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Early in the month of June, 1889, a call was issued for a meeting to be held at the court house on June 22d of that year, for the purpose of organizing an Old Settlers’ Association. The call was signed by G. S. Toliver, E. R. McLain, C. L. Davis, Willis Wright, Thos. Roberts, S. G. Crumley, Joseph Coombs, Isaac Tucker, Isaac Clopton and others. In response to this invitation the courthouse was the scene of an enthusiastic meeting on the fevening mentioned. S. G. Crumley was elected to preside and G. S. Toliver was chosen secretary. A committee was appointed to draft and present a constitution for the government of the association when organized. It was in the usual form and provided for holding meetings annually in September, to which everybody was invited to come and enjoy the varied pleasures incident to the occasion. The constitution was unanimously adopted and the following named “old settlers” signed it at that time, their right to the title being indicated by the figures representing the year in which each one came to the county. It is a singular fact that shows the loyalty of these men to their new home in the west, that of those who would have rounded out a half century of residence in Greene county this good year all of them are still living in or Old Settlers' Association near Jefferson or died as residents of the county:

NAME	YEAR THEY ARRIVED IN THE COUNTY
Charles L. Davis	1849
S. G. Crumley	1850
Isaac Clopton	1851
S. R. McLain	1851
G. S. Toliver	1854
W. A. J. McNaught	1854
S. B. Anderson	1854
Willis Wright	1854
Ervin Wright	1854
Azor R. Mills	1855
W. D. Osborn	1855
F. M. Franklin	1855
S. M. Taylor	1855
Jacob Winkelman	1855
William Anderson	1856
Mat Custer	1856
O. J. White	1857
J. H. McClurg	1863
W. H. Dayenport	1864
E. U. Daley	1869
A. H. Pettit	1872
D. W. Henderson	1873

The first oflicers were:
President, S. G. Crumley
Vice president, Ervin Wright
Secretary, Isaac Clopton
Executive committee, G. S. Toliver, W. A. J. McNaught, S. R. McLain, A. H. Pettit, D. W. Osborn.

September 29, 1889, was the day selected for the first meeting of the Greene county Old Settlers’ Association, and invitations were sent broadcast bidding everyone to come and make the initial meeting worthy of the pioneers, in whose honor it was held. Mr. G. S. Toliver was chosen as orator of the day and a program providing for an address of welcome and response, for plenty of music, for a picnic dinhner on the spacious courthouse grounds and for after dinner talks by a large number of old and newer residents of the county.

There were more than two thousand people gathered at the first rally of the Greene County Old Settlers’ Association, which was held in a beautiful grove a mile south of Jefferson, and these forces were marshaled in the face of a threatening sky.

The forenoon exercises, at which the president, S. G. Crumley, was master of ceremonies, were made up of music by band and glee club, an invocation, and the reading of the constitution by S. B. Anderson, secretary of the association, and the signing of the constitution by those wishing to become members. Then an adjournment for dinner, of the basket type, free coffee being served by the association. After an hour of good fellowship, the oration of the day, a masterly review of the past, a true story of the present and a vision of the future, was given by Mr. G. S. Toliver. Later impromptu remarks were made by different citizens called out by the less enthusiastic audience and “Auld Lang Syne” was sung as a parting hymn. The plan of the exercises have been here given in detail, as the same order was observed at subsequent gatherings, the only change in plans being that after the second annual gathering, all meetings have been held on the public square. A list of young men who were appointed to prepare the grounds for the second meeting is here given. It is noticeable that not one. of the number are now even living in the county:

Frank Brockway
William Beard
Chalmer Gilliland
Michael Mugan
J. B. Hiddleson
Lewis Cline
Fred Bossert
Lewis Reece
William Hulse
C. W. Mattingly
Fred Aldrich
L. Kendall.

Only two of these young men are dead, Chalmer Gilliland, who passed away in the Philippines, and William Beard, who was killed by the cars in Chicago in October, 1907.

The second meeting was held September 13, 1800, with Captain Albert Head as orator, audience 2,500. The third annual meeting was held on the courthouse square, Albert Head, president, and I. J. McDuffie orator of the day. Number present, 3,000. It was at this session that Mr. McDuffie revealed the fact that A. S. Gilliland was a lawyer. He said the first lawsuit he ever tried was where he had for a client a woman who wanted to get possession of a calf, and be secured Gilliland as assistant counsel. He said the latter bribed the witnesses, packed the jury, and the upshot of the case was that Liz. went home with her calf rejoicing. Mc insisted that it was Al. who won the case.

