The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-06-14
Garden City--.Its Organization
and Early History.

ing old settlers day an enjoyable &C.
casion. Here we can spin yarns and
compare notes. Today you may be
with us, but tomorrow you may be
among the silent dead. Father time
has not been idle. Some of our MEM
bers are with us no more. We can
drop silent tear to memory and ask
who will be next. There is clause in
our bylaws which provides for his
torian in each town in the county
whose duty it shall be to gather his
tory of the county. This information
should be secured. 1t may be of little
value now, but will be in the future.
I would suggest that committee on
resolutions be appointed to draft ap-
propriate resolutions on the death of
our departed members.
Secretary Champlin read the minutes
of the last meeting, which was held
in June last year. The report showed
balance on hand of $5.91. Receipts
for dues and membership fund $13. 60
The disbursements for the year were
SO. 90, leaving a balance due of SO. 56 at
the meeting last year.
Treasurer L. S. Terry read his re-
port of receipts and disbursement the
past year as follows: Balance on hand
50. 3d. received from badges and mem
bership fees 81 60. The disbursements
were % cents, leaving balance in the
treasury of $14.21..
Election of Officers.
The name of John G. Thompson of
Vernon Center, was announced for
president, but he declined to serve.
On motion of E. T. Champlin, Chas.
Barney of Vernon Center was elected
president and assumed his duties as
such. Ed. W. Parker of Garden City
was elected secretary and L. S. Terry
of Vernon Center reelected as treas
urer. Five vice presidents were then
elected, one from each commissioner
district, as follows: First district,
Chas. O'Connor, st. Clair; second dis
trict, John Diamond, Mankato; Third
district, 81. G. Howard, Lake Crystal
fourth district, 7. S. Hayes, Vernon
Center; fifth district, Joseph Dobie,
Sterling.
E. w. Washburn of Vernon Center
delighted the audience with a solo,
SIN Those Good Old Times.
In compliance with the suggestion
of the retiring president, Mr.. Barney
appointed Gen. J. h. Baker and E. T..
Champlin a committee resolutions,
who will later prepare resolutions on
departed members and have them
published in the papers of the county.
After an intermission Of a few min
utes, duet and chorus was given by
Harry Davis and Ruth Mills, entitled
"Will I Find My Mamma There"
"reminiscences by S. F. Barney.
In prefacing his "reminiscences Mr..
Barney humorously referred to a bench
that had been provided for him to
stand on which was placed there in
compliance with request that he be
furnished with sheet to elevate him
to height where he could be heard.
He had no objection to mounting the
bench provided but feared the audi
ence would leave him before his re-
marks were concluded if he made him
self too CONSPICUOUS. Continuing, Mr..
Barney said:
''Much has been written and more
spoken of the early settlement of this
county. ALI important events have
been recorded. It's hardships and strug-
giles ware matters of history, and moth
ing was left to be told but minor or
unimportant events of individuals who
have passed through the eventful
period of pioneer days Early days
were not all sorrow. There were many
incidents of pleasure and joy-really
happy events. If those who have arriv-
ed at the meridian of life should turn
back they could see much sorrow and
trouble that had been encountered in
travelling through life's journey. The
incidents of my own experience,
though trifiing will fill in in history.
In boyhood days saw printed in
glowing letters the great Sioux nation
of the west. l was told this was the
American desert, that lands were an
unhabitable waste and covered with
Indians but did not think this was
SO.
SIN December, 1854 1 was practic-
ing law in New York. 1t was about
the time that Horace Greedy advised
young men to go west. l took his ad-
vice and in Oct. 1856, in company with
my father, my brother, ARA, and two
cousins, Chas. Barney and David
Shaw, came west. At Chicago we
parted company. Before locating I got
a letter from my brother stating that