The Pioneer Gathering

The annuul picuic of th Stule Pioaoer Suety, together with the meeting of the Washenaw County Pioneer Society, was held at the pera Houae in thia city on Wednesday. 'here was a largo attendance oi the pioneers, nea and women, trom all parta of the county 3 well as a good representaron from various ections ot the State - inany of whom hav assed their " three score years and ten.'' David Depue, of PitUtteld, had on exhibiiou a large case of Indian relies and other aniquitios, which were viewed with much interst by all. The inusic for the occasion was funiished by Wilsey's M. E. Church Choir, and added much o the interest of the meeting. The meeting was called to order at about balf-past ten o'clock A. H., by Oen. Kdward Clark, President of the Waehtenaw County pioneer Society, and the proceedings opeued with siuging of "Auld Lang Syne," by the choir, alter which prayer was offered by the veuurable John 0. Pierce, of Ypsilanti, fol lowod by the singiag of au "Anthcm" by the choir. Ex-üov. Felch, in behalf of the Washtonaw Pioneer Society, welcomed the zuembers of the State Pioneer Society and all other pioneer present; said that on occasions like this word were sometimos spoken which were merel; words of the niouth, and otheis that indicatet the feelinga of the heart, of the latter kind were those he addressed to the pioneers as aembled in behalf of the Washtauaw l'ionee Society ; elucidated the name of pioneer in all its relations to industries and business, aiu gare a description of some of the early day in the history of the State. Hon. Jonathan Shearer, of Plymouth, Pres ident of the State Pioneer Society, responde with a short speech ; he had been a resident o the State over 40 yeara - havitig come from Massachusetta; then it took weeka to travel tb jouruey but now it was accomplished in a few hours ; could hardly realize the chauges tha havo been wrought in the State ; had aeeu th State become one of the most important oue in the Union ; he legarded the name of pioneer as the must houorable a man can bea for it was they who made the couutry what is ; and in behalf of the State society acceptei of the welcome extended. Mr. Shearer was conducted to the chair an oñicialed as President of the meeting, and . J. Holmes, oí Detroit, was elected oecretary The Secretary, Mr. Holmes, reportecl th progress made by the historíaos of the Stat Pioneer Society ; the State society was organ ized April 2'2, 1874, and iucorporated under a act ot the Legislatura, whieh he read ; he als read the coustitution and by-lawa with a hi tory of the society and the work performet also the plan of future operations for collec log the history of the State ; and asked th: all pioneer furuish the histonans with suo uiatters of history, etc, as they may possess. At'ter the readiug ot the report the cho sung "To Thee, O, Country," when Hou. Joh D. Pierce, "The Father of the School Syste of the State," made a short speech, detailiu some of his early labors iu the establishment o the tree schools ; his labors had been in buha of the ïhildren, and claimed that Michigu stood at the head of all States with its school he cune to the State in 1831, wheu its popul tion uumbered but about 30,000, now it coi tains about 1,500,000 with excellent schools 1 every locality ; his life had been an eventf one, much of which he had no desirs to liv over ; he offioiated at the fitst wedding i western Michigan and also at tended the tir funeral. Hon. Levi Bishop, of Detroit, spoke of tl establishment of the University, claiming 'as the work of the pioneers and as the rival o Yale and Harvard, predicted that within few years it would exceed either of them ; i had obtained a world-wide reputation ; in E rope but four American colleges are reco. nized as Uuiversities, of which number th Uuiveraity of Michigan is oue ; he hoped t see the time when the various small collog acattered throughout the State should bocoin Consolidated witU the University and locatet at Aun Arbor; he also gave :m account ot h first trip to Aun Arbor in 1835. The choir sung the " Star Spangled lian ner," after which an adjournment of tw houra was had, for dmnjr and to visit th University. Upon reassembling in the afternoon, lette trom Mrs. H. A. Tenney, of Lansing, and l (i. Wells, of Kalauiazoo, were read expressii regrets for ïuability to be present. Mra. Tei uey closed her's with the following seutimeut "The Uuiveraity of Michigan- oue of the Ui institutions of America to open its doors t the education of the daughters and grane daughters ot the pioneers of the land." Hou. Levi Bishop read a letter trom W. . Baxter, of Jonesville,statiug that arrangemen had been mude for a Oenteuuial departmen at the State Fair to be held at Jackson uex September, aud urging the pioneers of th State to take the matter earuestly iu hand auc inaketheexhibitiou interstingand instruHiv A committee of three was appointed to tak the matter into consideratiou, consistiug of Webster Childs, of Augusta, M. Shoemaker, o Jackson, and J. 0. Holmes, of Detroit. Judge Miller, of Bay City, related a numbe of his eariy experiences iu the Saginaw Va ley; claimed to havu ustahüshed thu first san mili iu the valley, in which he ofliciated as an operative ; the mili was operated by Chas Lull gettiug upou the log and taking oue ent of the saw while he acted as pitman aiu taking the other end of the saw, in this man ner suflicient lumber was cut to build a shan ty ; now over 100 steam milis are in operatioi annually cuttmg lumber sufHcient to build threo-foot walk around the globe aud the have some 6,000,000 feet lelt. Short speeches were also made by Rov. Mr Lamb, of Ypsilanti, M. McDougall, of Bridge water, Dr. Webb of Pittsfield, Andrew ltobi son of Sharon, L. Davis, John Geddes, atid J W. Brook of Alm Arbor, but our Iimitet space prevent our giviug their reumrks. MKKTIK OF THE COUNTV SOCIKTY' During the time of adjournment for dinuer the County Pioneer Society held iu Mguia (iiarterly meeting. Hesolutious were adopte to the niemory of J. (i. Leiand of Aun Arbor, Aila.t Shaw of Saline, Morgan O'lirieu of Webster, and Dr. üowner of Dixboro. Hon. 'Jeo. Siitton was elected Treasurer, in place of J. O. Leiand, deceused. A committeo was appointed to prepare a history of the county to be read in this city on the coming Fourth ot July. A paper on the "Early History of Freedom," was read by Jacob Preston. The next meeting of the society will be held in this city uext September.