Thanksgiving Dinner with the Ephraim STOUTs, 1907

STOUT, FIEDLER, DUNLAVY, COCHRAN, FRY, PATTISON, MCWHIRTER, FRAME

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 5/10/2011 at 21:58:38

"The Fairfield Tribune"
Wednesday, December 4, 1907
Page 7, Column 2

CEDAR TOWNSHIP, Dec. 2.

Thanksgiving Day, 1907, will be pleasantly remembered by several of your readers. One family gathering is worthy of record. Mr. and Mrs. Ephraim STOUT made a dinner and gathered together their relatives within reach for a happy little visit. There were present Mrs. Jane FIEDLER with two daughters, their husbands and children; Mrs. Fannie DUNLAVY and husband; Mrs. Ada COCHRAN and daughters. These three ladies are sisters of Mrs. STOUT. Then there were the children and the children's children, viz: Ella FRY and husband with three children; Eliza PATTISON and husband with three children; William STOUT and wife with one son; Effie McWHIRTER and husband, with four children; Bertha FRAME and husband with four children, making a gathering of 39 all told.

One son, Albert STOUT, and family were detained at home because of illness. Albert has five children, the oldest son being in the U.S. Army in the Phillippines. One of Albert's chidren, a little girl, died in infancy. Aside from this, there have been no vacant chairs.

Father and Mother STOUT have six children, all married well and living within ten miles of the old home, and in each of these new homes there is one or more to call grandpa and grandma in a hearty, lusty shout. Certainly these pioneers are justified in feeling proud and happy over their success in life. Their home is situated in Section 24 of Cedar township, Jefferson County, Iowa. The farm is but 40 acres, yet it has made a home that has produced joy and gladness and sweetness not surpassed in any home of southeastern Iowa.

Their life's story is similar to many another, but these two people were blessed with the Christian graces of contentment and patience and perseverance and humility and honor in a more fixed degree than falls to many. So with the little farm where they have lived since 1865, and these traits of character, they builded (sic) a home where six children and 19 grandchildren may go with joy and love, and each greet each in peace and gladness. Long live Aunt Angeline and Uncle Ephriam, and may their tribe increase.

*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.