The times., 1891-03-06
The Burton Farmers Club.

winter, there have been none more delight
| ful than the 18th OF Feb, the day on which
The Burton Farmers Club met at the tint
residence of Mr.. and Mrs. Daniel Lewis In
The township of Middlebury. There were
visitors present from other clubs as follows
From the Maple River. Club Theron Glari'
len and wife. Mr.. Lewis and wife and MIR.
Martin and wife. From the Meridian Clul
Geo. Warren and wife, of Middlebury.
After the usual opening exercises of the
club, the newly elected president, j. Il.
Moxley, made the following appointments.
viz: Chaplain, ID. s. Cramer. committee OH
programs. e. X. WoOdin, Mrs. q. Il. Mason
and f. M. Shepard.
The questions were then read and an
swered in order and of these space forbids
me 10 say more than that they were gener-
ally interesting and that the answers showed
much thought and careful search. The ques-
ton ''ShOuld not the taxes be collected semi
annually,n brought out some discussion.
The majority of the members seemed TO
think there would be no advantage In 1t.
After answering the questions we were sum-
moned to dinner and of this will only say
that it was good enough for the most fastid-
ious person in the land. This being the
fifth anniversary of the club, Mrs. q. T..
Mason had been appointed to read me-
mortal paper OH the occasion, from which
make the following extracts:
"The Burton Farmers Club" was organ
lied in 1886, five years ago the 4th day OF
the present month. Mr.. and Mrs. Z. IL.
Woodin were the first OriginatOrs and in
order to get it started invited number OF
families to meet at their house in Middle
bury on this day. 1t being q very cold day
some of those invited failed to appear but Of
,l>
became members:
M. WOodin and wife, G. r. WOodin and
wife, l.. M. WOOdin and wife, +. nj. Shep'
ard and wife, X. G. Shepard and wife, VIM.
Merrill and wife, G. G. Rowell and wife, r.
w. Park and wife, and Mr.. Mora Park
The officers of the club were, G. G. Rowell,
rres., +. M. Shepard, vice pres. and Mrs. r.
w. Park secretary, to hold their offices six
months. The meetings were to be held at
the homes of the members, and the invita-
tiOns to those not members To be strictly
limited to the hostess of the day. The
membership is to be limited to fifteen fami-
lies on account of room.
At the August meet ng of the figst year q
picnic was held at the home of Mrs. Carson,
on the banks of the beautiful Shiawassee
River.
In September, 1887, the Maple River Club
met with us in the butcher Grove in Ben
nington and held picnic-of course we had
good time-we always do.
The first Of February, 1888, Farmers
Institute was held in the city of OwossO and
nearly all the members of the club attended
it. Two of our members read essays on
that occasion and am sure every one of us
enjoyed the banquet given by the OwOsso
Business Mems Association as final wind
up to this affair.
June 28th of that year, our club met by
invitation at the home of Mr.. and Mrs. Il.
&. GLADDEN. i'm Shiawassee township. This
was very large meeting as nearly all the
members of both clubs were present. The
Maple River Club furnished excellent music
and some good speaking was done on both
sides. On the 4th of July, 1889, it being
the regular day for the club, we held it at
M. Woodin's i'm picnic form. This was the
last picnic we have had. We have always
had good attendance at our meetings no
matter how bad the weather or roads, and
as one family has dropped out another has
Joined so that our membership has been full
nearly all the time. We have had between
fifty and sixty members and have never
been called on to part with one of them by
death. Nearly all of those who have drop
ped out because they could not come regu-
larly have been voted i'm as honorary mem
bers. Two or three have gotten married,
one or two more ought to, and all the rest
are happy. There has always teen the best
of feeling among the members, and | hardly
think we have ever gone home from one of
these meetings without feeling that we have
had pleasant time and that il has been
good for us to be there. If we do not learn
something from each meeting it mus: be our
own fault, as there are plenty OF good ideas
put forth. A great many subjects have
been discussed, and as to questions, well,
wonder where do they all come from?
think oul club must all be Yankees they are
so good at asking questions.
Ii i only had the ready wit and pen of
Washington Irving, l might give you some
idea of the heroic struggles through which
we have passed with our tlmid natures, and
how far advanced we have become in the
art of speaking and writing essays, since
the Club was formed. But the Club has
done more than this for us. 1t broadens
our views of farm life and work, and we
pick up new ideas to think of as we go
about that work that does us good. We
meet our friends and neghbOrs and learn
their ways Of living and it renews our cOur
age to go on i'm the battle of life. All these
things and many more the Club has done
for us; and so we say, Long life to the
Burton Farmers Club, may its members
ever be prosperous and its numbers never
grow less"
The regular subject of discussion for the
ladies, ''Are farmers wives any happier
now than they were one hundred years
ago?" was next taken up and essays on the
subject were read by Mrs. Cramer, Mrs.
Rose, and Mrs. Simpson. The essays were
all very interesting and the subject was well
handled. The principal point made in
these papers was that the farmers wife
could be happy at any time If she only pos
sessed contented spirit and strOve to make
the best of her surroundings.
An extract was read by Mrs. Moxley on
''The evils of the use of tobacco" Also
one by Mrs. Simpson on the pleasures of
the housewives labors." The gentlemen's
subject, "How to set out an orchard and
care for it," was next taken up. The first
speaker, ID. S. Cramer, gave his experience
in setting and caring for an orchard, thinks
q CLAW cnil tha host ehnuld ha rnllin1 ca. o a