The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1895-07-12
Pioneer Picnic.

The Pioneers have added another picnic
to the annals of their history and the 4th
of July picnic of 1895 will not go down as
the least in the history Of the society either.
Riverside Park was the place chosen, and
over hundred teams hitched to the trees in
the grove outside the park, showed that
large number OF the pioneers had come from
a greater distance than the Owosso and
Corunna street railway would cover. The
crowd of outsiders was constantly changing,
so that although there did not seem to be o
very large crowd at any one time, there
were several hundred in attendance.
While wading in the river furnished amuse-
ment for the little folks, and the swings
were kept busy by the larger young people,
the pioneers repaired to the seats in front
of the platform TO listen to the addresses of
some of their number, and the songs of the
choir. Thomas jefferson was the subject
which had been assigned to DR.. A j. Cow
les, while j. Ii. Howe spoke on Washignton.
Mrs. j. Ii. Howe. instead of speaking of
our grandmothers, read poem, Grand
mothers Sermon" Hon. John w. Dewey
spoke on the subject of, "Wild Cat Times
in Michigan" and expressed the hope that
the rising generation would be filled with
the same noble purposes with which the
pioneers had been endowed.
The early church in Michigan was spoken
by j. NJ, Fitch, who gave many personal
"reminiscences of the early churches, and of
the men who served them as pastors. The
most of the names were familiar to many
present and brought back most viyidly the
scenes of the early hardships, which were
endured in the Masters service in the SO
rough times.
j. MOyses, who served in the British
army several years before coming TO Amer
lea, and then served in the Union army
during the war OF the rebellion, spoke Of
our revolutionary soldiers. He told the
story of the inumerable battles of that great
war in his usual humorous vein, which was
much enjoyed.
''The Schools of the Colonial Days" was
discussed by Hudson Sheldon, superintend-
ent of the Corunna schools, Mr.. Sheldon
said he had been afraid to call himself
pioneer, because he feared he did not look
old enough; but after addressing them ON
such an occasion, he would not hesitate to
call himself one Of their number hereafter.
| His subject was we'll handled, and while of
necessity il could not be exhaustive, it shed
much light on the early stages of this
wonderful American institution, and was
well enjoyed by the listeners.
Hon. Josiah Turner spoke Of Lewis Cass.
He followed the course of his life through
his various posts of honor, told of the high
political positions he held, and paid high
tribute to the sterling character of the man,
his honest, noble qualities, and cited as an
instance of his simple, well ordered life,
that he himself said that he never INDUCED
in glass of ardent liquor, something the
judge said, which comparatively few pion-
GERS could say, as drinking was not looked
on then as now.
From speaking of Lewis Cass Mr.. Turner
turned to his own pioneer experiences. He
came to tho state when a young man and
brought young wife and child with him.
He was a lawyer and after looking around
some time had located at Howell. He
told several instances, showing the condi-
tions in which they lived at that time and the
condition of the first church, of that place
and incidently paid a high tribute to our
new. csssuit Judge. Judge Montague.
Though quieter than some celebrations, It
required no mind reader to see in the
bronzed faces Of those gray haired men, and
the whittier faces of their companions, who
were living over those trying days. that the
Pioneer picnic was success, and to the
younger people also, the memory of these
gatherings will ever come only as an inspir-
alton and q blessing.