Iowa
Old Press
Iowa Citizen
Iowa City, Johnson co. Iowa
August 21, 1891
A Sad Death
Last Saturday, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Ricord received the sad
intelligence of the death of their son Charles. He was working
for John Gault, in Rico, Col. at the time, and while riding a
horse, was thrown and so badly injured that he died next morning.
He was unconscious all the time, and never spoke after he was
hurt. The address of his parents was made known to Mr. Gault by a
letter he had written to his mother and left on the desk. He was
buried at Rico on the morning of the eleventh. Charles Ricord was
nearly forty years of age. Many friends sympathize with the grief
stricken parents.
Old Settlers Reunion.
The meeting of the Old Settlers last Wednesday was exceedingly
pleasant gathering. The day was warm but not oppressive as
several days previous. In the forenoon the old settlers gathered
on the fair ground, and their greeting of one another showed the
strength of the fraternal feeling existing between the early
pioners. Picnic dinner was eaten under the shade of the trees.
Coffee was furnished from one of the "Cabins." The
merry laugh, and jesting which abounded indicated that many gray
heads felt young again. After the dinner was finished the meeting
was called to order by the President Hon. H.W. Lathrop. Vocal
music was furnished by quartette consisting of Capt. A.B. Cree
and wife, Mrs. Will. Bowen and Prof. Hastings, with Miss Mae Cree
at the organ. They favored a delighted audience with a number of
songs splendidly rendered. Capt. C.F. Lovelace was introduced and
pleased the audience with early reminiscences and recalled many
incidents of men and things of the long ago. Hon. H.W. Lanhrop
then read a poem written for the occasion which contained many
gems, possessed no small literary merit. It will be given to our
readers next week the press of other matter making the delay
necessary. After this the afternoon was spent in visiting and
social converse.
Last March the Constitution of the Association was amended so as
to have the election of officers held at the reunions. And
accordingly an election was held, but there seems to have been
some misunderstanding as to the part of the grounds the election
was to be, and it so happened there were two elections. At the
election at the Secretarys Stand the following were chosen, H.W.
Lathrop, Pres.; J.G. Brown, Vice Prest.; Henry Wieneke, Sec'y; J.
Ricord, Treas.; and E. Shepard, G.R. Irish, S.J. Hess, Geo. Paul
and L.S. Swafford, Executive Committee. At the other election
there was no record kept of the officers elected but L.B.
Patterson was chosen Pres.; J.W. Lee and S.P. Fry, Vice Pres.;
Mr. Wieneke, Secretary and Treasurer.
Among some of the first pioneers present were noticed, E.M.
Adams, J.G. Brown and wife, Jas. McGruder, Isaac Bowen, M.
Teneick, Thomas Graham, Bryan Dennis, Joseph and Henry Walker,
J.B. Swafford and wife, M.H. Carson, Joseph Hemphill, Geo Paul,
Capt. Dennis and wife, John Fry, S.P. Fry and many others whose
names for lack of space it is impossible to give. All were
gratified to see Sylvanus Johnson, who came to Iowa in 1837, and
for the last year has been confined to home by ill health, he
made the first brick in this city. Nothing can be more pleasant
these reunions.
[transcribed by S.F., April 2005]