Byron Express, 9/14/1883, p. 4

The Old Settlers

The re-union of the Old Settlers at Mr. Morris Thursday was one of the pleasantest re-unions we ever attended anywhere. Mr. Morris people
deserve great credit for the ability shown in providing for and entertaining their friends. We shall not attempt a description this week of the proceedings.

Among the Old Settlers present were John Deere of Moline, D. B. Stiles, G. W. Clark, A. F. Brown, Wm. J. Keys, S. St. John Mix, Perry Norton,
Jos. Cunningham, Mrs. D. S Cushing, C. D. Sawyer, Paul Peabody, Mrs. H. C. Dudley, C. C. Royce, Jos. Irvine, John Cooley, D. Hoffhine, N. N.
Shafer, J. M. Reed, Rev. W. P. Jones, Michael Brantner, Mrs. John Hammer, Abram Brown, L. B. Crooke, D. B. McKinney, Wm S. Reed, J. R.
Dodson, Daniel O’Kane, R. G. Shumway, John F. Gale, F. G. Petrie, Wm. J. Mix, Martha McKinney, Mr. and Mrs. Finkboner, Mr. and Mrs. Hammer, Rev. H. L. Martin, Charles Burrough, E. P. Snow, Dr. U. C. Roe, Barbara Hitt, D. B. McKinney, Geo. R. Webster, Elias Reed, Rev. R. M. Pearson, Dea. T. Perkins, Mrs. C. F. Cushman, John Glanville, Samuel Betebenner, Mrs. John Nichols, David Hoffhine, A. J. Sanborn, Ambrose Sanborn, John H. King Sr., Walter Donaldson, William Donaldson, C. K. Williams, Horatio Wales, Elias Baker, S. C. Price, Hugh Ray, Samuel Householder, Wm. Knodle, Hiram Hays, Simon Reynolds, Samuel Warner, Jacob Price, David Hays, Lewis Wertz, John Cooley, F. H. Waterbury, J. P. Smith, Jas. Malone, Rev. N. S. Stroh, Mrs. J. W. Edmunds, W. L. Fearer, Elijah Lott, and many other whose names we fail to remember or did not learn.

Everybody in Mt. Morris seemed to be imbued with the spirit of Old Time hospitality and vied with each other in laboring for the comfort of the Old Pioneers. Tables in the College dining hall that would accommodate 110 at a sitting were loaded once and again with choicest vianda for the refreshment of the pioneers. Even the boys, who checked baskets and packages at the College, worked like heroes and charged not a penny.

Mr. Mix made a model presiding officer, doing a marvelous amount of business and greatly enhancing the pleasure of the re-union, and giving
almost everybody who wished it, a chance to speak; Mr. Petrie performed his duties so well that he was re-elected Secretary and Treasurer another year.

The election of John W. Hitt as President was a worthy tribute rightly won by his labors to make this re-union a success.

(Mt Morris Press)=