Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-08-13

ciuslon of Rev. Wheeler'S address.
The Afternoon Session.
The afternoon session OF the associa
ton was called TO order at 1870 Ban,
music was followed by piano solo b.
Professor L. +. RENTER and u voca
number by Miss Luella Mendenhall, af.
ter which the speaker Of the afternoon
Rev. +. W. Parsons, Phi. D.. of Mason
City, was introduced. DR.. Parsons was
granted the closest attention by tbs
large crowd that surrounded the speak
er's stand, and among his listeners
We're many who reioiced in again hear
ing his familiar voice. His address was
Enthusiastically eloquent and in ma
ture was largely historical, being inter-
spersCi with incidents to interest and
amuse. He spoke as follows:
| II want to assure you that | count ii
an honor to speak TO the old settlers OF
Marshall county a. their annual pic
mic. | appreciate the tot, struggles and
sacrifices. the honesty, the pluck and
the energy of the men and women who
have built up this fair and prosperous
commonwealth. 1t was my privilege a
few years ago to deliver a Decoration
| day address at q certain church not far
from Liscomb. After the sacred services
| of the day were ended 1 was invited to
take dinner at the home of one of the
! prosperous farmers of that community.
| l will never forget my enjoyable visit
| with one of the old settlers. who was
| in that home that day. With great
pleasure l listened to his rehearsal of
the tolls pleasures ana simple enjoy
nents of those early days. He told me
how he could stand on his own farm
and shoot deer and other wild game;
how he talked with rowing bands of In
dams, and how he counted 1T but a
small task to ride three days to the
postoffice TO get a letter from the old
home in the east"
Dr. Parsons repeated some of the
stories of old settlers to the delight of
his elder auditors. 10 whom the graphic
relation seemed a picture of old days.
Continuing he said:
while. however, we thus tell these
incidents of bygone days. l want to
bring to these early settlers my tribute
of praise, my need of honor. l want
to recall their memory and speak their
names with affection and reverence.
They have tolled and we have entered
people and of strong character, III
founders of an enterprising, progressive
and prosperous state. They were strong
of muscle. large of brain and big
hearted: not afraid Of work nor of suf-
fering nor of self-denial. They were
industrious. breaking up the virgin soil
and causing it to become even more
beautiful and productive than 1t was
in the morning of creation. when the
Creator looked upon it for the first time
and pronounced it good. They were re-
ligious as well. and believed in educa-
ton. They built churches, started
schools and laid foundations for col
leges and universities. A states desti-
ny is moulded by Its first settlers. What
Iowa is today what Iowa shall be in
the future is the natural result of their
character, industry and wisdom. And
now, my friends. vii! you permit me to
speak today a few words in praise of
the great state in which our lives have
fallen, the glorious heritage that has
been handed down to us?
Iowa the beautiful land, or as the
word literally TRANSLATED means. This
Is the lapa. is about 800 miles long,
zoo miles wide. has an area OF about
So 900 square miles. and contains S5,-
22S. 500 acres of the most fertile land in
the world fair and beautiful as the
garden of the gods.
First Things.
in speaking of this beautiful prai-
l,e state let me begin by telling you of
some of the first things. Two hundred |
and thirty years ago-in 1673-two mis- |
sionaries of the Christian religion
Louis Joliet and jacques Marquette, |
drifted along that portion of the Mis-
sissippi river which now forms our
eastern boundary for foI: days without |
discovering single sign of human life.
These beautiful prairies. now SO reso-
nant with the best music ever heard on
sarth. the music of human industry and
enterprise, were then lying in silent and
grandeur. A hundred and tif-
teen years after his--17sS-Julien Du-
buQue touched these shores. laid out
for himself a small farm of $4,000 |
acres and became Iowa'a most promi-
nent citizen! His enterprise has been
commemorated in the name of one of
our beautiful cities. Other settlements |
were made by adventurers, trappers |
and hunters. but they were fleeing and |
making no permanent rec
ord, and leaving only q memory and |
legend. Iowa's history really begins in |
1888 It was then made a territory. |
Robert Lucas was appointed its first
and it's first legislature met In |
on Nov. IL of the same year.
In 1876 it was admitted into the union.
Iowa CITY was its first state capital, and
Ansel Briggs Its first state governor.
The rapid growth of the state made
necessary a relocation of the capital.
and in 1857. in accordance with an act
" the legislature, Governor Grimes
Des Moines as its capital.
It's first religious service was held by
minister In the home of
Mrs. Willoughby, of Dubuque, on the
9Th OF August, 1888. Its first religious
society was organized by Rev. Barton
3rande. a Methodist missionary, during
he summer of 1884. Its first school
vas held In December. 1880, and was
aught by Bergman Jennings. It's first
woman teacher was Mrs. Rebecca
palmer in 1884. The first school build
ng was erected in Burlington in 1888
Is first newspaper, The Visitor was
published in Dubuque in 1886. Its first
abroad across the state was the G. q
\. w. which reached Council Bluffs in
SCI. The first railroad within the state
vas the C. & r. L.. built to Iowa City
n 1856. This state thus starting with
hese humble beginnings has today 4
of 2.231,S53 and wealth esti
mated at over s3,0OO,000,o00. and school