Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-08-05
LETTER TO COL. CLARK
ON 83D BIRTHDAY
Felicitated on the Event by His
Old-Time Friend.
w. NJ Hess, of Chicago, Reviews Some
OF the Leading Features in
the ColenePs Career.
Gel. John @. Clark.
Lancaster, Wis.

NV dear Friend and Comrade u
salute you upon this the S3rd ami
versary of your birth. In civilized
lands, custom and law hath decreed
the observance of the anniversaries of
the dates recording the occurrence
OF some notable event. In christian
lands, December 25th, Christmas, is
remembered as the accepted date of
the most notable of all events, the
birth of the Prince of Peace, the
Savior of mankind.
In our country we celebrate on each
recurring 18th day of July. for on that
day we record another year in our life
as a free and independent Nation.
So too, February 22d is remembered
by all patriotic Americans as the date
of the birth of him of whom it has
been said, he was first In war. first in
peace, and first in the hearts of his
countrymen.
The intelligent. thinking people
the world over regard with profund
interest the anniversaries of the days
an which occurred some important
event: it may have been wonderful
discovery in the realms of science-a
great victory in war, or still greater
victory in the making for peace among
me Nations of the World.
so in the case of individuals, the
anniversary, OF his or her birthday
is OF great interest, and this is eem-
phasized in such cases where the an
nivereary proclaims an existence far
beyond that allotted to the human
family.
See Psalm 80, Verse 10.
Your case is one in point. To day
you ara elghtythree years old. How
much of the history of our country,
important history too, has been con-
nected with the perioi of your ex-
istence. In the quiet of your pleas
ant home today. 1 imagine that your
mind will be busy, indulging in
"reminiscences of the past and in re-
calling many interesting incidents and
experiences of your long and some
what eventful life. Pardon me if
offer some statistics which hope may
prove interesting, and using court
expression, may be an aid in refresh
ing your memory.
Dating from 1776, our country. as a
Nation, is 123 yeras old. For 63 per
cent of that time you have been one
of its citizens.
During your life time counting
from 1928 to 1904, (from jackson to
Roosevelt there have been held
twenty presidential elections. Prior
to your birth there had been but nine
presidential elections from Washing
ton, to John Quincy Adams, Nov.
1924, covering a period of Al years.
At the time of your birth the
United States consisted of only "a
states; now it has 46; so during your
life time % stars have been added to
our flag. As you may possibly re-
member something about the admis-
sion of each one of these states l will
give their names in the order of their
admission into the sisterhood of
states: Arkansas 1886, Michigan 1887,
Florida, Iowa and Texas, Wisconsin
1913. California 1850, Minnesota 1858,
Oregon 1859, Kansas 1861, West Vir-
ginia 1862, Nevada 1864, Nebraska
1867. Colorado 1876, Idaho, Montana,
North Dakota. South Cakota and
Washington 1889. Wyoming 1890,
Utah 1896 and Oklahoma 1908.
I think have written enough on
this line to impress you with the fact
that you are truly an ocrogenarian in
years.
You will recall in your reveries to
day, our settlement. while still a
young and single man. in a COM
munity then quite primitive IN its
surroundings. which you have seen
grow into a populous and prosper
Gus one Without any thought of
hattery l want to say that, no one
will envy you the pleasure you will
experience in the thought that your
efforts contributed largely and eff
GENTLY to the accomplishment of
that glorious work of transformation.
The work of the pioneer is always
hard and difficult and to have been an
active instrument in the great work
of converting the wilderness into
land of happy homes is. to the
pioneer, certainly a pleasing retiec
ton.
You will also recall the day-hap
piest of your life, when, by the laws
OF God and man. you took unto you'll
self as wife, the good christian
woman who. for more than half {