The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1910-09-15
THE PICKEN REUNION
Annual Event Held at the w. S
Funk Home

Last Thursday occurred the elev-
enth annual reunion of the descend
ants OF Mathew and Susanna Picken.
The day was a most ideal one for an
4 ture was at degree that was not too
hot nor too chilly. 1t was just right
and could not have been improved up
on. ." Max. Il
This year the reunion was held at
the commodious home of Mr.. and Mrs.
w. S. Funk, six miles southwest of
Fremont, and their generous hospital
Eity made all feel that they were doubly
welcome. The Funk home is spa
Ecious house of eleven rooms, with
baths, closets and basement. 1t is
heated by furnace and the rooms are
large and ample. The family consists
Iof five children, three boys and two
girls, the two oldest boys being mar
ried and farming for themselves. Mrs.
Funk was most ably assisted in look
ing after the comfort of her geusts by
her daughter, Miss Iris Funk, who is
an accomplished young lady, having
been student of Penn college and
made study of music and elocution.
A large tent had been erected west
of the house which was used as a
dining room and it was capable of
seating 100 people at one time. At
1890 dinner was announced and the
seats were soon fillea. President M
| fnr ;,,tr
: duced w. S. Funk, who gave an ad-
E dress of welcome. In part he said:
: we, as the descendants of Mathew
and Susanna Picken, have assembled
! here for the purpose of commemorate
ing the eleventh annual reunion and
set apart this day in remembrance OF
them. Therefore ! welcome you one
and all from far and near at our home
and bid you enjoy the occasion to its
fullest" After the saying of grace by
Rev. J. S. Decker, of the Kirkville M
Z. church, the company set to. And
what a feast OF good things ladened
the tables. And what appetites ev-
eryone had. 1t must have made the
good housewives who prepared the
meal feel glad TO see with what relish
the viands were consumed. About
tOrty-fiVe were seated at the second
table.
After dinner the seats in the tent
were removed to the east of the house
where the program was given and the
business meeting held. President M
H. Picken presided and the first num-
. Der on the program was a recitation
by Miss lneZ PiCken who spoke The
Drummer Boy" in a most commend
able manner. She was followed by
Miss Hazel Ross who gave an original
poem, entitled The Picken Reunion"
which was splendid and elected a gen.
erous encore. Miss Stella Warner,
daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. Jasper War.
ner, of Cedar who graduated this year
from the school for the deaf and dumb
at Council Bluffs, gave her graduating
piece, "Bingen On the Rhine" in the
sign language. 1t was a revelation to
all who witnessed 1t, and showed the
grace and beauty of gestures acquired
at this institution. Miss Bessie Rubel
The Dentist" which was thoroughly
appreciated.
1t so happened that at this reunion
there were present three Method
ministers and each one was called up
on to talk. Rev. J. S. Decker, OF Kirk
vile, said that he had heard OF the
hardy and prolific family of Pickens,
but this was his first meeting with
them and he was glad of the occasion
to be one of them for the day. He re-
lated several anecdotes that kept his
hearers in jolly mood and wound up
by saying that he thinks these re-un-
ions are a grand thing and that every
family should encourage the idea.
However he is not a believer in an
cestral worship but the spirit of the
ancestors should goad on the descend
ants to better efforts. His advice to
these reunions.
Rev. c. E. Goggeshall, of Eldon, Ia,
made most pleasing talk. He said
hat it was a great pleasure for him
20 be present and renew old acquaint.
ances and make new ones. He had
enjoyed the meeting, but with all the
pleasures about, tinge of lonesome
less surrounded him, when he knew
hat no reunion could ever be held in
rs own family. He said this meeting
ogether of relatives of family was
sreat privilege, a franchise enjoyed by
nly q few in the great human family.
rhe tie that binds this great family
aud brings them together every year
is the richness of blessing to its pos
;erity.
Rev. George Filmer, of Fremont,
vas next called upon and after tell
ing few stories and apologizing for
partaking of so much spring chicken,
he said that while we were not Pick.
ems, yet we were all brothers in hui
manity He inquired If you had ever
thought of the number of your ances.
tors You have two parents, four
grandparents, eight great grandpar-
ents, sixteen great great grandpar-
ents and so on back few more gen.