The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-09-20
PIONEER SETTLERS
THEIR MEETING A GRAND Sue
CESS.

CESS.
From Four to Eve Hundred Assemble
at Oak Cliff farm--A Permanent
ORGANIZATION Effected - Speakers
Review the Early history of the
County--Next Meeting in Mankato
Next June
The call for meeting Of the old
settlers to be held at Oak Cliff Farm
yesterday for the purpose OF forming
a permanent organization met with a
hearty response from all parts OF the
county. About $50 of the pioneer set
tiers of the county, together with
their families, making an assemblage
estimated at 400 to 800, came together
and devoted the day to renewing &C
GuainUances and recounting passages
of early history, comical or sad, as the
theme happened to be. The line de-
filming old settlers had been drawn at
1870, and as the first settlers who at
tended the meeting dated their COM
ing to the county back to 1852, the
wide range Of eighteen years was al
lowed, and during that time the set
tiers flocked in by the hundred. They
met and Overcame every variety OF
hardship, and proved the stuff OF
which they were composed. They
were hardy line, independent, hard
working, sober, and of the best stock
in the east. Only such class OF men
were fitted to successfully combat
the difficulties on every hand, where
hostile Indians threw their force into
the balance against the efforts of the
pioneers. How they succeeded is
written all over this county in the
splendid farms, the capacious barns'
the snug and coy houses, the fine
roads, the school houses and churches,
bespeaking the advances of an en-
lightened and God-fearing people.
1t was happy idea and eminently
proper that these men and their
equally successfully and praiseworthy
wives should come together and Or
ganize for the purpose of holding fu-
ture meetings and perpetuating the
early history of the county and the
struggles, dangers and successes OF
those who first settled it. The idea is
said to have originated with the
Messrs. Cornish. An executive COM
mittee was chosen to arrange for hold
ing the meeting, and e. d. Cornish
was given the secretaryship of the
committee. Several meetings of the
committee were held, and at one held
Aug. 10th it was unanimously voted
to accept an invitation to hold the
first annual meeting at Oak Gill
Farm, extended by Mrs. Gen. Baker.
A prettier place or finer day could
not have been selected. The location
is central, and the date in the best
season of the year for such gather
ing. The teams began to arrive at
about ten o'clock and before noon
nearly everybody was on the ground,
although a few could not come until
afternoon. The grove was filled with
teams, and the grounds covered with
people. They were a fine class of peo-
pie to look upon, and it would be diff
cult to call together abetter gathering.
Everybody was there to enjoy the day,
and they did enjoy it. Gen. and Mrs.
Baker are the soul of hospitality, and
no one could fail of good time at
Oak Cliff.
The larger part of the attendance
naturally came from the townships
Immediately adjacent to Garden City,
but every township in the county was
represented, and Mankato sent twenty
five or thirty people.
The Vernon Center band was pres
ent and aided greatly in making the
day pleasurable one in every respect.
1t is an excellent band, handsomely
uniformed, and composed of some of
the best young men in Vernon. 1t
rendered it's services without cost,
and as mark of appreciation, the
meeting unanimously adopted resolu-
tions highly complimentary to the
band. The excellence of the music
caused much favorable comment.
Gen. Baker made some Introductory
remarks in the forenoon, explaining
the object of the gathering. Then an
old-fashioned basket picnic followed,
everybody having brought goodly
supply of eatables, prepared by the
ready and practiced hands of the
ladies. This meal was highly enjoyed.
After dinner all gathered around
the speakers stand and Gen. Baker
introduced City Attorney A. r. Pau,