OLD SETTLERS MEETING
August 19th, 1914
Transcribed from the Steuben Republican Newspaper
Submitted by: Sean Walker
swalker65@yahoo.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Old Settlers' Day Observed by a Large Gathering in Angola Last
Thursday.
The annual celebration of Old Settlers' day brought to Angola
last Thursday a large crowd of people from all over this and
adjoining counties. The day opened with fair weather, with
rains threatening at noon, followed shortly after noon with wind and
rain, and the attendance in the afternoon was probably on that
account not up to the usual crowd, although it was quite
satisfactory.
The old settlers' program proper was given in the forenoon in
the Methodist church, with President Frank L. Adams presiding.
An "Old Folks' Choir," consisting of Prof. A. G. Harshman, Ralph
Brown, Misses Mildred Bailey and Lois Castell, furnished a number of
musical selections of old time songs, during the morning program and
at various times throughout the day. Their selections were
well sung and were appreciated by all. Prof. W. O. Bailey
offered prayer at the morning program, Rev. Nickerson being
absent. W. K. Sheffer, the secretary, read the necrology list,
which is published herewith. Prof. R. V. Carlin then gave a
reminiscent talk on Steuben county and its pioneer schools. He
said that he came to this county when he was six years old, and
later taught school in the county for sixty years, his last work
being superintendent of the county schools. When he came here
Metz had three houses, and there were but three houses between Metz
and Angola. The country abounded in game, deer and turkey,
which furnished the meat for the old settlers. There
frequently passed by the covered caravan of the homeseeker further
west. He said that many of his first scholars had passed out
of his acquaintance, but he often saw them again in their
grandchildren, whom he recognized.
Sol Cox said he remembered the early schools of Richland township,
especially because he learned to spell "beach" in a forcible lesson
from the teacher.
John Dygert, of Scott township, said he was not really a
pioneer, but was a "second edition," having come with his parents in
1838 from Monroe county, New York. They were a month on the
road, and arrived here in October, stopping in a log house nine
miles away from his present home. When they built their own
home the neighbors helped them, and they put the roof on in one
day. They went with ox team to Adrian for a market, receiving
60 cents a bushel for their wheat, in wild cat money, which was
money in the morning and was not worth much at night. When he
was about 20 years of age he contracted with a man in Jamestown
township to carry the mail from Lima to a point 200 miles distant in
Ohio, taking seven days to make the trip, for which he received the
princely salary of $7 per month, and every day was required and long
into the nights. The best wages he ever got for farm work was
$12 per month. Mr. Dygert contrasted the former days with the
present, comparing the sickle with the harvesting machines of
today, the flail with the threshing machine. Then the whole
family went to church behind the ox team, now the surrey or
automobile is used, and people at there before the pioneers got
started. He attended school in the Powers' settlement, and
only three of his schoolmates remain. Mr. Dygert is a well
preserved old man, and said his good health was due to his good
behavior and his observance of the laws of nature.
President Adams interspersed the program with a couple of
recitations which pleased the audience. Owing to the lateness
of the hour, the balance of the program was postponed to the
afternoon, after a song by the Indian company, two families of
Ottawa and Pottawatomie Indians from Northern Michigan. They
sang "My Country, 'tis of The," and carried the tune in splendid
manner. The song, was especially effective when it was
considered that the red man formerly possessed all this territory.
At the election of officers, President Adams was urged to hold
the position another year, but he emphatically refused to do so, and
a nominating committee was appointed to report at the afternoon
meeting.
At noon coffee was furnished free to the crowd by the
Association. After dinner the Great Calvert gave a fine
exhibition of high wire walking between the Masonic hall and Concert
hall, doing stunts which have never been equalled here. He
repeated the performance in the evening to the amazement of all.
