear as
those that religion gives. And when
they had established their rude houses
4 n I. 4 4
kneel again in humble worship at the
altar as in days gone by, to hear again
those same sweet words of counsel they
had heard SO oft in youth. They soon
discovered that though far from their