The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-06-13
GREYHEADS PICNIC.
The Old Settlers of Shawnee at
Garfield Park.
BATTLE OF THE BLUE VETERANS

Are Thick Among the Pfcnickers-
Something About the oldest In
habHeants."
The unlimited coinage of silver 16 to
has no charms today for Mr.. Jonathan
Earlyday. There is an old settlers pic
mic at Garfield park and a vacant place
in front of the corner grocery. Jonathan
was up as early today as though there were
border rufians in the air and had the old
buggy creased and the gray mare hitched
up before daylight. After the lunch had
been carefully packed he took the part
ner of his life who waited 80 anxiously
and patiently years ago for his return
from the defense of Kansas against "Pap"
Price, by her aged hand. and helped her
gallantly into the buggy, and headed the
mare for the park.
1t is unfortunate that the old settlers
bones now forbid him to gambol on the
wet grass as he used to do in his court
ing days, or that it rained last night, for
it has sadly. decreased the expected at
tendance, and not more than forty took
part in the basket lunch that was spread
beneath the Garfield trees shortly after
the noon hour. There was very little ice
cream and very little lemonade but there
was fried chicken and good home made
bread and grape jelly aud what would
anybody want with ice cream after that.
Boating is not being INDUCED in to
any great extent aud swinging will be
confined to hammocks. Bicycling. sack
races and skipping the rope have bee
forbidden by the chief of the park claim
department, but misguided young man
is there with a photograph.
A short programme has been arranged
for this afternoon. Charley Spencer who
was 'traised" here. and whose folks are
old settlers, was to make the principal
speech, and Col. Vsale was to be present
and go over the cid times with a coat of
"reminiscences.
Aside from that the time was to be de-
voted to a general going over of the
In connection with this Jim Lanes name
is being mentioned in a ratio that will
equal about Is to one of anybody else,
if you except d."
There is no association of old settlers.
II you have been in Shawnee county
since the "border rufian days" you are
eligible to attend the feast
H. K. Winaus is on the grounds with
his wife. Mr.. Winans came to Kansas
in 1866 from Illinois, and was in the bat
tie of the Blue. He is so years old.
John Armstrong, who looks 55 and
claims to be II, is there. He came from
New York in 1854, and was also in the
battle of the Blue.
s. J. Reader also of battle of the Blue
fame is present, with photographs of the
battle field.
W. W. Phillips came to Kansas from
Ohio in 1866, and is now SO years old.
H. W. Curtis. 70 years old, and resi-
dent of Shawnee county since 1855, is
here
Allen Holcraft is now 81 and came to
Kansas from Ohio in 1858.
j. I. Mclaughlin came to Kansas
from Indiana in 1866 and is 81 years old.
John McNown's father was killed in the
battle of the Blue. He is only a but
considers himself an old settler though
he was not an old anything when he
came to Kansas with his folks in 1856.
G. ". Packard is SO years old and
came from Maine in 1857.
". q. Gray came to Kansas in '57 and
the first man he saw after landing at
Westport was Jim Lane. He came to
Kansas because he had heard Lane
speak at GAINESVILLE, Wis, in '56.
= S. Hawk came to Kansas from Penn
sylvania in Isl.
When II. d. Rico came to Kansas in
'56 there was mighty little of Topeka,
but Shawnee county was here and he
knew good thing when he saw it. He
has been on the same land ever since.
So has E. MARBLE, who is now SO, and
came at the same time and followed the
same example.
Samuel Dolman came to Kansas to
help make it a free state and did it. He
came from Indiana in 1856.
The timid person who took the census
of the meeting did not ask the ladies
their ages though few of them had ex-
ternal claims to old settlership. Among
those present were Mrs. c. B. Winans,
Mrs. G. D. Rice, Mrs. ]. T.
Mclaughlin, Mrs. H. NJ. Stevenson,
Mrs. s. J. Reader, Miss F. E. Cole, Mrs
A. P. Wright, Mrs. j. II. Bsrtle, Mrs. NJ
N. James, Mrs. G. W. Packard, Mrs R.
D. Coldren, Mrs. L. T. Oakley and Mrs
J. G. Wood. There were more people
there this afternoon.
The party will probably disband about
o'clock.