Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-08-29
PIONEERS PICNIC.
RecountiRg the Days of "Auld
Lang; Syne."
THE OLD SETTLERS MEET AGAIN
fodhy's Annual Outing at Rodman
Piace-The Addresses of NJ. }. Me-
Entry and -. w. SearIe-Other Bus
mess.

The twenty-fifth annual picnic of the
Rock Island County Old Settlers associa
ton is being held on the grounds of the
old Rod;nan place at the head of Twen-
ty-sixth street today. The pioneers are
gathered together in front of the old
Rodman homestead now owned and occu-
pied by Judge Searle, and at 10 o'clock
this morning the customary exercises
were opened with prayer by Rev. Gilman
Parker. of Moline, after which the retir-
ing president Mr.. w. H Edwards, de-
livered short valedctory address, speak
ing historically of the society, which, in
1857, the year after its formation, had
800 members, the number having been
increased since until the roll enlisted 346
names, but alas, how the number
had diminished until now on these annual
gatherings of the friends and AGO uain-
tances of pioneer days how few were
present. Was this due. Mr.. Edwards
asked, to the fact that death had 80
thinned the ranks NJ the early settlers, or
Was it to lack Of interest, or failing
health on the part of the survivors? In
presenting the residents cane to the in
coming president, l.. ID. Edwards, of Wa
tertown, the retiring president spoke feel
in nj of no 90
| stick which had once lived on the Island
| of Rock Island, where it was cut by Col.
Geo. Davenport and presented to the So
ciety-s stick which still lived, and
| would continue 10 live after the last
| sturdy pioneer had made his journey to
| that far away undiscovered country,
from which there would be no returning
The cane was an emblem to be revered in
a measure and most tenderly cared for by
| anyone TO whose care 1t was temporarily
entrusted.
ACCEPTING THE CANE
In accepting the presidents cane, Mr.,
l.. d. Edwards spoke of his residence in
| the county as having dated back fifty-one
years when he came all the way from the
green hills of Vermont Oy team, of the
JOY it afforded him when he first saw the
Mississippi and beheld all this beautiful
country skirting its banks like garden
of Eden. He related many interesting
"reminiscences of the pioneer days.
The general bushes of the association
followed and just before the conclusion
of the morning session
NJ. J MENIRY
was introduced and he addressed
the pioneers in the following language:
Mr.. President Ladies and Gentlemen
1t affords me great pleasure to be called
upon by this organization to deliver an
address TO you today. l wish to make
and explanation, however. An old settler
is one that settled in this county previous
TO 1915. | should feel disappointed if
my lady friends es pecially should be led
to believe that | settled here so long
ago. In fact | never did settle here, for
this is the county in which | grew up
from an ancestry that settled in the coun-
tY in 1912. Hence this is probably the
reason that | was selected to talk to you
today.
One of the objects for which,this asso-
citation was organized Is TO keep green in
the minds of our people the early days in
Rock Island county, which in itself is
prsisew orthy object. When you pioneers
tirst came to this county you found it an
immense wilderness and as far as this adj
dress of mine is concerned. would that it
were a wilderness still. 1t has been the
pride of all countries and nations to mark
the memories of the past by monuments.
etc, and why should there not be a mark
of some character to the heroes who set
tied up this county under our free state
and government In 1918 Illinois was
made state, from the territory of the
great northwest; in 1888 our county was
set apart from 10 Davies of which Galena
was the county seat, since which our par.
| ticular history is embraced. 1t is one in
which any people may well feel proud,
| and it is one upon which also we do not
often reflect We in our zeal for
temporal welfare, do not stop to
Investigate or render thanks to the
|
this people All honor should be con-
feIred upon the early settlers of Rock
Island county. II was they who formed
the early society from which we so largely
draw even at this day. No truer saying
| was ever repeated than that las the twig
| is bent, so the tree is inclined" The
pioneers of this county formed splendid
society The people were always known
for their intelligence, honesty, sobriety,
hospitality and elements that are 40 es
sential to the inhabitants of counties as
| to the family From these surroundings
| the pioneers have reared their children,
and made them good intelligent. honest
citizens and ornaments to society. SO
all the good citizens that came later were
soon assmiated in the society of the
county. A very neighborly harmonious
people are found in the residents of this
county both young and old. Do we
properly appreciate the grand and
NOBLE AcTs OF THE PIONEERS
of this county IS question have fire.
Iouently thought over. Is not theirs a
debt of gratitude that can never be re-
paidY In a spiritual sense the utmost
freedom of religion has always been toll
Grated; and no great bigotry exists-each
and every member of our community can
worship God as he chooses without fear
or hindrance or being Ostracized by the
pioneers or their children; this is great
boon to any people. The political divi-
sion of the county has also been the oc-
Icasion of no descriptions. AT all times
there has been strong minority that was
never afraid to express their sentiments
by free speech and fair ballot with an
honest count the result declared favora
bly, to all concerned. and all are anxiou:
to see the ones legally elected qualify anf
serve the people in an official capacity
Those are few of the blessings to tint