Wayne County Pioneer Association
Constitution
Article 1
This Association shall be Known as the Wayne County Pioneer Association.
Article 2
The object of the Association is to renew old acquaintances, cultivate new friendships, preserve pioneer history, etc.
Article 3
The Officers of this Association shall consist of a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Corresponding Secretary.
Article 4
The duty of the President will be to preside all regular or called meetings.
Article 5
The duty of the Vice President will be to act as President in the absence of the President.
Article 6
The duty of the Secretary will be to Keep a record of the proceedings of the meetings of the Association and record the names of all the members of the Association.
Article 7
The duty of the Treasurer shall be to receive all moneys of the Association, and pay out the same, on the order of the President and Secretary, Keeping an account of the same.
Article 8
The duty of the Corresponding Secretary will be to invite speakers for the annual meetings, etc.
Article 9
The persons to fill the above named offices shall be elected by the members of the Association at their Annual Meeting, and shall hold their office for one year, or until their successors are elected.
Article 10
The above named officers shall constitute a board whose duty it shall be to choose the time and place to hold the annual meeting and picnic of the Associationand make all necessary arrangments for the same.
Article 11
Any person of the age of 40 years, and who has been a resident of this County twenty years, by paying the sum of Twenty five Cents may become a member of this Association.
Roster of Members
- John H. Kauke - Born Dec 15, 1817
- William N McGugin – Born Dec 27, 1817
- John Van Nest – Born Dec 1st, 1814
- Mary J. Myers –Born 1823
- Matthew McClure – Born 1817
- Peter Amstutz –Born Nov 15, 1832
- W. W. Wallace – Born Apr 15, 1839
- I. N. Kieffer – Born Aug 13th, 1843
- N. S. Hawkins – Born Mar 8, 1825
- C. Matilda Thomson – Born June 20, 1820
- Mathew McClure – Born Sept 1, 1817
- D. K. Hamilton –Born Oct. 6th, 1813
- W. G. Myers – Born June 7th, 1820
- M. Welker – Born April 25, 1819
- Jacob Frick – Born Sept 17, 1834
- Benjamin Rohrer – Born Aug 10, 1821 (?)
- S. A. Bender – Born March 4, 1839
- W. G. Myers – Born 1820
First Annual Picnic
The first annual social picnic was held at Highland Park on 2 September 1880. [1] [2] More than 500 people were said to be in attendance. Nathan W. Smith of Wooster, the oldest living settler of Wayne County, was named President of the Association. Sixteen Vice-Presidents were elected – one from each township.
- Paint – Thomas Marshal
- Sugarcreek –John Goudy
- Baughman – John Ault
- Chippewa – Henry Frederick
- Milton – John Slemmons
- Green – Wm Metsker
- East Union –Simon Chafin
- Saltcreek – Peter Franks
- Franklin – David Gabriel
- Wooster –Dr. John Cunningham
- Canaan – Demas Sommers
- Congress – Royce Sommerton
- Chester – Pete Stair
- Plain – Christian Mellinger
- Clinton – L. D. O'dell|Odell
- Wayne – David Wasson
James Johnston was chosen as Recording Secretary; Dr. J. D. Robison as Corresponding Secretary; and John McClellan, Treasurer. According to the article found in the Wayne County Democrat on 8 September 1880 on page 3, Mrs. Mertilla “Tillie” (Miller) Brierton of Lima, Ohio was in attendance. She was the first white child born in Wayne County, her birth occurring on 8 April 1809. She was the daughter of Benjamin Miller and was named by John Bever. Benjamin Miller was the first married man who settled in the county.
1880 Pioneers
The following individuals is a partial list of those pioneers, ages 70 years and older, who attended the 1st Annual Picnic at Highland Park. [3]
- John Cunningham, M.D., 88, Wooster
- James Scott,78, Wooster
- S. Scott, 72, Wooster
- R. P. Reddick, 71, Wooster
- P. S. Van Houten, 70, Wooster
- Samuel Brown, 80, Salt Creek
- Robert Brown, 82, Salt Creek
- Joseph Smith, 84, Green
- Catharine Smith, 71, Green
- John Kope, 74, Plain
- Christina Kope, 70, Plain
- John McClellan, 70, Wooster
- Jacob Somers, 74, Wooster
- J. W. Hughes, 74, Wooster
- Mary Hughes, 72, Wooster
- W. D. Barrett, 74, Wooster
- Barbary A. Immel, 73, Wooster
- Wm Metzker, 77, Green
- John Metzker, 71, Green
- James Metzker, 79, Milton
- David Wasson, 75, Wayne
- Robert Hacket, 79, Salt Creek
- Matilda Bryington, 71, Lima, Ohio
- John Cutter, 88, Franklin
- Wm Johnson, 88, Clinton
- John Wisner, 91, Apple Creek
- Jacob Espy, 90, Wooster
- Margaret Bowman, 72, East Union
- William Buckley, 71, East Union
- Adam Geitgey, 82, Franklin
- Samuel Hammer, 79, Wooster
- Eliza Rogers,71, Wooster
- Simon Chaflin, 72, East Union
- Mary Barkdall, 82, Wooster
- George Hesler, 71, Wooster
- Joseph Showalter, 77, Wayne
- Barbary Showalter, 76, Wayne
- Philip Horn, 75, Wooster
- Peter Franks, 84, Salt Creek
- C. McIntire, 81, Franklin
- Nancy McIntire, 70, Franklin
- Charles Gasche, 70, Wooster
- Wm Gearhart, 72, Wayne
- Mary Gearhart, 73, Wayne
- Robert Barnes, 72, Wooster
- Mary Keefer, 80, Wayne
- Eliza Gaut, 72, Wayne
- Robert Christy, 71, Chester
- Sarah McMonigal, 87, Wooster
- Barbara Arckman, 80, Wooster
- N. W. Smith, 76, Wooster
- John Wilhelm, 70, Wooster
- George Shishler, 80, Chippewa
- Josie Milburn, 81, East Union
- Mary Johnson, 83, Salt Creek
- Esses Shaffer, M. D., 74, Wooster
- Nancy Donnelly, 88, Wooster
- Susan Fox, 80, Plain