The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-08-16
TIE OLD SETTLERS CLUB.

On Thursday, August Both, the Old
Settlers Club will hold it's annual pie
mic at Paddocks Lake. Old and young
10 the number Of thousands, will come
to the lake on that day to have part
in the yearly hand-shaking and real
cordiality that has made "Old Settler s
Day" a synonym of unalloyed pleasure
and friendly greeting. Very few, if
indeed any, Of the founders Of this
club are living today, and the work OF
keeping up the high standard OF the
club is fast devolving upon the young.
er settlers Of the county, many of
whom were but youngsters, SO to speak,
when the happy idea of forming such
club was made reality by the meet
ing at Wilmot Of group of twelve
men, headed by Joshua Wilbur and
ably assisted by H. S. Thorp, Ward
Benedict, Edwin Munson, j. W. Voak,
VIM. Faulkner, Arson Pierce, j. w.
Sabins, John Tpttle, Francis Bratt and
Z. H. Hapgood, who there laid the
foundation for the Old Settlers Club
when they agreed to secure site on
Fox Lake, Ill. and there erect a club
house for the uses Of the association.
The club at that time consisted of so
few members that all could easily find
place in the little steamer which
j. w. Voak owned and and ran be-
tween Wilmot and Fox Lake.
1t was in this way that most of the
members were taken to the little
grounds at Fox Lake. In 1881 the club
had so gained in membership that it
was impossible to convey all by steam
er to Fox Lake, and accordingly, upon
motion of Captain futile, the club
voted to hold all future picnics at some
central point in Kenosha county, J. v.
Quarles, j. M. Brown and James Bryant
being appointed, together with the Of
ficers of the club, to select such place.
This committee chose Bristol Station
as the next place Of meeting, and on
September l. 1881, basket picnic was
held under the shady boughs of the old
oaks where Fred Lavey's house now
stands at that time just north of the
little village. President Wilbur and
others responded to requests for speech
es, which the secretary's record says,
were listened to with marked attention
by all present.
The next meeting of the club was
held at Wilmot on June 8, 1882. The
records show that goodly number
were in attendance. Friendly greet
ings were exchanged and then the club
took up the business of disposing of its
Fox Lake property. On report of Geo
G. Kroncke it was agreed to advertise
the property for sale in the Chicago
papers. This was done and the
property purchased by Asa B. Pad
dock cf Antioch, I'll.
We next find the club holding its
little picnic on the banks of Hooker
Lake at Salem Station The club was
addressed at this meeting by the presi-
dent, S. Y. Brande, who in a few well
chosen words, spoke of the hardships
that had been braved by the pioneers
of Kenosha county, and asked all t.,
take new courage and inspiration from
the fellowship which the meetings of
the club afforded. After discussing
2 permanent site for the club grounds
the meeting adjourned.
In 1888 the club purchased three
acres Of ground at Paddock Lake
cleaned away the leaves, removed the
stumps and underbrush and fenced the
property in. On September 9th, 1888
the club met on its new grounds. AT
this meeting Col. Michael Frank was
the speaker of the day. He delivered
a historical address on the early settle
ment of the county, taking his hearers
back to the time when the Indians
made q camp on the same ground where
the Old Settlers were then meeting.
He told Of the first white settler to
reach Kenosha county; of the many
hardships the early settlers encounter
ed; how they slept under their wagons
by night while telling the timber that
was to form their little log cabin; how
they industriouslv worked to prepare
the soil that was to yield them bounti-
full returns for their labor.
Thereafter all meetings of the club
were held at Paddock IS Lake. At this
time the club was incorporated under
the laws of the state of Wisconsin,
with F. Robinson, Edward Jones, R. F.
Roberts, Ira P. Helms end Alexander
Bailey as incorporators. No review of
the Old Settlers Club, however, brief,
could be called complete without say
ing word about two old settlers who