The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1897-09-02

Ia ~Af, VS. NAiL ~ Ba@ tta AeAAt ~
1878. They vstc na,rtsd 10 l1a3. 81 Sal
Geld. saae to yesn OF - before hi'
msrti..s M s5tlIop % isll0wsd some
d be tiudt,d AID ili-ads 10 The siIds Of
YefuaGl sn3 bsl sclec el s1i purchased
farm ta Rapert % tst bslEi Of the IL
BE ladlaU River. sauc iso miles Eotth Of
Rugefl c5tsor 4 tutc lJua ia the
shape 81 ios house ass ses ius cleauos
Of the iarest NJ, ucit paTose vss t.
sch Me eampsuigu, whom Be EiTh'
iustsH a. lreptr q bis hone, Eiek 10
sulAeld be l1afneysi. for the "giil BE-
leh bsbIad bln Altsr mEttiage, without
delay, Ls. vita bis Joans SIie, set their
tasrs tosatds The chosen hume 10 Yer
u1out. Tls wst their "wedding nip, >
They I1ufutyed cot 10 palace car. neither
by the Old numbering stage coach, OF ''ye
oldea tine. Ter oDly part Of the Wy vac
there possible pss .se BY sbeels. On
tue backs Of horses they sere transport
ed, With fome personal Effects, over bill
add dale aud through forests. for some
three days. they pursue this journey.
Upoa reaohiag Ruperi they we're vel
con ed by kindred AMI friends who bad
LET, Their Sotlisid homes few yesfs be
fore seoa they were domclled 10 lheii
rude bone 90 indisu River and life, 10
earnest, commenced. la the fret 70
yesrs OF their married life there were
boru 10 the IN nine children. These were
Betsey. Henry. Maria S,th, Simeon, Rho
da. Jui,, Mary and Louisa The first
named died in early childhood. The last
died Ia early womsnhood, unmarried &.
The others mentioned were married. The
four daughters settled 10 Dorset. Vt,
where their lives were passed. all living
beyond the age Of 'rhree score and ten
years" M.ris and Rhods lived more
than so year. Jalls died 10 Der sishteth
year. Seth p. Sheldon died Dec, l3,h,
1927. sged G5 years. RhOds Poneroy
Sheldon died June 80, 1863, aged 80
years. Their children. before named,
have oil passed away, These left . good
aud honorable name, the heritage Of their
children, which is Of more value than
riches. "A good name is rather 10 be
chosen than riches, the Scriptures tell "a.
THIS much have written, preiscing an
account OF picnic held 10 Rupert, Vt.
by members Of one OF the Sheldon ances
trail lines, whose immediate ancestor was
Seth Phelps Sheldon. The Sheldon pic
mic was held on Wednesday, Aug, 25th.
The place selected for the assembling was
the old Vermont home OF their ancestor,
10 Rupert, VI, lear the banks Of the
Indian River, 10 q maple grove at the
slope Of the West Mountsin, we'll chosen
and beautiful location. Some twenty two
were in attendance, mostly gathered from
Dorset aud Rupert, representing ten or
more families, Many families had DO rep
resentstion, Some we're 10 far of Cali
fornis. some in Oregon, some 10 Minneso
ia, some 10 Illinois, some 10 Michigan,
some in New York, come in Massachusetts,,
Could ell have answered the "bugle CALI
there would have been some seventy five.
In this connection | would say the Shel
dons are q legion, quite the rival Of the
noted Sn tbs. Browns, the Jones'. Ia all
il is quite definitely known tina. in this
country there are some twelve thousand
bearing the name Of Sheldon. Nearly ss
many more are allied by marriage through
maternal lines OF descent. The skies
smiled not on our picnic at the first,
slight rsin falling as we reached the old
homestead. Ii was not long, however
before Providence favored us. for the
bright rays OF sunshine peered through
the foliage OF the maple grove in which
We had assem- bled, ss the harbinser Of the
good cheer which was TO follow. Edibles
and refreshments were spread upon the
grass plat Natures table in bountiful
measure. Upon the ringing Of the farm
bell OF the old Sheldon homestead, sill fell
to With good sppetite. We arose not
from our seats upon the grass till our
stomschs cried ont, hold, enough Al
ter the edibles, an hour or 80 was passed
in pleasant converse, spiced with repsrtee
aud Jokes aud humorous and witty recitsls
and sayings. Some OF our numbr gave
US interesting incidents connected with
the lives OF our ancestors and OF the pres
ent generation. Scarcely we're we 10 resdi
mess TO leave the grove, ere the sound OF
distant thunder warned rs that cur de
psrture must be FASTENED. We we're not
long in finding ssbelter from the approach
lug storm. The Sheldon home was open
ed to US, still occupied by some OF our
kindred, remotely removed, where We
found Welcome, both bospi,sble and
hearty. Nor did We take our departure.
till We bad joined In song to good old
"Ausries" and should Old Acquaintance
be forgot and Home Sweet Home snd
other familiar songs For mere than .
century had this home been . home for
song, And anew We christened il, % its
halle and Iooms we're resonant With the
voice OF cong from the children and the
children Al parting many
. good bye Gas spoken aud the cousins
Of Rupert sud Of Dorset and elsewhere
vith the hope Of az other like
,eunion. Ii. y. 5.