Jasper County Democrat, Volume 9, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 August 1906 — PASSING OF EARLY SETTLERS. [ARTICLE]

PASSING OF EARLY SETTLERS.

The half-toye picture on the front page of to-day’s Democrat shows a group of twenty-three of the early settlers of this vicinity, all at the time this photo was taken—eight years ago—citizens of Rensselaer. In* the last eight years sixteen of these old residents have passed away, the latest being Uncle Jared Benjamin. Of those still living Rev. D. T. Halstead is now 80 years of age; David Nowels, 85; John Makeever, 86; Clinton Hopkins, 85; Simon Phillips, 83; John Coen, 82; and James Leatherman 84. The Jasper county pioneer is

fast being “gathered to his fathers” and aeon but a memory of him will remain. This picture is one of the many interesting and historical half-tones contained in the souvenir album of Rensselaer, now being gotten out by John A. Sharp, and which will be ready for delivery early in September.