The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1922-08-31

The first annual reunion of tn
Payette River Pioneer Society
held in Dewey grove Sunday, brough
together for the first time in the his
tory of this valley the pioneer mel
and women who by their courage
foresight, persistence and industrious
ness laid the foundations for the splen
did development and advantage
which this section of Idaho enjoys
today. The event was happy one
Gray-haired men and women-th'
pioneers of the '60s-together witt
those who came in the '7Os, number
ing nearly $50 all told, met again fol-
the first time in more than quarter
of a century in many instances ane
talked over the experiences of those
early days-days that tried mems
souls and fused in the hot fires of ad
versity and trials and privations the
strongest bonds of friendships ane
devotion.
The comfort and pleasure of the
pioneers were splendidly provided for
Shortly after noon the attendants were
seated at long tables placed beneath
the trees and partook of a most Ella
borate picnic dinner. Following the
dinner, the crowd assembled in the
pavilion and enjoyed the two-hour
program. Frank Knox presided in
happy manner. Seated by his side on
the platform was Boise G. Riggs, Sr.,
the first child of the Emmett valley
colonists to be born here. America
was sung with zest and Mrs. Susan
Barrett offered a prayer.
Chairman Frank Knox then read the
following letter from Ex-Governor
James H. H. Hawley:
Dear Mr.. Church: 1t is with many
keen regrets that write that it will
be impossible to attend the Pioneer
Day Picnic at Dewey Grove tomorrow.
l believed until today that / would be
so far recovered from the severe cold
that has afflicted me since my late
trip to San Francisco, as to permit my
attendance. ~
One of the real pleasures of the last
few. Ye1S has been the occasional op-
portunity of meeting with my fellow
pioneers in the various sections Of
the state and with them recounting
the incidents of the early days.
The earlier pioneers, the men and
women of the "sixties" and the "seven-
ties; those who first made settle
ment in the various parts of Idaho,
built the trails, fought the Indians and
through the hardships always ex-
perienced in pioneer life built upon
solid foundation the future growth
and prosperity of our loved state, are
rapidly passing away; their ever thin
ing ranks are a constant reminder
that in few years they will be only a
remembrance While we are here, how
ever, as long as we remain on earth
and are permitted to engage in LIES
activities we should occasionally meet
and, through our recollections of the
earlier days, inform our fellow resi-
dents of the state of the stirring
events of Idaho's earlier days.
1t would be especially gratifying to
me, to participate in tomorrow's meet
ing, to talk over the old days with
those who assisted in Transforming
the apparently barren and worthless
plains, then constituting the Payette
Valley, into a series of fertile farms
and blooming orchards and gardens of
beauty. Not only would it be plea
sure to meet with and greet them,
but ! have a message that / wish to
ln1DdTI, dIlu WHICH, iOPO AZ viz AAS@
future to be able to present to them,
in reference to the duty we, the Pho
neers, owe to the future generations,
of putting our recollections Of past
events in such concrete form as will
enable our past experiences to be with |
in the knowledge and inure to the
benefit of those who come after US, |
hope this opportunity will soon pre-
sent itself because from my stand
point it is a matter of the utmost
kindly present to those present at
meeting my sincere re-
grets because unable to be with them,
and assure them whenever | hear OF
the oldtimers, of any section of Idaho,
meeting to discuss the good old days,
| am reminded of Kipling's lines
when bidding farewell to his old time
associates in India
"I have eaten your bread and salt;
have drunk your water and VINE,
The deaths ye died, l have watched
beside
And the lives ye led were mine"
Sincerely yours,
JAMES H. HAWLEH