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THE PIONEERS
of Wayne Township and the Adjacent Miami Valley
Hold Their Annual Reunion at Waynesville – A Most Successful Meeting.

Saturday morning dawned with Dame Nature’s face drawn up into something of a scowl. It was cloudy and a rain seemed inevitable. But the scowl faded and a smile followed, until the day had broadened out into a perceptible snicker. It was all that could be desired. Cool and pleasant, after the scorching weather of the first of the week, with a delightful breeze which lasted all day, and it is no wonder that the meeting of the Miami Valley Pioneer Association was by far the most successful that has yet been held. The day seemed to inspire every one present, speakers and listeners, and the occasion was one to be remembered.

The members of the Association were slow in gathering and those who were upon the grounds early felt somewhat blue over the prospect. The meeting was to have come to order at ten o’clock but it was half past eleven when Vice President Wales ascended the platform and called for the reading of the minutes of the last meeting, which was done by Secretary Drew Sweet. The minutes stood approved and Hon. W. H. Stokes delivered a carefully prepared and very appropriate address of welcome. The remaining exercises down on the morning programme were postponed until after dinner and then a motion for an adjournment of two hours carried unanimous.

Those two hours were most profitably spent particularly the first one which was devoted to putting innumerable good things “where they would do the most good,” as one irreverent youngster remarked. Some had regular basket dinner on the grounds, the cool, shady yard around the Friends’ meeting house, and others shared the hospitality of Waynesville’s kind-hearted citizens.
In the afternoon, those who had been present in the morning once more met but their members had been greatly reinforced. Fully five hundred persons were present and they all stayed until the exercises had closed. The Vice President called the meeting to order and the afternoon programme was begun.

Samuel W. Rogers read an extremely interesting paper on the early recollections of things in and about Waynesville, which was listened to with close attention, as, however, were all the other papers and speeches. He was followed by S. Lev. Cartwright, who, although not a pioneer himself, had obtained by conversation with older persons a number of very valuable points of the early history of Wayne townships.

At this point it was proposed to photograph the audience but it was feared that it would take too much time, so the plan was abandoned. Then the orator of the day, Hon. John Q. Smith, was introduced. Of his address it is entirely unnecessary to speak except to say that it was in his happiest vein. It appears on another page and will amply repay a perusal.

George Sale read some very pleasant incidents of life in District No. 13. Then Secretary Sweet read two papers on the early days, written for the occasion, one by George Myer and the other by Mrs. Jane S. Nicholson. These papers closed the regular programme, but in response to repeated calls Mr. Josiah Morrow addressed the meeting for a few moments in a very pleasant and complimentary little speech. The officers of the past year were unanimously rechosen to their respective positions. A vote of thanks to Mr. Smith was passed in the same hearty manner. The formal meeting then adjourned but for some time afterward the old people remained, talking over old times and comparing their recollections of days gone by.

The oldest person on the ground was Merritt Bunnell, of Waynesville, who was eighty-nine years old last January. Samuel Kelly and George Myer were each eighty-eight and from them; the ages ranked down to that of a child in arms. The next meeting will be held in just a year and not one who was present on Saturday will miss it if it is possible to be there and the determination is to make it as enjoyable a meeting as this years which was all that could be wished.

SOURCE: Lebanon (Ohio) Gazette, Thursday, August 11, 1887, page 5 column 3