The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1911-09-07
JUDGE RANDALL AS SPEAKER
Judge of the Municipal Court Pays
Tribute to Work of Pioneer Resi-
dents and Prominent Pioneers Recall
Other Days.

GIem anu recalling surfing lHclCeHts
of the early history of the county, the
members Of the Old Settlers club of
Kenosha county gathered at Paddock Is
Lake Thursday for their annual reunion.
The weather man smiled on the reunion
this year and at noon a great crowd
Of people, representative of every part
of the county, had gathered for the
Eannual reunion. It was one of the
largest crowds in the history Of the
Old Settlers club and many of the peo-
pie on the ground prided themselves
on the fact that they had been resi-
dents of the county for fifty and even
sixty years. Prominent pioneers from
every town in the county were in at
tendance and many came hundreds of
miles to attend the annual event.
There was big delegation Of pioneers
from Racine county and many of the
early settlers Of Walworth county and
from Lake county, ILL.,, came over for
the day.
There waslthe usual program for the
grounds. In the afternoon the annual
ell up to reunions of the pioneers and
at noon there were hundreds Of bas-
ket dinners served all about the
grounds. This afternoon the annual
meeting was called to order by Presi-
dent Bradley Stocker and Judge Cliff
ford Il. Randall Of the municipal court
was the principal speaker Of the day
lie was not the only speaker as lead
ers among the early settlers made short
addresses during the afternoon. The
reunion closed with the annual ball
in the pavilion in the evening.
The address of Judge Randall was a
notable tribute to the pioneers of Wis
consin and Kenosha county. He said
in part:
An American historian has well
said; that the United States is a nation
of pioneers; that the Puritan and the
Cavalier who first landed and settled
the original thirteen colonies were pio-
neers; and that their descendants. ming
ling with other pioneers from polyglot
Europe, pushed westward into the then
unknown wilderness and laid the foun-
dations of new commonwealth.
These pioneers were men of hope and
expectation; of enterprise and energy
of brain and Drawn. Leaving the stern
and rugged hills of New England and
the uninviting lowlands of the Allan
tic Coast, cheese sturdy forerunners Of
new states pushed through the gate
ways of the Appalachian Mountains
and over the great Mississippi Valley
toward the setting sun, and swept away
the wilderness before them as grass
falls before the mower, leaving industry
and civilization in their progress; stud
ding the solitary lakes and rivers of
the middle west with marts and cities.
dotting the boundless prairie with hui
man habitations; penetrating every
green nook and fertile valley; and
climbing and occupying every fertile
ridge.
Because our country has been settled
by these sturdy pioneers. whoever
came every obstacle, it has more en-
ergy and more enterprise than any
other country on the earth.
In the events of the state IS history.
the pioneers of Kenosha county have
ever taken a noteworthy part You,
to whom | am speaking, are for the
main part the descendants of these
stout hearted pioneers. It is well that
one day of the year should be setoaside
for the renewal Of old friendships and
for the recounting of the deeds Of the
old settlers. We are too apt to be
occupied with the affairs and prob
LENS of our everyday life and to for
get those of other days and what they
did for us.
Although struggling explorers and
wandering fur traders had padded
their bark canoes along the shores of
Lake Michigan, or followed the num-
erous Indian trails across what is now
Kenosha county, no settlement of any
Importance was made. in the county.
barring a few scattering settlers, until
a colony was planted at Pike Creek.
later called Southport and now Keno
sha.
To their everlasting glory, these pio-
neers were in the main religious. and
as soon as the settler had constructed
his rude long hut, places for worship
were provided and The little congrega-
tions were preached to by travelling
priests and itinerant preachers. Later.
as the number of settlers increased
regular services were held and Sunday
was in reality day of rest and wor-
ship.
As rule, the frugal pioneer was
temperate and much agitation and dis
cussion took place among the early set
tiers concerning total abstinence and