The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1911-09-07
PIONEERS ENJOY DAY
Reunion of Old Settlers Addressed
by LATE Young of Des Moines.

the y0utn1ul appearances Oh tHcSe
who have been in the county 45 years
or more, and the excellence of the
speech delivered by Hon. Lafayette
Young of Des Moines. The most re.
markable feature developed was that
Mahaska county has mother who has
borne seventeen children, seven sons
and ten daughters. The youngest is
16 and the Oldest 40. The mother is
Mrs. John Wiser, of Beacon, and she
is in fine health. The next largest
family reported was that of Mrs. Lou
lisa A. Ferguson, of New Sharon, with
five sons and eight daughters,
Owing to the embargo on the use OF
the park for public gatherings OF all
kinds, the court house was used for
the morning session and the opera
house for the afternoon. Both audi
forums were filled, and all enjoyed
the program and the occasion. Major
John F. Lacey, president of the Ma
haska County Association, served as
chairman of the day, and ofticiated in
his happy and graceful manner. He
made a brief address in the afternoon
that was full of narrative and most
interesting. Two most enjoyable
numbers not down on the regular pro.
gram were rendered by Miss Louise
Llewelling and Mrs. w. A. McNeill.
Miss Llewelling sang most beautifully,
The Song of Iowa" by Major S. H.
Nj. Byers. She was accompanied on
the piano by Mrs. Mcneil. AS an en-
core, Mrs Mcneil played and whistled
melody in a charming way. Both
numbers were heartily enjoyed by the
large audience. Miss Rose Johnson,
the talented daughter of Mr.. and Mrs.
Wilbur johnson, gave an excellent
reading that won a place for her in
the good graces of the assembly. Mrs.
Virginia Knight Logan never appeared
to better advantage than she did in
the opening solo of the afternoon.
America" was sung by the audience
and it was inspiring to all,
The Address of the Day.
Late Young, who has lived in Iowa
all his life, and who is thoroughly in
love with every Iowa field and insti
tuition, made a most appropriate ad
dress. In opening he recalled that
Governor Llewelling, father of the
young lady who had just sung The
Song of Iowa." was the founder of
the paper which Mr.. Young now edits,
The Des Moines Capital. He also
paid high compliment to the author
of the lines, Major Byers, a former
resident of Oskaloosa.
Mr. Young said he was always glad
to attend an old settlers reunion, as
there are no days like the old days,
no songs like the old songs, and no
friends like the old friends. He said
he always envied the pioneer who
helped lay out the villages, and desig-
mated the corners where the town
pump should be located. the court
house established, and other public
institutions erected.
Mr. Young is the soul of the optim-
list and believes as he breaches, that
the times are now no worse than they
have always been. There are no
more rascals or hypocrites now than
there were in the time of John Adams,
when that early statesman wrote his
wife that he was ashamed of the
men and the crime of his time. The
world is as We look upon it. Cut out
the crouch and learn to be happy.
Misery is a habit,-and it grows fast.
He said he never goes out of the
state but that he hears of the loss in
population that Iowa has sustained.
His reply is that Iowa is the only
state in the Union whose people must
go away from home to spend their
money. There is nothing the matter
with Iowa, it is the people who do not
| the money made in Iowa were spent
here there would be palace on every
40 acres. A short time since he says
press dispatches from California an
nounced with great emphasis that a
! $25, 900 shipment of oranges had been
made from that state to Iowa But
| he says the Associated Press fails to
record that every day Iowa sends one
million dollars worth of hogs to Chi
cage.
Mr.. Young paid glowing tributes to
the pioneers of Iowa, especially the
early mothers. and talked in a happy
vein throughout.
officers Are Reelected.
By unanimous vote the old officers
| of the association were reelected
They are as follows:
President, Jno. F, Lacey.
Vice-President, NJ. NJ. Prime.
Secretary, g. w. Shockley.
Treasurer, F. T. Nash.
Executive Committee-W. S. Ken.
worthy, o. II. Vance, G. w. Shockley.
NJ. NJ. Prime, MILFORD Hull, A. J. Lyle.
Township Vice.Presidents.
Garfield-Joseph Boyd.
Lincoln-Lon Hellings.
Adams-Wm. Natter.
Prairie-John Champion.
Richland-W. T. Wehrle.
Madison-Charles Whitmore.
Black Oak-L. S. Walker.
Spring Creek-Mark Beach.
Cedar-M. b. Lee.
East Des Moines-W. II. Downing.
West Des Moines-P ] Tharn