First Old Settlers Meeting held in Salem, Henry Co, Iowa -1883 THE OLD SETTLERS Following is a bit of reminiscence of the First Old Settlers Meeting held in Salem in the year 1883, which will prove of interest to many of our readers... The meeting of the old settlers of Henry, Lee, Van Buren and Jefferson counties which was advertised for Salem last Thursday was a period that our people awaited with great anxiety, desiring this to be as every gathering at this place has already been, universally a success. Our anxiety for this was the more intensified for the reason that our citizens had but little experience in the details necessary for the success of an Old Settlers' Reunion, but we know now that the old town can do anything. Our people thew open their doors to welcome the 5,000 or 6,000 people who came to inaugurate what we hope to be an annual gathering of the fathers and mothers of this part of the state and that each succeeding one may be more interesting. The day opened with a bright sky, and early morn saw the advance guard of the big crowd coming into town. President Spurrier called the audience to the central stand in the park and the exercises were opened by the Salem choir singing that grand old song of "Auld Lang Syne;" prayer was then made by Rev. L.J. Rogers. President Spurrier in few well chosen words extended Salem's open hand hospitality and welcomed all assembled this day, after which Hon. Daniel F. Miller, of Keokuk, was introduced, who, after extending his congratulations to the people of this place for their wisdom in perfecting the arrangements for this day's enjoyment, gave his first impression on Iowa on his visit to the new territory; not a house in Keokuk and a few straggling cabins in Fort Madison, and only after riding back over the grand prairie that lies between here and Fort Madison that he determined to make his home in Iowa. Mr. Miller thus gave a history of Iowa, its purchase and repurchase by a foreign power, until during the presidency of Thos. Jefferson it became the property of the United States. Then came the Indian troubles, the Blackhawk war, all this the speaker gave in his interesting and instructive manner. He gave our young folks a vivid picture of the troubles and pleasures of the pioneer life, and closed with a beautiful and deserved tribute to the honesty, industry and intelligence of the early settlers. We wish we could give Mr. Miller's address in full, but as it was given in the old settler way of the feelings of the heart it would be impossible to reproduce it upon paper. The dinner horn admonished that the hour of noon had arrived and the thousands were scatted to gather about the tables of our citizens the hotels and the hundreds of well-filled baskets. At 1:30 the meeting was given to old settlers, and such a love feast as they did have. It was indeed "a feast of reason and flow of soul," made so by Alexander Cruikshank, of Lee county, James Retchey, now of Illinois, but an old Salem boy, Aquilla Pickering, of Chicago, Amos Townsend, Jesse Roberts, Myron Ward, and others whose names our reporter could not get, the speeches were short and of a very interesting character to both old and young. At the conclusion of the exercises at the stand the old settlers formed the ring and after the singing by the choir ao "The Sweet by and bye" the officers for the ensuing year were elected. President, Amos Townsend; vice-presidents, Dr. L.J. Rogers, Alexander Cruikshank, of Lee county, E.A. Thomas of Van Buren county, Elijah Billings of Jefferson county, P.C. Tiffany and C.D. Sheliday of Henry county; secretary O.H. Cook; treasurer P. Almond. The following was made the rule for the future as admission to the society: All persons who were residents of the state prior to its admission to the Union are to be pioneers, and all coming after that date and prior to 1850 are to be old settlers. The following committees were appointed to draft suitable constitution and by- laws, to-wit: L.J. Rogers, Isaac Garretson, O.H. Cook and J.C. Garretson. A vote of thanks was given the orator Daniel F. Miller, and thus closed one of the most successful reunions ever held in southeastern Iowa. The good city of Salem was laid off by James M. Snyder, county surveyor, on the 30th day of March, 1839. The land upon which the town is located was purchased of the United States by Marion Street and Peter Boyer, on the 24th day of November, 1838, and was patented December 1, 1841. The first house built in the town still stands, and is a log structure used by the Joy brothers in packing eggs, and is located just west of the first frame structure built in the place, which is now occupied by O.H. Smith, butcher. The frame was built for a store room, and so occupied by a man named White. The oldest settler in Salem towship is Wm. K. Pidgeon, who landed where he now lives in the fall of 1835. Levi Cammack is the oldest householder in the township, having hung his cane in a log cabin on the lot now occupied by the M.E. church, in 1837. The first marriage in the township was a Mr. Schafer and Elizabeth Dunham. Isaiah M. Hoggatt was the first child born in the town. The family record dates this event December 21, 1837. The first death was that of Joseph Teas, who was buried out on the Hillsboro road just out across from George Frame's new house. The first well dug in the town is under Union block. Peter Boyer kept the first hotel and John Bell the first store. Gideon Frazier was Salem:s first physician. Aaron Street, jr. was the first to handle Uncle Sam's mail in Salem. Dr. Thomas Siviter is the oldest physician in the place, having begun the practice of his profession in 1844 and is now 83 years of age. R. Spurrier is the pioneer merchant, having been engaged in selling goods almost continually for the past thirty years. The first nursery for selling fruit was established by Henderson and William Luelling. The Society of Friends is the oldest religious organization, having been established in 1837. Rev. Thomas Frazier was their first minister. ====================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. 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