Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-09-16
The Third Annual Reunion Held
Near Fremont.
oTTuAWA WELL REPRESENTED
Seven Hundred and Sixteen Descend
ants Of This Family, of Whom Five
Hundred and Twelve Are Living
Elect New Officers,
lFrom Fridays pally.l

OltuIuWd was well Represented III
the recent Picllen family reunion
held at the home OF NJ H. Pickan, who
resided near Fremont, at Which 30
We're present, making it one of the big
gest events of the kind ever held in
this part of the country. The descen-
dants of Matthew Picken and SUI
sauna McFadden Picken number Tic
and are as follow: Nine children, six
ty grand children, 244 great grand
children, 316 great great grand chill
dren and eighty-seven great great
great grandchildren. Of this great
number of relatives of this family 512
are known to be living and 210 attend
ed the recent reunion.
Meeting Held in Tent.
Most of the people had assembled
BY II o'clock.
A large tent had been erectea under
the shade of those grand old elm trees
| to be used for dining room and was
provided with three long tables, which
were soon laden with the edibles.
| While the ladies were preparing din
ner the rest employed the time in cor
dial handshakings and greetings ana
when dinner was announced all had
renewed the pleasant acquaintance
ships of II year ago.
Program Given.
| After dinner the chairs We're taken
to a shady spot. a temporary platform
provided and President NJ H. Picken
called the assemblage to order, intro
ducing DR.. H. o. Conoway, of Deep
River. The doctor made thirty min
utes eEtemporaneous talk during
| which lime he related many funny
anecdotes of the early days. and euic-
gized tie Picken family. Told of the
overland trip from Ohio back in the
forties. of the first log house built at
Bins Point, where Kirkville now
stands. and Of the trials, hardships
and sufferings of these pioneer set
tiers. He gave the history of the first
Picken children, where they were born
when they came to Iowa and when
they died
j. w. Millisack of Agency. sent
greetings, which were read by the sec
rotary.
Address of A. c. Barlow.
Following the greetings by Mr.. Mil
lisack. DR.. A. G. Barlow of Martins
burg was introduced and gave short
address in which he urged the contin-
uance Of these annual gatherings and
suggested the getting together of all
the facts and figures possible and hav-
/ ing the genealogy printed in book
form.
Matthew Donahey Introduced.
Mathew Donahey of Washington was
next introduced and he also gave some
Picken history that was new to most
of those present. He said he could
| talk until the next morning about this
| glorious family, and urged the young
er members to follow in the footsteps
of their forefathers-to be always hon.
est, courageous and righteous-ard to
do nothing that would bring dishonor
upon this reverend name. He said he
came from Washington county, the
/ best county seat in the state of Iowa,
which provoked loud and continuous
i groans, but he Immediately squared
himself by saying that Mahaska coul-
ty had the best looking ladies of any
county in the state.
Dan Shaver of Wellman had con-
tributed an article on the trials of the
early settlers, which was read by the
secretary.
Officers Elected.
;. FOlloWlHS Iue program d DuSluSSS
meeting was held and the following
4 officers were elected:
i President-H. M. Picken, Cedar.
4 Vice president-John Funk, Kirk.
i vile.
Secretary and treasurer-Mrs. G. w
j Arganbright, Fremont.
Meet at Cedar Next Year.
4 The meeting was brought to close
by the selection of Cedar as the place
for holding the next reunion. which
will be held at the home of L. V. Pick.
en-, who resides southwest of that
place. The meeting will be held on
the first Tuesday in September
Those Present From ottunwa.
4 The following people from here at.
4 tended the reunion: Mrs Eliza Pick,
en- and fanny, B. H. Picken, John
Picken and family, Mr.. and Mrs. James
McCarroll and sons, Mr.. and Mrs. j
II N English and family, Mrs T. w
Cole and daughter, Mr.. and Mrs. Man
ley Forsythe and Mr.. and Mrs. Bert
. Armstrong.
visitors with their cousin, Miss Eller
n