Telegram-herald., 1888-01-20
THE OLD SETTLERS
ANNUAL REUNION HELD LAST NIGHT
A Large Aodtsass ssa a Els2szEt Time
LA ~ Ns~Iy hnroiisd dsnDsr--fhs
xssoei.Sfon's Gin ~ n. ". Gr<sa-
Tue spssehes and Dance.

The annual reunion sni ball Of ths Old
Residents Association Of the Grand River
Valley sas held last night a. tie Eagis
Hotel The attendance Was quite large
over two hundred being present, including
only actual settlers ffom 1888 to 1851. In
only few instances we're the SINS and
daughters present. tie reunion being es-
peeisliy for The fathers and mothers, grand
fathers and grandmothers. They filed the
parlors al sn early hour and when the hour
arrived for supper the gray haired old set
tiers q ed into the dining hall 70 the num-
Der OF i76 On tbs walls wee hung the
dxures io53, showing the date OF TIE tirsf
actual settler IA Grand Rapids and ''lsSs y
the present year. On the right hung 9
medallion Of Rix Robinson, the first white
settler OF Kent couaty, neatly framed IN a
copper bronze frame. This was glft OF ii.
w Green agent for the White Bronze
Monument Company, and is highly priced
by the Asso -iati0n. The presentation
speech Was made oy Hon. T. d. Gilbert IN
his usual happF manner. The gin was a
complete surprise ~ the Old Settisrs-
AfIer prayer by Rev. Kerr Il. Tuppsr, the
feast was pzrtaken OF with q good relish,
some forty more sat down 10 the good
things.
President DR.. Shepard then delivered q
welcome speech, relating many incidents OF
his early life in the wilds OF Kent county.
and the village now city OF Grand Rapids.
Hon. I. ID. Gilbert gave them a talk
which proved very interesting iD which he
reviewed the past and present, and won
dered what would bring forth fifty years
hence. lie was followed oy q few brief re-
marks from Hon. John t. Holmes. after
which all rose and sang Aud Lans Syne."
Other remarks followed, when the room
Was cleared for dancing.
The record book shows that since the
meeting of the Association the 7th OF the
present month. the following Old Settlers
have Joined the Association and enrolled
their names on the books: William Cole,
of Bronson; Nelson r. Houlett. of Grand
vile; Adelph I. Campsu, of this city; ID.
Arnott, of Newburgh, n. Y; Dayid Lara
way. Salem; VIM. IL. II. Davis. Oakield; L.
L. Quimby. OF Sandwich, n. H.; James l..
Manning. Of Antwerp. n. Y; y. b. Gibson,
Rutland, VT; Sanford w. Lyon. Of Naples,
n. Y. Eber Rice, of Be han. Ontario; l..
II. Johnson, OF Covert, n. Y; Q. W. Calk-
ins, OF Grand Rapids; 4. j. Lucas of Can
andagus. n. Y; N. B. Blain. of Waterloo,
y. Y; John G. Clark, OF Hinsdale, Mass;
@. ID. Lyon, of Rushyiile, n. Y; e.. q. Fitch.
OF Putney, Vt. The place named is the
birthplace Of each. Since the reunion one
year ago, there have been thirty eight who
have Joined. aud nearly. ii not all of them,
were present last evening. Secretary Smith
WAS kept busy during the early evening
with receiving annual dues and making
such minutes as will be of value in the
future, while knots OF the old folks could De
found in the parl rs, Office and reading z
rooms, tel ing OF the oiden days when they
were ooys together. 1t was another OF those
happy occasions which none enjoy SO well
As the early settler.
Among the earlier ones who were regis
tered last evening were: Mrs. q. /. Hender-
son, settler of 1888; Chss. Shepard, 1885; q.
NJ. McCrsg. 1885, John L. Holmes, 1888; H.
G. Davidson. 1887; VIM. Norman, 1886; o.
c. kellogg, Truman kellogg, n. b. Scribner
Mrs. Eliza Scribner and Mrs. G.. II. Pew. al
Of 1887 and Chas. Foster Of 1888. The
| arrivals of the others were from 1888 tc
| 1885.
The dancing began at a rather late hour
| but continued for some hours and some o.
| the most prominent old residents managed
| to take part in nearly every number. While
| these were enjoying themselves in th,
may dance others found equal pleasure oil
| greater enjoyment in visiting and compar
| ing notes and incidents of the occurrence
| of the past year and old times. The entir,
! list of those present filled several pages o
| the hotel register and furnished an inter
| esting study. Some were readily written il
| a clear bold hand, while others betrayed
nervousness. and showed that trey hac
been written with trembling hands.