Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-09-18
BOY AND GIRL FRIENDS OF A
GENERATION AGO JOIN in
WRITING BUDGET.
THE OLD ASHLAND CROWD
Quaint Village Lying Between Agency
and Eidon, the Former Home OF
Eacfi--Er. w. &. creath Writer
Of the Original Note.

whick the letters emenated, was be
gun by DR., w. r. Creath q little more
than two years ago with the object OF
reaching boyhood friends, the Old
Ashland crowd Those who ever lived
In or near Old Ashland will readily
appreciate the intent of the author ot
the chain-letter and those who ere
not familiar with the quaint village
that Is fast becoming but relic Of
It's old community greatness, cannot
but see the pretty sentiment that, this
rhain-letter has given rise to. The
persons participating are no longer
boys and girls, but twenty years ago
they were youth of Old Ashland, and
wears do not seem to be able to efface
from memory's tablets the happy
recollections their early life holds for
them.
Town But Memory.
The quaint village from which the
participants all sprang was once a
thriving country town and was among
the better small towns of Wapetlo
county; in fact at one time the peo-
pie of Old Ashland did not prefix the
Term small to their town. A village
that served as the marketing point
Tor vast stretch Of wealthy farming
country in the DAYS when Iowa
towns were none OF them what might
be called very large, was Old Ash
land. 1t held its head up in pride,
tor all within it's bounds We're more
or less prosperous. There was in the
town that, which 1t was immensely
proud of-an academy or seminary
that called its pupils from very
great area of surrounding territory
and IS the alma m;.ter to many of the
mothers in Wapello and surrounding
counties, and likewise to some of the
girls Of the Old Ashland crowd 10
which the chain-letter alludes. The
town Is still in It's declining years. ~
ing in careless indifference between
Agency and Eldon, suffering gradual
diminishing in size. for the railroads
passed it when building, but the old
church and the school. which now
boasts Of but two teachers when In
years, gone by many were engaged In
It's class rooms, remain as proud senti-
nels to guard over its proud memories
of greatness. The old buoyancy. how.
ever, is not in the village as of yore
Crowd Are Scattered.
Twenty-Five persons have received
and written one letter each, the
original letter being sent by DR.. ".
e. Creath to members of the Old Ash
land crowd with the instructions TO
reach some other member of the
crowd and thus get in touch with
each Of the surviving members Of the
bunch. Thus far the following have
responded and letter from each has
been received and filed by DR.. Creath:
Mrs. Cora Vass Daniels. Ottumwa
Mrs. Mamie Foster Acton, Tulare,
Cal
Frank Acton, Tulare, Cal.
Mrs. A1via Cain Fordyce, Liberty
ville
Mrs. Bertha Acton Hite, Eldon,
r. F. D.
Mrs. Laura vass Nicklin, Bldon.
Mrs. Eta Freeman Acton, Wal
nut. kas.
Ed Acton, Walnut, Kas.
I.evant Haydock. Protection, Kas.
Bert Rumley, Tulare, Cal.
Mrs. Ethel Haydock Rumley,
Tulare, Cal
Mrs. Minnie Fielder shrope, Denver,
Colo.
Mrs. Fife Haydock Emery, Bakers
Held, Cal.
Mrs. Nora Fielder Amole, Denver,
Colo
Annie E. Allen, Denver, Colo.
Lorraine Haydock, Agency, r. F. D.
No. /.
Mrs. sarlie Millisack Haydoct.
Agency, R.. F. D. No. l.
Mrs. Nellie Foster Garrett, Marys-
sille, Mo.
w. Oliver Garrett, Marysville, No.
Millard Foster, Pueblo, Colo.
creath Writes Letter.
The original letter sent out by DR..
W. E. Creath is the following:
Ottumwa, Ia. Aug. "a, 1907.
Dear Folks OF Ashland days:
Why not keep in touch with each
other. This chain-letter is started
with the idea Of reaching the old
crowd
Will each one receiving it reach
all the old friends in their immediate
peighborhood and send on to the next
address as indicated in the envelopes
and when the letter has returned !
will write new one and thus it will
eventually reach lou AZ second time
when you can take outSyour old let
Ter and send the new one on.
This idea was Matched up on the
train between Mrs. Nellie Garrett and
myself while coming to Ottumwa from
Eldon and we think it will be inter-
ssting.
All have been interested in the do
tngs of each of the old friends Each
one has done well and has been rea-
sonably prosperous. The four winds
have carried them here, there and ev-
srywhere but there never will come a
lime when we will be old enough to
forget the good old days al the old
church, the song practice for special
services, the tafHy-pulls, the barnyard
sorncob fights and the skip-to-my
Lou parties.
Personal; Married have two smil-
ing daughters. Marjorie and Doro-
.hea. ages five and fifteen months.
Wife, better then the man she mar
led, but seems con .ented with her lot,
Am able to keep the grocer from suing
ne for his account, SO am contented.