The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-08-18
Forty-Eighth Meeting of This
Body Was Held in Kings
Grove Near CenterviIe, Sat-
urday.
INTERESTING ADDRESSES
DELIVERED BY SEVERAL.
Caleb King Was Reelected
President, and Joseph C..
RatIiff, Secretary Rain
Kept Down the Crowd.

The forty-eighth annual old settlers
picnic of Wayne county was held Sat.
1Irday in Kings Grove, just north oil
Centerville. The morning showers no
doubt materially lessened the number
of people who would have been pres
ent but, as it was, about nine thous'
and attended. During the entire
morning and up until the time the
regular exercises began hundreds OF
people arrived upon the scene in all
manner of conveyances. After the
sunshine had made its appearance 1t
was expected previous large atten-
dance records would be broken Hun
dreds of people made their appear
ance upon the grounds in the carry
morning and remained during the en-
tire day to renew old friendships.
At 1880 o'clock in the afternoon
the president Of the association, Ca
leb King, announced music, which was
given by the Centerville Cornet band.
The minutes of the last meeting were
read. together with the death roll for
the past year There were three
omissions from the originally publish
cd death role, they being Branson
Harris, Captain McDivitt and DIR. Cal
win Woods of Centerviile. which made
a total of 1S2 names of those who
died during the past year, the largest
number in the history of the associa-
ton for that period of time.
Fletcher Medearis Spoke.
The first speaker introduced was j.
Fletcher Medearis. the oldest man in
the county. being ninety-eight years
OF age. He was born November 10,
1909. in Guilford county, North Caro-
lima, emigrating to Indiana in 1918.
He has been a resident of this state
since that time. While yet young
man he returned to his native state
on horseback but came near losing his
life In Tennessee at the hands of rob
hers who infested the mountainous
country. His "reminiscences to the
many people who attended the old
settlers were very interesting.
Jonathan Jarrett who was born jan
nary 26. 1923. gave an address on
"Heroism'' In comparing the heroes
of ancient and modern times he held
that the pioneer heroes were eouai to
any of the modern-day men. Among
the pioneer heroes he named his faith
er and mother, who emigrated from
North Carolina in 1911. During the
trip the howl of the wolves and the
crack of the Indians rifles were often
heard but they arrived safely and To-
Gated south of Centerville. Mr.. Jar
rett held that the old time ministers
were better than those of today. The
Rev. Graham, who was In attendance,
stated that the reason for this was be-
cause the old timers preached the
same sermon for three months in sue
cession.
James Martindale, born June goth,
1881, was proud that his people came
from the Carolinas. Ninety-eight
years ago on April 21st by means of
two long poles hitched as shafts to
horse. they emigrated to the forests
along Greensboro where they located
and built a log cabin. IL is said that
on this farm when cleared. was grown
the first corn in the eastern part OF
Indiana. The Martindales' only road
TO and from Richmond was through
the timber where an occasional piece
of timber was "skutched'' as a guide.
Silas Huddleston. born May /. 1928,
in Union county, where he lived until
ne attained majority. delivered very
interesting talk on the old trips made
TO Cincinnati in pioneer trading times.
Joshua Mackey, who next spoke,
was born December IL, 1929, in Preble
county where he spent most of his
life. Mr. Mackey during his early life
signed a temperance pledge and dur
ing his entire life time has remained
n staunch temperance advocate, never
once entering a saloon or other es-
Enlistment where intoxicating liqu-
ors are sold.
Edward Teas then spoke He was
born March s, 1880. and spent most
OF his early life in Eastern Indiana.
He has been in the nursery business
for about sixty years which neccesi-
tated six trips across the Atlantic
Ocean. He travelled much throughout
Europe.
Lewis Williams. born in Maryland,
September 23. 1919. came to Wayne
county about sixty years ago and has
been a resident of this county since
that time Mr. Williams spoke of the
dangerous public highways during the
early days and of the hardships which
were encountered by the travellers.
Allen F. Goodwin gave short read
ing on the landing of the Pilgrim
fathers. Judge Henry c. Fox of the
Wayne Circuit court, read very in
teresting paper on 'Homicides in
Wayne County" 1t was of particular
interest and will be published by the
Palladium at a later date.
The Rev. J. o. Campbell Of this city
gave a very interesting talk of the
of olden days and that more
The good done at both
times was ably compared and of much /
interest.
The old officers of the association I
were reelected for the ensuing year. 4
Caleb King is the president and JOS I
eph c. Ratliff secretary.