THE EARLY SETTLERS' ANNIVERSARY, JULY 22, 1885. The Early Settlers' Association of Cuyahoga county held their reunion, on return of their anniversary, at the Tabernacle, Ontario street, in the city of Cleveland. The assemblage was large, and many new memberships were secured. The platform in the hall of the tabernacle was decorated with a rich profusion of flowers. The exercises commenced at 11 o'clock a. m. and were of a very interesting character. The opening prayer was made by the chaplain, Rev. Thomas Corlett, followed by the song "Auld Lang Syne"-delightfully rendered by Mrs. Grace Tod Lohmann, of Akron. In addition to this fovorite and gifted songstress, the German orchestra with stringed instruments was present and discoursed sweet music at intervals in the exercises. The following is the introductory address delivered by Hon. Harvey Rice, President of the association. ADDRESS. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: This is a day that recalls pleasant memories. We hail its return with joy, because it gives us as a fraternity of early settlers an opportunity to exchange heartfelt congratulations on the score of "old acquaintance" that cannot and should not be forgotten. We have reached the sixth anniversary of our association since its organization. When first organized the association consisted of less than twenty members. We have now over six hundred memberships. The number has rapidly increased from year to year. The association is composed of men and women, early settlers, who have resided within the limits of the Western Reserve for at least forty years, and who are at the time of becoming members citizens of Cuyahoga county. The annual fee is but $1. In return the members receive a free luncheon at the reunions, together with a gratuitous copy of the " Annals " published by the executive committee. The object of the association is to gather such crumbs of pioneer history pertaining to the Western Reserve as may be of permanent value, so that "nothing be lost," and at the same time give to the annual meeting of the association such a degree of social enjoyment as shall render its work as delightful as it is useful and praiseworthy. In doing this we not only consolidate old friend ship, but bequeath to posterity and to the world a legacy that will be appreciated. The pioneer life of the Western Reserve can never be repeated. The men and women who were known as original pioneers possessed not only a high degree of intelligence and enterprise, but exhibited a heroism that was absolutely invincible. The plucky spirit of Puritanic blood flowed in their veins. The age in which they lived might well be called the "heroic age" of the Western Reserve. They possessed inventive genius as well as heroism, sought out many inven tions, rude as they might be, and thus adapted themselves and their needs to circumstances. It was they who conquered the wilderness and bequeathed to us a comparative paradise. Hence it is that every scrap of their history has become not only interesting, but conveys a valuable lesson. It is certain that the Western Reserve has a gigantic destiny, and is endowed with gigantic power. We see what she now is, but who can predict what she will be in the distant future, in the next century, in the next ten centuries? Show me the prophet who can foretell, and I will show you a man who is "more than a prophet." But let us drop the prophets and ask what we as an association have done. We have gathered and published in a series of pamphlets, known as "Annals," five hundred and thirty-seven octavo pages of historical reminiscences of pioneer life. These pamphlets have been much sought, and read with interest, and have found their way into many public and private libraries, both in the eastern and western states. The work we are doing has led to the formation of similar associations in different counties of the state, in addition to those that existed at an earlier date. Not long since a "State Archæological and Historical Society" was organized and incorporated at Columbus, composed of several hundred gentlemen of the state. This society holds its annual meeting at Columbus on the nineteenth of February. Hon. Allen G. Thurman is the president of the society, and A. A. Graham secretary. It solicits memberships from every part of the state. Its object is to promote and disseminate a knowledge of archæology and history, especially of Ohio. It depends for its support on the annual dues received from its members. It is a promising institution and should be encouraged. It is engaged in a work of general benefit to the public, and should receive aid from the legislative authority of the state. It has its cen tral office at Columbus. Another enterprise that deserves liberal encouragement, as it seems to me, has recently been inaugurated at Cleveland. I allude to the MAGAZINE OF WESTERN HISTORY, published monthly by W. W. Williams. Its aim is a meritorious one, and its matter and style of execu tion highly creditable to the publisher. It is a monthly bouquet of fresh history, if not of fresh flowers. We have already taken some steps as an association relative to the erection of a statue in honor of General Moses Cleaveland, the founder of the beautiful city that bears his name—a city of which we all are proud. A more graceful thing could hardly be done. The project is one which, I believe, is generally approved by public sentiment. It is proposed to meet the cost by soliciting subscriptions. A special committee was appointed at our last meeting for this purpose. But, owing to the financial stringency of the times and the lack of a specific plan of the monument and estimate of its cost, the committee has wisely deferred action. An effort has been made, however, to ascertain the approximate cost of a granite monument ten feet high, surmounted by a life-size and a life-like bronze statue of General Cleaveland. It is believed that a monument of this character could be erected at the moderate cost of four or five thousand dollars. I would suggest that our executive committee, who are certainly proper persons, be requested to take this matter of the monument in hand, determine the plan, ascertain the actual cost, and with this information present the project to our generous citizens, and solicit the requisite subscriptions. If this were done I doubt not the project would receive a cheerful response, and we, in the course of another year, would all have the gratification of seeing an appropriate monument of the founder of our city grace ts central park in association with the Perry monument. Such a monument would be a perpetual lesson to the young, and an honor to the age that erected it. Our association has an object. It combines the useful with the social. It should always have an object, if it would perpetuate itself. There will always be a past and a present. The relics of the past will always be sought by the present. The living present will soon become the dead past. When a century or two has elapsed, we of to-day, with our manners, customs, and habits of life will become relics and curiosities, and the generations of the unborn future will gather such fragmentary evidences of our past existence as they can find, and preserve them in cabinets and historical rooms for the inspection of antiquarians and inquisitive idlers. It is doubtless true that the moral as well as the physical world moves in a circle. Be this as it may, we as a fraternity have much to encourage us in our philanthropic work—a work that affords us much social pleasure in the execution of it. These annual reunions of ours give zest to life. They not only recall the happy days of our youth, but strengthen the ties of early friendships that bind us in age as with golden heartstrings that can never be broken. It is in this way that we may share a degree of heaven-life on earth, and thus catch a foretaste of the purer life that awaits the "just made perfect" in the better land. REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. The chairman being absent, John H. Sargent, a member of the committee, reported verbally that the association is in a flourishing condition, and during the past year has received a liberal accession to the number of its memberships. This association is accomplishing its work with all the success that could be expected, while its entire harmony and cordiality seem to unite its members not only in the interests of a common work, but in the bonds of a common brotherhood. REPORT OF THE TREASURER. CLEVELAND, O., July 22, 1885. At the last annual meeting of the Society, there was on hand. 281 members have paid $1 each... REPORT OF THE MONUMENT COMMITTEE. The chairman of the committee, Hon. R. P. Spalding, reported that the committee had taken no definite action in reference to obtaining subscriptions for erecting a monument in honor of Gen. Moses Cleaveland, for the reason that the stringency of the times and the want of a specific plan of the monument and estimate of its cost, led the committee to think its action should be delayed until another year, and then that such action should be taken as the association might deem advisable. NECROLOGICAL REPORT BY THE CHAPLAIN. The following are the names of the members of the Early Settlers' association, so far as I have been able to ascertain, who have departed this life since the last annual meeting of our association. Mrs. Mary |