The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1907-07-10

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The material was collected at two or
three houses to get it cooked. Mrs.
Todd did the most of the cooking, but
others did their share. There were
about SO persons at the celebration.
Raising the flag was first in order
in the morning. it received some
hearty cheers. as it was the first rails
ed in the county. We had good
dinner and all enjoyed themselves
hugely. Toasts and speeches were
often and frequent. Elder Robert
Darling had been engaged to deliver
the Grafton but he failed to put in an
appearance and we were left to our
selves. However George c. King was
chosen. A bowery was built on the
public square for the occasion. Thus
occurred the first celebration ever
held in Crawford county Iowa.
BY Edwin Caldwell.
The celebration of 1907 was held in
a, fine natural grove on a rise of
ground just north of the Latter Day
Saints church and near the school
house. We will leave the details of
the affair to the pen of our valued
correspondent. Mrs. Horr of Deloit.
Her father and mother Elder Thos.
Dobson and wife were part of the
groupe Of fifty who were at the first
celebration. The Elder is now dead.
but his respected wife remains, bright
in mind. if some enfeeled in body.
1 Thanks to the forethought of Mr.. w.
7. Huckstep al enlarged picture of
the orator of the day fifty years ago
was displayed before the assembly.
1t was the picture of George C. King.
He was one of the settlers whose
death was deeply regetted. He was
young man of great promise. of fine
Iintellect. His wife still resides in the
county. living at Denison. She mar
ried in after years tn Albert Bond and
resides near the Normal school. Mr..
King haa three children. Julia who
married Mr.. Sutton and is living in
the state of Washington. Clara. bet
ter known as Kittie who died in young
womanhood. and Frank who moved
when a man to South Dakota. where
he has made a most honorable record.
1 One of the most noted of the old
settlers present was Hon. H. c.. Laub.
To Mr.. Laub was given the place on
the program to read the letter of Mr..
CALDWELL and to tell some of his own
recollections of the day. He was
cheered as he advanced to the front
supported by his clutches Mr.. Laub
was the pioneer merchant. and ex-
perienced many hardships in getting
in his stock of goods from Cedar Ra-
pids and Iowa City at the east and
Council Bluffs at the west He was
out in wagon between here and
Boone at the time of the historical
snow storm in 1856. and was given up
for lost. For three days he had
practically nothing to eat. He at
last reached Dunham's grove between
here and Vail driving yoke of oxen
before him and obtained aid for the
balance of his party who had sent
him ahead for succor. After eating.
and obtaining little rest he proceeded
on foot up Rocky Run and near De-
lott reaching home at two in the
morning to find his wife and three
children in deplorable condition
from the cold. Word had been re-
ceived that he had persisted in the
storm and SO of course his home COM
ing was most welcome to the sick
wife an little ones.
Mr.. John Dobson acted as chairman
of the gathering on Thursday last.
He called the roll of the fourteen
surviving old settlers who attended
the celebration at Deloit in 1857 fifty
years ago: Mrs.. Sarah X. Dobson.
H. C. Laub. Mr.. and Mrs. B. F..
WicKs. N. v. johnson and wife,
Morris McHerry. Mrs. A. F. Bond.
Mrs. Margaret Richardson. John Dob
son and wife. W. T. Huckstep,
George Winans, Mrs. Martha Hattey.
Morris McHenry. the early sur
veyor and first school teacher was
on the program for talk but was not
there. Mr.. d OLSON said that the day
of fifty years before was like the one
of the present time. He said there