The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-08-24

iIy reunions ever held in the State
was celebrated at the farm of II. l..
Shuford. nine miles west OF Newton
Saturday. August IA, when the de-
s~crndants of the pioneer. John Shu-
ford, met in annual session.
For weeks the steering committee.
headed by Mrs. f.. l.. Shuford. of
Hickory, had been planning for a
reCord-br"aking crowd and when the
morning daWned clear their antici-
pations began speedily to be realized.
A splendid program had been ar
ranged and the gathering was 10 be
held at one of the most talked OF,
places in rural North Carolina, or per-
haps the South-Lakeview Farm
which facts together with the beauti-
ful day and the natural instinct of the
relatives to get together and talk over
their common interests. were quite
enough to make the occasion all that
could he desired by it's promoters. By
$50 in the morning all the roads lead
ing toward the appointed place were
thronged with automobiles, carriages,
horseback riders and people or foot.
From Hickory, IincointOn, Newton,
Maiden. and dozens of smaller towns,
as we'll as from the many prosperous
farms of the South Fork. the multi
tude gathered. until by 10 o'clock
the hour appointed for the exercises
thousand of the family on the
grounds.
The meeting was called to order by
Mr.. W. a. Self, of Hickory. Follow
ing his Introductory remarks. DR..
Jos. l.. Murphy. of Hickory. offered
the invocation The first number on
the program was the national song,
"Amcrica." which the ShufOrds sang
with such a ZeSt that even a strange
could not mistake their genuine pa
triotism. Rev. julius Shuford. of Lee
noir. the author of the family his
tory which recently came from the
press followed the song with al &C
count of the emigration of the piO-
neer, John ShufOrd. and his location
in North Carolina in the early eigh-
teenth century. He showed that the
motive back Of the migration was tC
find IA home of freedom il. the new
world where, removed from the re
straints of the Old World, he Nigh
lay the foundations of a strong, fire.
and liberty-loving people.
Family History Told.
Owing to the limited time at tn
society's disposal it was thought bes
to attempt but a partial review of tn
history of the family at one session
Accordingly two sons of John Shu
nished the topic for the mOrnin
hour. Hon. A. G. Shuford, formerl
Congressman from his district, SpOk
of David. his grandfather, and Judg
George Shuford, of Asheville, told c
his grandfather, George. Bot
speeches showed careful preparation
and cast much credit upon descend
ants as we'll as ancestors. Mr.. A.
Shuford told of the work of Davi
Shuford as a membe of the Sta
Senate from 1906 to 1920 and Judg
Shuford spoke of his ~grandfathe
George as the kindly slave owne
the sOlicitous father and gr~andfathe
the great peace-maker and peace
preserver among his neighbors j
Buncombe county.
Mr.. Joe Nixon, of LincOlnton, WI
here called upon to read the last w
and testament of the pioneer, job
Shuford, which bore the date
1888, and at the conclusion Mr.. MI
on presented to each of the descent
ants a certified copy of the will
prepared by his father. Hon. A. Nj
on. of Lincoln county. AdjOurnme
for dinner was then declared in o
der and the family repaired to II
LONG table in the grove where a bouI
teous feast was served.
Fluctuations of Friends
After an hour of recreation the s
ciety reassembled for a series
short addresses, most of which we
in the form of Fluctuations fro
friends who were not directly relat
to the family. Among those parti'
pating in this feature of the eXercis
were Col. c.. NJ. Yoder, of Cataw
county, Solicitor George Wilson,
Gastonia. G. f. Mcintosh, of Raleie
and b. b. Blackwelder, of Hicko1
All of these speakers dwelled on l
characteristics of the Shuford lam
for upright living, Solicitor Wills
declaring that in all his experience
had never had to prosecute a ShufC
for breaking the laws of his State
AS a concluding number there W.
short toasts given by several of I
younger members of the fam
among them being f. L., j. II. and
j. Shuford, all Of Hickory. 1t is
d-isparagement of the other speecl
to say that the wireless mesSas
which w. j. wat claimed to hf