Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1916-06-08
Reel Family Reunion.

nlsccnt talks by pioneer settlers
of Harrison county and an ah!c
address by 4. II. Sniff, editor of
the Missouri Valley News, were
attractive features of the tenth
annual reunion of the descend
ants Of Mr.. and Mrs. Henry Reel
at the home of Mrs. Lydia Reel
Brayton at Logan Wednesday,
May 81.
The forenoon was spent in a
social manner and promptly at
noon Il four course dinner was
served to the invited guests, after
which NJ. w Wilson made the ad-
dress of welcome in his usual
happy manner. Grandma" Err
win gave an interesting talk on
thc winter of sc and 81, with
special reference TO the deep snow
and the hardships TO which the
early settlers were subjected be-
cause of lack of public improve
mcnts and other comforts of life
enjoyed by the present genera
ton. Mrs. Ellen Arthur told of
teaching the first school in St.
John town. at which time and
place the Jones. Tamisieas, Nc
GaSerns and Copclands were
among her pupils and though the
school house was not furnace
heated and though the pupils did
not come to the school in car
riages or automobiles. as they
sometimes come to school now.
yet the pupils studied hard and
made creditable progress in the
branches used daily in the bust
ness transactions of life.
Elias Ownes named the pion-
Ger settlers ia different sections
of the county and in a humorous
manner told of the social gath
erings and the mode of travel to
and from places of destination.
Mrs. Lydia Reel Brayton spoke OF
several incidents in the pioneer
days and added much tn the in
terest of the reunion. She was
followed by JOseeh Frazier and
NJ. Meats on matters relating to
the past and to the success of
future reunions.
A. H. Sniff of the Harrison
County News was then introduced
by the presiding officer and per
haps for three quarters Of an hour
held the attention of those pres
ent in his description OF condi-
lions confronting the early set
tiers of western Iowa in general
and Harrison county in partic
ular.
He told Of the unfaltering cour-
age of the early settlers in brav-
ing the dangers incident to pion-
eer life and meeting the difficult
ties that daily confronted them,
and thn rnsnurccfulncss of tho
pioneer men and women in over
coming and surrounding obstar
los unknown to the present gem
GRAFTON. With no markets short
OF Council Bluffs, no Lincoln
highway, with a maximum grade
OF 45 per cent. no bridges, no rail
roads. No telephones. no rural
mail carriers with newspapers at
the farm home before the ink was
dry no traction engine in the
neid, NO vapor or range stove in
The house. no residence lighted
"lt:. GASOLINE or acetylene plants,
nc 'o''tors near. no consolidated
ovhrn's; and cenveyances. hut one
vide, bleak, desolatc prairie across.
1'i',' raved packs Of wolves and
':t',,|- ~ Indians, and through the
: - y: days and nights of win
'er IN" .'nows were blown ant'
dil;te'; high and deep; yet. re-
2dtth"ss of all these hardships.
and difficulties no task was too
.feat. no journey too tong, and
20 day or night too dark or cold
- prevent pioneer giving as
,lstance to his neighbors in the
of misfortune, and that
Fhese remaining pioneer settlers
may now from the hill tops look
across the lands, once bleak
md houselcss prairie. now dot
Fed with beautiful farm houses
surrounded with groves and or
hards; aye, look down into the
valleys and view the once for
nlMahle streams now hridgcd
With steel and stone. and view
With calm serenity of a conqnercr
for they and other pioneer settlers
who began the hattie for the SUI
prmacy here more than half
century ago, like Henry Clay and
Abraham Lincoln, heard the tread
and prepared this country for
'oming legions.
Prominent and influential
among the settlers OF Harrison
county were Mr.. and Mrs. Henry
Reel. They came here from In
LLAMA III the early tifties and be-
cam" the owners of the land on
which the town of Logan has c;nco
been built. Henry Reel fcllcd
trees and with AK and saw, square
and lhiSnl nrnafod