The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1891-02-27
The Pioneers.

When your reporter reached the county
seat last Saturday, the prospect for the an
nual pioneer meeting was dubious i'm the
extreme. The roads were as bad as they
could be, and the weather was worse. Be-
sides it wasn't WashingtOn's birthday at all,
but one we had to imprOvise for the occa-
sion, because the hallowed 22d came on
Sunday. However by IL o'clock there was
a fair attendance, and so, before adjourning
for dinner we elected officers for the next
year as follows: A. b. Clark, Morrice.
President; j. M. Fitch, COrunna, Vice
President; l.. j. Kenney, Corunna, Secre-
tary, and Ezra Mason, Treasurer.
In the afternoon there was large gather
ing, much beyond the capacity of the court
room. 1t was mixed audience, but one
upon which it was worth ones while to
look. But 1t was noticeable that few, very
few of the first settlers" the men who
positively killed the wolf and the bear, who
planted the first log school house, and laid
the first corduroy through the swamp, who
shook with the agae one day and planted or
gathered the crop the next, who went fifteen
miles to mill and five miles to have a little
friendly gossip with the nearest neighbor;
the man of grit and pluck, who, while he
made the forest echo with the sturdy strokes
OF his axe, made it resound with his hymns
of lofty cheer" 1t was, l say, painfully
evident that but here and there, one of these
men was left, and your correspondent felt
Like one who treads alone
Some banquet hall deserted,
Its lights all fled,
Its garlands dead,
And all but he departed
But their sons and daughters were there
i'm great force, taking the places nobly of the
70 nd rhn nod IN, he
better land. Only l noticed when one of
them attempted to tell bear or wolf or
snake story ii was always very tame affair
the play of Hamlet with Hamlet qnd most
all the rest of it left out. Like one of the
Sons of Veterans telling war story.
was pleased to see among the audience
Mrs. MOrrice, widow of the late William
Morrice, of Perry, now, Judge, is nearly
30 years old-the last of the original Nor
rice families who 80 years ago carried into
the then wilderness of Perry not only Drawn
and muscle, but an honesty that never
swerved, a sterling Scotch integrity that has
given tone and character to that whole re
gion, and will for generations to come. Such
is the almost infinite power of an upright,
godly life.
All, well-where was |? The music by
select quartet of Corunna's sweetest sing
ers, was rare treat worth going a long
way to hear. Then came the principal event
| of the day, the thoughtful, beautiful address
| of Rev. DR.. Conover. will not attempt a
synopsis. 1t should be published. We
were greatly entertained by delegation OF
nine pioneers from Livingston county.
Among them was Mr.. Jacob Kanohse, Pres
ident of the Livingston County Pioneer So
ciety. These visitors were excellent takers
1 and contributed much to the enjoyment OF
the occasion.
| An then the old settlers broke loose and
for the remainder of the afternoon moved
back into the log shanty, split more rails
lived again on 'jerked venisOn, up into the
tree again for the festive coon, and all were
| supremely happy. know of no gathering
| where there Is so much of solid, sensible ell
jOyment, with so little friction, as the annua
winter meeting and the summer picnic o.
the Shiawassee Pioneer Society.
| G. p. PARKILL.