The afternoon program at court house park was carried out with
some exceptions, and was somewhat broken into by the fact that
Senator Beveridge, the chief speaker, missed his railway connection
and was obliged to drive to Angola from Fort Wayne in an
automobile. The committee on nominations reported the
following officers for next year, which report was adopted:
For president -- Clyde C. Carlin.
For vice-presidents -- A. J. Collins, Shirley Gilbert, Seth
Avery and Ray Teegardin.
For secretary -- W. K. Sheffer.
For entertainment committee -- Chas. Elya, F. E. Jackson, Joe
Brokaw, L. C. Stiefel and Robt. Patterson.
The old folks' choir, Prof. Chas. Shank and President Adams,
entertained the audience until the arrival of Senator Beveridge.
One of the features introduced was a display of twelve
different costumes of the past century, young ladies being dressed
in garments that had been worn in days gone by, the oldest being
over 100 years old, and being the property of Mrs. Chas. Harman,
having been given her by an aunt. This unique display was
under the direction of Mrs. Fred E. Frisbie.
Senator Beveridge expressed his gratification at being
permitted to pay tribute to the old settlers of Steuben
county. He recounted the hardships of pioneer days, in which
he said the foundations of our present day prosperity and happiness
were laid in disease and in death. He said he knew of one
graveyard filled with pioneers cut down in the prime of life by the
ague and fever of the unbroken forests. After the pioneer came
the soldier who too laid down his life that the nation which they
founded might endure. We then of this generation, if we are to
appreciate the sacrifice of the pioneer and the soldier, owe it to
them to give our best energies and our best thoughts toward
the things which will make the nation endure. No man should
let partisan blindness keep him from doing and supporting those
things which he believed to be for the best interests of the
county. The old settler was patriotic with a patriotism we
today might call fanaticism. The harder their work upon the
soil, the deeper grew their love and reverence for the flag.
The homely virtues of truthfulness, honesty, and reverence for God's
words were given first place in their lives. They did their
work without complaint, and went to their graves without fear or
regret. Therefore, let it be with grateful hearts that we
today pledge our honor that we may be worthy of the sacrifices of
the old settlers, and strive to do in our day the work God has given
us to do, as well as the old settlers did the work he gave them to
do in their day.
Senator Beveridge returned at once to Ft. Wayne after his
speech. He begins to show somewhat the march of time, in
grayer and thinner hair, and heavier features than when he came here
a few years ago to plead the cause of the republican party.
The band concerts in the evening, and splendid display of fire
works under direction of Chas. DeLancey and Isaac Bell, closed a
very busy day.
OLD SETTLERS' DEATH ROLL
Amanda Elizabeth Blass, widow of Charles Blass; born in
Colecville, N. Y., in 1834; came to Steuben county in 1844; died
Aug. 8, 1913, aged 79 years.
Mrs Ransom Niles; born in Onondaga county, N. Y., Sept. 27,
1833; came to Steuben county in 1837; died Aug. 3, 1913, aged 79
years.
Anna Metzgar, widow of Levi Doudt; born in Seneca county,
Ohio, March 8, 1835; came to Steuben county about 1855; died near
Flint, Aug. 5, 1913, aged 78 years.
William Stuttler, born in Seneca county, Ohio, Nov. 20, 1844;
came to Steuben county in 1851; died August 22, 1913, aged 69 years.
Alexander Halstead, born in Ashtabula county, Ohio, Sept. 13,
1853; came to Steuben county in 1857; died Sept. 6, 1913, aged 60
years.
Mrs. Caroline Parker, born in New York state, March 8, 1838;
came to Steuben county in 1839; died Aug. 20, 1913, aged 75 years.
Messach H. Nolan, born in Wayne county, Ohio, Jan. 2, 1833;
came to Steuben county in 1839; found dead at Chattanooga, Tenn.,
Sept. 15th, 1913, aged 80 years.
Eliza J. Z. Hilton, born in Richland county, Ohio, Jan. 19,
1834; came to Steuben county in 1852; died Sept. 23, 1913, aged 79
years.
