The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-06-14
Pioneer Settlers Gather at Old
Mapleton For Outing.
>MANkAT0 PEOPLE PRESENT
Judge, lorin Cray and Attorney Thomas
Hughes. Among Those Who Spoke;
Were Pleasing Events.
From Wednesdays Daily.

Weather, roads, grounds and at
tendance were all that could be de-
sired for the old settlers picnic held
in Judd Cornells grove yesterday
This organization was originally
rather local affair. and the char
ter members were residents of what
is now known as "Old Mapleton.'
Until a few years ago the member
ship of the association was limited
to those residents of the county who
came here before 1865, but within
the last few years that rule has been
changed because of the death of SO
many of the older settlers, and now
all people who have been here since
1875 are eligible to membership.
MapIeton Gives Support.
The village of Mapleton showed
it's strong support of the old set
tiers yesterday by having all their
business houses closed, and many of
the automobile owners carried pas
sengers from town to the picnic
grounds.
Yesterdays Free Press gave the
program which was carried out in
the morning, and i'm the afternoon
several pleasant and enjoyable num-
bers were given. The address of
l.. B. Wickersham was greatly ap-
preciated. The Mapleton cornet band
gave a selection at the opening of
the program and it was followed by
a song by the Woods quartet The
quartet was very popular with the
crowd and was applauded warmly,
both in the morning and i'm the aft
ernoon.
A. ]. Ellis, who acted as chairman
of the meeting, read a letter from
Rev. A. z. Conrad of Boston. Rev.
Mr. Conrad was an early settler and
wrote i'm a very reminiscent strain
of his boyhood days spent on the
Maple river.
Remarks BY Judge Cray.
Judge Lorin Cray of Mankato was
then called upon for short talk.
He. too, spoke of the early days
and of the changes. Professor Evans,
who happened to be present, was re-
guested to sing, and did so very
we'll. He sang Absence" and when
Song Is Sweet" Both were par
ticularly appropriate for this occa-
sion. A letter from Eugene Hunt
of Vermont was read by Editor II.
C. Hotaling of The Mapleton Enter
prise. Mr.. Hunt referred to the ar
rival of his family in Blue Earth
county. He said they travelled a
distance of 2,4OO miles from their
home in the east in two prairie
schooners. They were warmly well
coined upon their arrival in Old Ma
pleton by relatives and others and
their horses were hailed with de-
light, for horses were very scarce at
that time.
Attorney Hughes Called On.
Attorney Thomas Hughes of Man
kato. who is member of the Ter
ritorial Old Settlers association of
this county, spoke very briefly and
told of how the townships OF the
county came to have the names
which they now have. Some of those
early settlers were very religious
people and decided to name the va
rious communities after the Land OF
Canaan, so Horeb, Zion, Jerusalem,
Bethel and those other townships
we're chistened. He closed his talk
by giving the people present an ur'
gent invitation to attend the Ter
ritorial Settlers picnic, which is to
be held at Sibley park on June 26.
The formal program of the after
noon was then brought to close
and the crowd gathered to see the
ball game between Good Thunder
and Mapleton. Some horse and
mule races were run on track
which had been fixed near the pic
mic grounds.
Old Settlers Enjoyed Visiting.
During the program the old set
tiers sometimes had a hard time to
keep from visiting with each other
The annual picnic is an occasion at
which all of the old people gather
and it is their day. Although many
Young people were present and the
voung men came with their best
girls. it was primarily an old folks
day.
The picnic dinners served at noon
would have been fit repasts for
kings. and there was not only quail
s. ity but quantity. No one could pos
sibly have gone hungry. Coffee was
served free of charge and those who
wished could get ice. cream, ham
burger sandwiches and fruit to eat
Numerous soft drink stands, cane
racks and the like. did business on
the ground, and 1t was good ole
fashioned time.
The following officers were elect
ed: President, William Wilde; vice
president, James Dobie; secretary
T. B. Taylor; treasurer. Oscar w
Healy; executive committee, judo
Cornell and H. G. Hotaling.
There was some discussion about
changing the dues from 81 to 5t
cents. but it was finally decided te
leave the fee at 81. At least twenty
five new members joined.