Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1891-08-18
uIE rACKApps rAEE rOssEsslUN or
IIIE "OLp rAna.'

TIIE "oLp YARN
August sth. lsl0, at the cold Packard
Farm" In Hebron. noa owned aud occu.
plci hy Hon. Llhcon l.. Packard, was
born to ichab0d aud Rachel Cole Pack
ari. son whom they christenc'l George
Washington Packard. After spending
hl. Youth on the old farm AMI gradual
lng from Hebron Academy. he went 10
NcN Jersey. where he afterwards mar
ricl ani going Ca Michigan settled there
7 and r,isc,l a family, four of whom are
Vet living. Two ot these, MR.. T.. !.
Tippstt of Toledo, a.. and Mr.. ". Hun
tington smith ot Adrian, Mich, With
their husbands and two children each,
came casi to ,isi, their Maine cousins.
10 "scc the sights that father saN and
tread the path. that father trod" on the
/ "Oli Farm. when Il was known that
thcv we're coming, =. T.. Maxim. 4. l..
rackapl and other cousins 1T shout to
hold family picnic ON the old farm,
aud IN honor ~ the cousins from the
Wet, selected a date az near the birth
DAY of "Unclc Washington" AZ u was
possible. under The circumstance, to DO.
Nni 80 u Was TINT un rhur.day. Aug.
q. there gathered on the beautiful
grounds M Hebron scNcnty-two Packard
cousins. one uncle ani two others In
whose veins flowed none of the family
blood. The grateful shade ~ the t,s,u-
tiful maple tfres afforded grand Chancr
ipr the tables. and With a large dag
npsilng from a prominent posiii1n on
the grounds the loyalty aud patriotism
~ th- rarktnls Wa Illustrated.
~ the ed ~ the rectangular shaped
table. Was placri the old family table
uscl by Deacon l,ruh-n Packard aud
his family, and probably brought FROM
Na.stchu.ctts by them When they camc
tn Hebron sni ..ttl~l on th" cold
rtrm.' about i'p1,
The arrangvmrut was such that The
cntirv party wrrr comfortably seated
Vhru thc ho.i sroso ani nnmVl llpu.
Cyus 4 facLtri a. master ~ cvrc-
mnnies The splendid dinner over, the
chsirm,n. with an alr which PLACED him
on ilr defensive. csllci upoa Iibcon l..
rtrkarl o. "tril Va whether Wc we're
Wrlcomr ~ not" Th,rr Was no half
h-artr,inrss about the Response, which
"a. warmly r-CsiVr,i.
The chaiunan announced that George
whitney had something to say about
"thli same old bone" AMI The genial
George arp.c ani In dignlhci manner
related how Silts Maxim aud certain
other ~ 'hs youth pfc.cut had fpr year.
tNittrl him ~ HI fondnrss for picking
a good, lulcv, mesty hone. llc then
presented >llas With misslNc great
hpnr with his compliments, the afiir
creating np little msrrim"ut
At this iunriurr Silt. T.. Maxim was
again called up to explain hi conncc-
il"n With one ~ the sl.lr Issue. ~ The
thr d,y's rruniun, the erection ~ q
m1numrnt o. thn mrmory - Gpul-
father Reuben Packard. Mr. Maxim b.
gsn hy explaining that thr graves 10
their grulpiwnis, buried M thr little
graveyard cl"ss hy, we're mtrk~i only
by rummpu neld .ton~s. Sumo months
since q, =. Packard ~ Tulr,lp, a., Cyrus
\ Packard, hnl agent of Malice. ~
Bhncnpi, =. l.. Packard aud him.elf
tupk 10 upon thrmsrlycs to- provide
suitable lab o. marx their last rrstlng
pltgv. 1ni that this reunion had Seen the
crrctipn ~ this slab. across the top ~
which nrr the Woris. ~ Revolutionary
soldier the other engraving telling
dates ~ birth ~ tie grandparents. Mr.
Maxim then ptuc-sls,i to deliver trlb-
uir to the memory ~ Deacon Reuben
Packard, which lack ~ space prevents
our puhii.hing entire.
CYvs 4 Packard then folloWe,l With
q rcylt,l ~ ihr military history of the
rackard., which shoNrd that the family
Ia Mainc Wrrr cntItlci Ia no small mesl
~ praise for their patriotism ani dcyo-
iion to country In The war ~ the l,e,o-
luton a. well a. Ia our late civil war.
lIr made /, splendid speech, aud ended II
by calliug upon E. =. Tppett ~ Toledo.
a., Ca respond to "Our Western cousins
the daughters Of uucle Washington"
~ hi Introduction the master 81 cer-
cmonics 10 once placed the speaker Ou
thr defensive, Ia his discontinue. hut
this grntlsman's experience az n news
paIer mau .oon gained him control, aud
hc spoke Z rllngly - the occasion. the
surrounding. aud the Influences of the
reunion. di.pelling the deep feeling man
ifcsi IN tear. at his remark. hy pleasant
allusion. to the sterling worth and good
looks ~ th. Packard women, and calling
upon ths cousins a. coincide with him
la his guoi Judgment in selecting a wife.
EiVarl 4. Packard ~ Wilton. being
called up. made very pretty speech,
taking up the feature of the family a. Ia
pleasures aud eujoyments, aud throNing
Out challenge a. Ia the family good
iooks. H. Wa warmly applaudei AZ
the clo.s 10 hi speech, aud was foll0w-
"a by ". Huntington smith of Adrian.
Mich, who expressed extreme pleasure
at bsing present aud n the warm greet
ing everywhere accorded them, even
though almpsi entire strangers.
lIor,tlo T.. Cushmtn, being called up,
saii that ever .lnc- h. was boy, the
woo1s about Hebron hal been full 81
psckari., and he had alway. enjoyed
the fullne.., too. lie then related some
incidents of his own recollection In con-
neciion With "unclc Washington" and
other Packard boys NJ the old farm. aud
told a story of the little boy who follow
81 Ia father. footsteps, making very
pretty application ~ the tale.
Samuel T.. Cu.hm,n told ~ hls many
/ years' acquaintance with various gener-
I ations IL Packard. at the "Old Farm,
and spoke II the Christian influence that
had always gone ou, from the old home
/ there.
George whitney was an old school
mate ot Washington aud Rachel Pack
ard aud rclatci some incident. connect
/ 81 herewith. Mr.. Whitney's recollec-
/ tions brought before his mind so many
early scenes that hi. feeling. quite over
came him, aud the thoughts of loved
ones gone before filled many an eye
with tears.
George VI. Packard Of Auburn spoke
of the good name and reputation of the
Packaris, aud made point which was
we'll received.
Henry VI. Packard ~ blanchard, Ne,
being called up, explained his Roa IL
plans II "lBlueberries" and then took
occasion Ia pride himself on his being
the most genuine Packard present, hi-
father aud mother both being Packar,is,
and be- was Packard, too. lie made a
splendid speech.
John Barrow. related an incident con-
ncctcd With the Packards At the "Old
Fam."
Uncle sylyanus Betrce was excused
on the grounds Of hl. age.
Mrs. Tippeit thanked all for their
courteous treatment and loving kind
ness, and the master of ceremonies
brought the "fea.t of reason and the
dow of soul Ia close by acknowledg-
Ing that the Hebron reunion ouinumber-
Ell the Packard reunion held at Blanch-
ard the week previous, but he threw out
a challenge for any one member Of the
Packard family 10 produce as many de-
scendnais az he had at blanchard, him
self. wife AMI twenty-threc children and
grandchildren having been present at