Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-06-29
Delaware county,s Old Settlers Day.

was disappointment in the non
appearance of the chief speaker of
the afternoon, Hon. R. j. Bixby,
who was detained at home on ac-
count of illness, his substitute, Hon
L. b. Peet of Edgewood, delivered a
very able address that proved ex-
ceedingly Interesting to everyone
present.
The basket dinners, for which
the association served hot coffee
free, added pleasure to day that
most certainly was one of the most
successful Old Settlers days ever
held in this city The crowd began
coming in early and the Fair
ground presented celebration APP
pearance throughout the day.
The program was especially good
each nulAber proving something
worth hearing. The in .ocation was
pronounced by Rev. NJ. I. Bushnell
after which the congregation joined
in singing. The address by the
Honorable r b. Peet was followed
by a recitation by Miss Anna Lien.
The appointment Of r S. Cowels,
J. A. Thomas and e. G. Perkins as
committee on election was an
nounced and song by the audi
5 ence preceded very interesting
papsr by g. O. Torrey.
We are pleased to be able to re-
produce Mr.. Torrey's "reminiscences
as well as those Of Mrs CIute and
Mr.. Tony knowing that a large
number OF our readers, who we're
prevented from attending the meet
ing and hearing the program, will
welcome this opportunity Of read
ing Of these we'll told stories of the
pleasures and hardships of those
first days in this then new country.
go. ToRREY.
Mr.. President, Ladies, and Cen
tlemen:
When our good natured secretary
i asked me, not long ago, to prepare
paper for this occasion, | fatty re-
fused, but after he had finished his
persuasive little speech / promised
to try. | did not, however, promise
to succeed, and when am through
with this paper / think that you will
gree with me that my refusal should
have been my final answer.
1t is not easy to recount events of
forty years ago without referring
very often to personal matters. In
those days there were few news
papers SO our knowledge of events
that did not occur in our immediate
neighborhood was very limited. To-
day I'VE know more of foreign ma
tion1 thanrwe did then of the people
livilR IN the next county.
y count Of our own doings may
y much liking footing our
|" but if we have no other
or our paper what can we
es we may never have
Jther opportunity to advertise our
rly experiences.
n November, 1858, at the age Of
nteep l left Vermont and went
ane tconnty, Illinois. A year
casae to thi is county in search
;nnssiit land. IS. Gotham
a in Strawberry Point a few
y and | came together on
as far as Galena, ILL.,, which
that time, the end of the
ID. From there we walked to
.que. HAD heard much of the
lerof Waters" and when I fin
.aught sight of the great river
ped up and down and at the
line shouted with all my might.
,men who were with me, not ex-
ting any such violent demonstra-
s.thought that I had gone crazy.
Dubuque we stopped at the
hington House where we found
onderful combination of sour
1t, bologna sausage, beer and
revidences Of Teutonic culture
civilization. We hired a man
lea load of us to Delhi in a
lumber wagon. We were all
yhridersp on that trip. There
no spring seats for us-only
Is across the top Of the wagon
nd the roads were rough and
!. | secured 100 acres Of gov
int land near the county corn
few miles north of Lamont.
return to Illinois we walked
the prairie from the county
!, to New Wine and thence to
lue. Near Lindsay Creek, on
~ think, now VIM. Bars
9 got very close to four full
deer feeding among the
TWAS beautiful sight to
;aise their white flags"
iaway toward the timber
rove. l do not remember
houses between the coun-
and the German settle
W Wine.
1856, / started on my
to Iowa, coming this
IA. Garfield, relative
resident. In some places
s from two to three feet
Q weather was SO cold we
Tx behind the wagon a
the way to keep from
r. Garfield came to this
title on his fathers land
From Delhi ] walked
hester Tor Burlington
called) to the county
| worked on a farm
nths. While there ]
lding. In those days
were not popular
e county young PEG.
ing trip Of some sort
ry in order to com
MS decree. In this