Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-09-09
Sketch of the Rock Island County Ola Seftlors

ship; Samuel Wainwright. Hamp-
ton township; ]. H Lyfcrd. Port
Byron township; Charles litter
ington. Edgingfon township. n
Belcher. Port Byron township.
Joseph Askew, Port Byron town
ship.
The First Officers.
The election Of officers, under
the constitution, being in order. on
motion, Or. ?. Gregg was unani-
mously elected president. John
kistler first vice president: n.
Belcher, second vice president;
Jacob Norris. third vice president;
Timothy Dutton, fourth vice pres
Ident; DR. J. r Lyford, fifth vice
president; George Mixter, treas
urer; A K. PhtIleo. secretary.
Agreeable 10 the provisions of
the constitution the president ap-
pointed the following gentlemen
an executive committee. 70 pre-
pare for and take charge Of tho
opening festival of the associa-
ton, TO be held on the 22d day Of
February next of which due no.
tice will be given. David HAYES.
William Bell Joseph Johnston
Frazer Wilson, A T Cutler
John H. Eby, Charles Tittering-
ton and R. I. Harvey were ap-
pointed committee to procure an
orator for the festival
On motion. the members present
were earnestly requested to 10
what they can 10 procure the
names of members. and all who
were prevented by the very in
element weather. from attending
this meeting are earnestly and
cordially invited to send in their
names to the secretary or treas
urer, at once, that due prepare
ton may be made for a pleasant.
grand, s0ul-stirring reunion, of old
settlers Of Rock Island county.
Resolved, That the city papers
be requested to publish the pro
ceedings of this meeting in full
with constitution and bylaws.
P. GREGG, President
A " PHILLEO, Secretary.
The First Festival
The first annual festival was held ar
Ba bcock's hall, over what is now 1904
Second avenue. Feb. .. 1856 tbess
was a reunion and banquet. both being
largely attended from all over the
county.
Again the files of The Argus are
quoted to show what was done at that
gathering,
In accordance with arrange
ments previously made. notices of
which have been published in this
paper. the first annual festival Of
the Old Settlers Association of
Rock Island County was held in
Babc0Ck's hall on THURSDAY Feb
p, 1855. The day was mild. the
road toIerabIy good, and there was
an excellent delegation from ali
parts of the county. 1t was
meeting worthy the fathers and
mothers who had the good sense
to choose this county for their
permanent homes-who, dating
from 20 years residence. or more,
retaining this goodly land from
the savage. and led the way to a
population Of now over $4,000 in
county unsurpassed by any in the
west for its variety of soil. min
erals, watarpower, and undevelop-
ed wealth. and which. at no dis
-rauJ dav. is to he named among the
very first in the west They met
10 have a good visit, to renew old
acquaintance, to revive pleasant
memories of other days. and talk
over scenes of early times. OF more
interest to them than any in all
their lives-to have a good time.
and they had it,
Shortly after noon. the splen-
did Lead Mine Silver band, com
menced playing stirring airs from
the balcony Of BabcoCk's hall, and
the people from town and country
began to assemble. Between ,
and 3 o'clock the people were
called to order by DR.. Gregg. pres
ident of the society who said:
ladies and Gentlemen
with mere lip service. not with
cold, impassionate words, but
with q heartiness of feeling. defy
ing adequate expression, do I con-
graduate you that the Old Set
tiers association of Rock Island
county, is fixed fact.
For some years past the or
ganization of such a society has
been frequently and generally
spoken Of But nobody took the
initiative; there was no concert
Of action, until recently few
energetic men from the county. in
attendance on court, set the ball
in motion and We have today the
pleasing results of their Iabors,
I'm the early settlement Of this
county, society though sparce and
widely scattered, was compact in
intercourse. Everybody knew
everybody, and there existed a
fraternal feeling rarely to be met
with in mere densely populated
communities Soon the wave Of
emigration. guided by the star Of
Empire. rolled westward, wedging
in between the old pioneers. and
diverging them more and more,
until they seldom met, and when
rbpxr did IL u-a . a = rnrchaugp a