Chester S. Harper, born in Orland, May 31, 1853; died Sept.
22, 1913; aged 60 years.
W. H. Scoville, born in DeKalb county, Ind., May 10, 1840;
died Sept. 18, 1913, aged 73 years.
Andrew S. Sowles, born in Loraine county, Ohio, June 13, 1827;
died Oct. 7, 1913, aged 86 years. 72
Mrs. Lucinda C. Kirk, born in Delaware county, Ohio, Sept. 14,
1824; came to Steuben county in 1854; died Nov. 1, 1913, aged 89
years.
Emma R. Powers, wife of Hamilton Keep, born in Steuben county,
July 31, 1852; died at Lon Angeles, Calif., Oct. 30, 1913, aged 61
years.
Arthur Webb, born in Shropshire, England, Nov. 30, 1829; died
Nov. 12, 1913, aged 84 years.
Adolphus T. Swift, born in Steuben county, Aug. 2, 1837; died
in Angola, Nov. 19, 1913, aged 76 years.
Mrs. Sarah Landis; born in Columbiana county, Ohio, May 28th,
1839; died Nov. 30, 1913, aged 83 years.
Franklin Shaffstall, born near Bucyrus, Ohio, Dec. 23, 1842;
died at his home near Salem Center, Dec. 5, 1913; aged 71 years.
Caroline Emily Dodge; born in Ashland county, O., Aug. 30,
1841; died Dec. 7, 1913, aged 72 years.
Albert Smith, born in Steuben county in 1848; died at his home
in Sault Ste Marie, Mich., Dec. 21st, 1913, aged 65 years.
Lewis I. C. Young, born near Fremont, Ohio, May 6, 1837; died
in Kalamazoo, Mich., Jan. 10, 1914, aged 76 years.
Delia Rice, wife of Judge Emmet A. Bratton, born in Angola,
Jan. 29, 1862; died Jan. 26, 1914, aged 52 years.
Henry H. West; born in Knox county, Ohio, June 10, 1838; died
in Angola, Jan. 28, 1914, aged 75 years.
Dora Conklin; born in Steuben county, June 5, 1846; died in
Fort Wayne, Jan. 23, 1914, aged 57 years.
Parmelia R. Rathbun; born in Cayuga, county, New York, in May,
1830; died Jan. 28, 1914, aged 83 years.
Rebecca Truxal, wife of Joseph Smith, born in Mercer county,
Penn., Aug. 10, 1838; died Feb. 1, 1914, aged 75 years.
Mary C. Anderson, born in Steuben county, Oct. 27, 1841; died
Jan. 20, 1914, aged 72 years.
Mrs. Catherine Mills, born in Chenango county, New York, June
22d, 1830; came to Steuben county in 1846; died Jan. 30, 1914, aged
83 years.
Joseph Stafford, born in Connecticut, Jan. 28, 1829; died Feb.
12, 1914, aged 85 years.
Benjamin Sylbey, born in LaGrange county, Sept. 26, 1834; died
Feb. 25, 1914, aged 79 years.
John Miller, born Aug. 15, 1846; died near Pleasant Lake, Feb.
28, 1914, aged 67 years.
Martha J. Metz, wife of Murray Claypool, born in Morrow
county, O., Feb. 8, 1861; died near Colon Mich., Feb. 25, 1914, aged
53 years.
Romina McCool, wife of Albert Highland, born in Steuben
county, Jan. 19, 1853; died near Pleasant Lake, March 21, 1914, aged
61 years.
Eugenia Carter, wife of Carmony J. Closson, born Jan. 13,
1857; died Mar. 18, 1914, aged 57 years.
Benjamin F. McGrew, born near Metz, April 18, 1860; died in
Angola, Mar. 23, 1914, aged 54 years.
