Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-11-26
0TTAWAN
RECALLS HISTORIC
INTERESTS Of CITY
MEMORIES OF EARLY SETTLERS
BROUGHT TO MIND IN A VERY
INTERESTING LETTER FROM E.
3. JEWETT OF WICHITA, KAN.

ceiyed by Mrs. Charles f. Hook, treas
urer for the centennial memorial
committee, from f. b. Jewett, a
former we'll known Ottawa boy who
left this city many years ago MIR
.Jewett sent a contribution for the
erection of the colonnade in memory
OF the pioneer Ottawa residents.
Mr., Jewett is now secretary and
treasurer of the Farmers and Bankers
Life Insurance Company, with head
quarters at Wichita, Kan.
Wichita, Kan, Nov. 90. 1918.
Mrs Charles f. Hook, treasurer Hi
nois Centennial Commission, Ot
tawa branch.
My Dear Madam:
am in receipt of letter from Miss
Lelah B. Lincoln notifying me of the
branch OF the Illinois Centennial Com
mission and | am inclosing vCu a
money order for the sum Of SO. which
is not large contribution, | admit,
but Wichita folks have been subjected
TO the same solicitations for contribu.
tions during this war as has been pre-
sented, know. to the Ottawa people.
think that my fathers name, Will
liam Todd Jewett, perhaps would be
fairly entitled to place on the parch-
ment He moved with his family to
Ottawa, H.. think, in 1854 and lived
| i'll the vicinity of Ottawa until the
close of the civil war when he moved
into central Illinois, and then to Kan.
sas in 1870. My grandfather and
grandmother are resting in the old
! South Ottawa cemetery The farm
which my father first purchased is
Just east of the cemetery perhaps a
quarter of mile, and was afterwa rd
owned by a man by the name Of Jor
dan Tom Jordan lived on it. think
he went into the army during the civil
war The second farm my father
owned was in Fall River township.
studied law in Ottawa in 1870 and
! 1871 in the Offices of Dickey. Bowie
/ q Nicholson. | recognize many name!
Of persons on your committee. As a
| boy 10 years of age in the old public
square at Ottawa | heard Lincoln and
| Douglas open their great debate now
classical in the history of this coun
try | remember very distinctly many
of the instances of that day and useC
to recte them when | could get some
fellow in room where he could no
get out. This letter will indicate. per
haps, that am little prolix. but
afterWard proved to my own satisfac
tion, in reading the history OF Lincoln
by Miss Tarbell, that my memory
was correct about the instances
! remember very well a gentleman
by the name of Hook who, think, a
one time was clerk of the Circu
Court of Ottawa and who at one tim,
visited Wichita. | know Ben Lincoln
attorney at law and Mr.. Brewer II,
and l. by the way, were great chum!
at the time | was studying law. Really
| remember the names of perhaps
majority of those who are on the com
mittee. OF course. / take it 70
'granted that these are of another gen
GRAFTON. | notice the name of Susi
Manley Jordan and | wonder if sh
is related to the Jordan to whom
referred in the first part of this lette
Of course everybody who has had an
! connection with Ottawa in the las
! seventy-tive years perhaps knows {
the Lelands, the Strawns the Eiche
, bergers, the Reynolds, the Trumbo
and the Ebersoles. take il from til
paper sent me by Lelah B. Lincol
That she is the daughter of Ben Lii
coin. | wish you would kindly te
Q Miss Lincoln that you have receive
d this letter and also thank Mrs. Coo
It for me- for her thoughtfulness in su
'. gesting that my attention be call,
to this memorial work
would take 1t very kindly, indee
If when you dedicate this memori
you would send me a notice, as
would like very much to be prese
If circumstances at that time wou
permit of it, and 1t would take son
circumstances to keep me ava
Memories which come galloping dov
n to the front as think old Ottawa
VI fore and during the civil war and I
A boyhood days on the farm adjoini
4 it almost, and of the time lived
4 South Ottawa for time, and then
later years when | taught school I
one winter ont In the Dunalyey neil
borhood, north of Ottawa. of Hen
Boyle. Judge Dickey and the scene
Witnessed as boy in the old cou
house square, all urge me to ma