The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-03-26
From Rev. w. H. Shipman.

/ will be 81 years old. How swiftly
the years fly. Next September %
years will have gone since was your
pastor
When we came to Leon in the fall
of 1888, we bought heating stove
of Sam Farquhar, who often sat in
pleasant weather in front of his store
smoking his pipe, a most familia :
face. l bought my wood that winter
of c. B. Powers, and the colored man,
Venable, cut it for us. Not long
since l visited brother Powers grave
here At his funeral 10 years ago,
l spoke, and at the grave we sang
"Shall We Gather at the River?" In
those days the colored man George
turned the printing press for the
Journal. He was giant in size,
hand.
Our boy Ray was four months old
when We reached Leon. Soon after
at a gathering at brother Penniwell's
he sat in Judge Harveys lap and
clasped his baby fingers in the hand
some beard the judge wore in those
days. Later he used to climb on the
gate post and sit there and say Wow
doc" to the passers by. This greatly
tickled old Cap Ellis when he passed
with his curious large shade rugged
like small umbrella on his soulders
to protect his head from the sun.
Ray used to sit at church on my right
on the front amen seat. The little
legs were too short to hang down and
very proud of his place, sat there
had to stick straight out. He was
alone and never misbehaved, brother
Penniwell used to say never batted
an eye" He used to stand up on the
seat when the congregation sang,
hold his hymn book and lead the sing
ing in his baby way. Not so his own
little one who not long since had to
be taken home by his mother while
his father was preaching and-well
taught to be good in church. then
brought back to practice the teaching.
A very distinct memory is of visit
out at l. P. Martins. We were all
sitting on the grass in the front yard.
and Ray is standing on the stump of
a cherry tree preaching to us very
earnestly. He began young enough
surely, he was then three years old.
In those days Uncle Johnny Pat
tersOn sat in his chair near the pull
pit. He always spoke in class meet
in prayer meeting. Uncle
greatest triumph was when
to Des Moines alone and
w supply of whips. He
bout it in prayermeeting,
I'd greatly over those who
he could not do it.
back of me as I write is
~ rHo1
de for me, the drafting square
"a triangle for which were brought
rom Des Moines by father Haldeman.
My introduction to the finest apple
that grows in Iowa, was this way.
+ Brother Waller came to my house
one day and handed me a very beau
tiful red apple. l buried my teeth
in it and asked him What sort Of
an apple is this?" He said THAT is
a Jonathan | had never heard the
name before. Soon after we reached
Leon brother Waller handed ME
$40 gold piece. He must have guess
ed our need. Money was scarce in
those days. l.. P. Sigler used to say,
"If you need any money come around
to the bank and get all you want"
Many, many times he helped us out
of hard places that way.
Our first summer there. that of
1884, was the anniversary Of the
Sunday school work, and we decorat-
ed the old church, burying the two
stoves under q mountain Of peonies.
Among the most active workers was
Mary Waring. When at Colorado
Springs nine years ago the coming
summer | stopped at house to en-
quire my way, and to my intense as
constituent Mary came to the door.
We had very pleasant visit but l
have not seen her since.
I had a Sunday school class of
which | was very proud. Among the
boys were George Hurst, Scott Robin
son, and his brother Frank. l have
visited Scott several times in his fine
store at Glenwood. My last visit
with George was summer before last.
/ was returning from Keokuk and he
got on I think at Centerville. He in
troduced me to Jerry Sullivan and we
had a fine visit. George was looking
then the perfect picture of manly
health I married George to the
sweet girl who became his wife,
Lizzie, DR.. Layton's sister. Now
both are gone.
Memories multiply but time is linn
tied. When I first came to Leon
brothers Sigler, Martin, Powers, Lind
sew Hurst. father and son, Waller,
McGrew, Robinson, Christie, Jenree,
To,iman. Clark, Harvey, Patterson,
Lewis, Ketcham, Charley Finley,
Hammer, were with others, among
8iiie most familiar faces at church and
on the streets. Uncle Billy Loving
and Uncle frankie Smith were there.
ETO Uncle Billy and his wife you owe
your beautiful church. Everybody
loved Uncle Billy, for he was the
finest specimen of the old Iowa stock,
4 generous, kindhearted, hospitable,
Their home was place l loved to
visit. It is fitting that the name Of
this faithful couple should be perma-
nently commemorated in your church.
The richest memories of my car
eer in Leon center about the revival
of the last winter, 1886. Brother