Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 August 1876 — A Family Re Union. [ARTICLE]

A Family Re Union.

Far from the noise, esre and bustle of the busy town, in a rural home* dwells John C. Kenton, in pese«t;«ontent Mid the graces of old age. Not fr otttbooks but from men and nature hath he learned lessons of wisdom, and from choice trod an even, quiet path in life. The summer of youth is gone, the shades of life’s twilight are coming on and his pilgrimage wears to a close. On Saturday, August 12th, 1876, the festal hoard was spread and the family met to break bread and have good sheer. There were present at his son Simon’s in Newton township,seven children,thirtytwo grand children, six great-great grand children and thirty collateral and nnptial relatives with a few neighbors. The meeting wae a pleasant one, with a home shelter, around a table spread with honest bounties. All hearts rejoiced. The patriarch eonld look pleasantly through the vista of years upon the sorrows and felicities of early life. A battalion of kinfolk were gathered abont the family tree, as friends, to feast and make merry. The old man rejoiced and was glad. The Kentons all seem to cling to life with the same tenaeity as their historical ancestor, the Indian fighter. Addison and Joseph Parkison, grand ohildren of old Simon Kenton, were present with their grand children. The dinner was well served, and everything dwelling together in unity of spirit. It was s jolly good time. May many happy reunions orown the ripening years of “Uncle Coon” and the bairns’ bairns of his bairns’ bairns kindly onddle bis old gray hairs. When the heyday of life is past, and the last long quiet sleep comes to those who live to be old, may they hail it as the repose of night when life was all before

them. May this Centennial rally around the family tree be the precursor of other social joys of alike pleasant character, is the wish of an invited guest. A Nwoimou.