Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 September 1916 — Big Birthday Celebration in East Walker. [ARTICLE]

Big Birthday Celebration in East Walker.

On last Sunday relatives and friends of Xathan Keen gathered at his home in east Walker to the number of 79, to remind him that he had made the turn at his fiftyninth corner in life’s journey. They came from the east, the west, north and south, with baskets ladened with the best of earthly stores, and when the table was prepared under the shade of some nearby trees and filled to the limit, the melons carved, they all decided it was the only place for a hungry mortal to be. McCoysburg sent as representatives Orville Hitching and Orville Putt and family; Brook, R. T. Clinton and wife and H. Waling and Goodland, John and Joseph Ulm with their families; Lacrosse, Mrs. Jumper, her son and his family; Wheatfield, A. S. Keen and family. The surrounding country did its part with Mr. and Mrs. Xathan Keen, Sr., L. C. Asher and family, James Smith and wife, Orville Fisher and family, Harry Gulbranson and family, Isaac Knapp and family, Wesley Hammerton and family, 0. P. Kennedy and family, Miss Josephine Garlich and a number of young men who came later in the day. The weather was ideal, the crowd good natured, and they returned to their homes trusting that all may meet again when Mr. Keen turns his one hundredth corner in life’s journey.—OXE OF THE SEVEXTYXIXE.