Sarah Elizabeth Spangle, wife of Silas L. Crandall, born in
Seneca county, Ohio, in 1851; died in Angola, April 5, 1914, aged 68
years.
Miranda Milner, widow of Joseph Longabaugh, born in
Salineville, O., Sept. 21, 1839; came to Angola in 1863; died April
23, 1914, aged 74 years.
Sarah M. Ellis, born in Tompkins county, New York, Jan. 5,
1820; came to Orland in 1860; died April 25, 1914, aged 94 years.
Eva C. Bolin, born in Salem township, Jan. 27, 1859; died in
Angola, April 22, 1914, aged 55 years.
Ida P. Moore, born in Otsego township, April 13, 1859; died
April 26, 1914, aged 54 years.
Wm. K. George, born in Pleasant Lake, Aug. 30, 1849; died at
Tiffin, Ohio, April 24, 1914, aged 54 years.
Samuel Hanes, born in Columbiana county, Ohio, July 7, 1837;
came to Steuben county in 1857; died at Wausseon, Ohio, May 8, 1914,
aged 76 years.
Rev. J. W. Martin, born in Wood county, Ohio, May 15, 1837;
died in Angola, May 7, 1914, aged 77 years.
Benjamin J. Moody, born in Columbiana county, Ohio, Feb. 10,
1834; came to Steuben county in early life, died in Angola, May 9,
1914, aged 80 years.
Mrs. Ellen Baker, born in Loraine, Pa., Feb. 19, 1834; died at
her home in Clear Lake township, May 10, 1914, aged 84 years.
Joseph Meek, born in Richland county, Ohio, June 9, 1847; came
to Steuben county at the age of 14 years; died May 26, 1914, aged 67
years.
John Headley, born in Columbiana county, Ohio, Sept. 9, 1828;
came to Steuben county in 1849; died June 12, 1914, aged 85 years.
Uriel Carpenter, born in Portage county, Ohio, May 29, 1834;
died at his home in Scott township, May 29, 1914, aged 80 years.
Sarah L. Townsend, born in Orland, Nov. 10, 1835; died June 6,
1914, aged 78 years.
William Harvey Shaffer, born in Pleasant Lake, Oct. 1, 1857;
died in Toledo, Ohio, May 28, 1914, aged 56 years.
Seth Cleverly, born in Portage county, Ohio, Jan. 14, 1834;
died in Scott township, June 14, 1914, aged 880 years.
Jane P. Coy, widow of Daniel P. Mabrey, born in Huron county,
O., May 9, 1830; died in Angola, June 15, 1914, aged 84 years.
Marvin B. Butler, born in Grandisle, Vermont, Feb. 15, 1834,
was an early settler in Salem township, died in Soldiers' Home
hospital, Marion, Ind., June 17, 1914, aged 80 years.
Mary Ellen Canfield, born in Cleveland, Ohio, Nov. 20, 1839;
came to Steuben county in 1859; died at Glen Ferry, Idaho, June 11,
1914, aged 75 years.
Timothy Haughey, born Nov. 5, 1824; came to Steuben county in
1843; died at Hamilton, Ind., June 28, 1914, aged 90 years.
John Barnes, born in Delaware county, New York, June 23, 1829;
came to Steuben county in 1838; died in York township, July 20,
1914, aged 85 years.
James H. Kidney, born May 5, 1862; died June 25, 1914, aged 52
years.
John Cole, born in Mahoning county, Ohio, April 10, 1845; came
to Steuben county in 1856; died in Scott township, July 14, 1914,
aged 69 years.
John Harpham, born near Pleasant Lake, May 2, 1851; died in
Angola, July 27, 1914, aged 63 years.
Mrs. Charles Dygert, born in Steuben county, Sept. 15, 1852;
died in Scott township, July 25, 1914, aged 62 years.
Lewis N. Clark, born in Stark county, Ohio, April 24, 1834;
came to Steuben county in 1847; died August 3, 1914, aged 80 years.