The fourth Old Settlers’ Association gathering was held September 10, 1892, and the secretary’s report says it was by far the largest session yet held. A. R. Mills was president of the association and John J. Russell was orator of the occasion. One of the after dinner speakers was the inimitable Joseph Coombs, “Uncle Joe” as everybody called him. He was always loaded with stories and they always had a pioneer flavor. He narrated that during a heavy rain which fell at a time when his log house roof leaked badly, his family were drenched, and no fire. So he concluded to take them to a neighbor’s, five miles distant, that they might get their clothes dry. He-had no conveyance, so he called his old bell mare out of the pasture and piling his six children, his wife and himself, all in their dripping. garinents, upon the patient animal, they struck out for the place of better shelter and landed safely after an hour’s ride. They were cordially welcomed and stood by the neighbor’s fire until their clothes were thoroughly dry, when they returned home as they came. He mentioned that a well known Jefferson citizen named Gus. Yerger was up in Bristol one day in the spring about the noon hour and was invited to stay to dinner. The first thing passed to him was a dish of potatoes, and he smilingly remarked that he did not use them. The hostess then handed him a dish of salt and said that was his dinner, as potatoes and salt was all there was in the house to eat. And yet the people of today talk about hardships.

The fifth gathering of the old settlers was held August 25, 1894, President A. R. Mills in the chair, and E. B. Stillman speaker of the occasion. The attendance was the largest the association had been called on to entertain as the day was fine from sunrise to sunset. One of the honored guests of this occasion was Mrs. O. R. Jones, the widow of one of Jefferson’s pioneer business men. The ease with which she recognized old friends after an absence of more than twenty years was truly remarkable. On rthe platform with her were two other “mothers in Israel,” Mrs. Joel Dresser and Mrs. William Pritchard. The latter died a few years ago, aged ninety-six. At this meeting Mr. G. S. Toliver was elected president of the association.

The sixth annual convocation of the Greene County Old Settlers’ Association was held on the courthouse square September 9, 1895. The day threatened rain, but there was an attendance of more than 2,000. G. S. Toliver presided and Judge Z. A. Church gave the oratiori. The singing arranged for the occasion was a pleasant feature of the exercises. The after speakers - the story tellers, etc., - were Rev. Manning, P. A. Smith, E. B. Stillman, Rev. Austin, Charles Marmon, Joe Coombs and Captain Head. Some one brought a sun dial and a set of old fashioned wool cards as interesting pioneer heirlooms.

The seventh meeting of the Old Settlers’ Association was held on September 11, 1896. President Toliver presided and John R. Smith, native of Grant township, now pastor of the M. E. church of Bedford, Indiana, delivered the oration, one of the finest and most eloquent of the series. Three thousand people were present and the record book received more than one hundred new signatures.

The next session of which a record is obtainable - probably because no meetings were held - was that of September 8, 1904, presided over by President Toliver, and Editor P. A. Smith of the Scranton Journal, was orator of the occasion. A premium of $5 had been offered to the oldest native of the county present, and the reward fell to Mrs. Emma Johnson, who lives near Dana. A prize of a $5 hat was offered to the one who headed the largest township delegation and the title was awarded to Dick Stewart, of Hardin townslhip. The attendance was about 3,500. The following resolutions were offered at this meeting and unanimously adopted:

Whereas, The broad mantle of good will, of charity and of progress, worn so long and so well by the pioneer old settlers of Greene county, is falling as a gracious heritage on their children and children’s children of this, and the rising generation, inspiring them with courage and hope: Therefore,

Resolved, That we, assembled here today under such glad conditions, accept as a sacred trust this honoring record of self sacrifice and perseverance in well doing, so faithfully wrought out in privation and patience by the revered members of the Old Settlers’ Association, some of whom we gladly greet here today, but the majority of whom have gone to the home or the other side of the hills, and we promise to reverence their memories, to be grateful for their upright lives and to accept for ourselves their high ideals in all that relates to public and home life.

Resolved, That while as Buckeyes, Hoosiers, Illinoisans, Yankees, etc., we have the choicest regard for the realm of our birth, yet we gladly profess and confess our loyalty to Iowa, the proud state of our adoption, the land of ranking crops, of prosperous homes and of liberal education.

Resolved, That the good Lord possibly might have made a better country than Greene, but he probably never did.

Resolved, That we are firm believers in Old Settlers’ Associations, and we emphasize here with our conviction that Old Settlers’ Day should continue to be one of the glad holidays of each year.

Resolved, That our thanks are given to the school board of Jefferson for granting a holiday to the boys and girls in order that the teachers and pupils might enjoy with us the hours of this reunion day and learn lessons, possibly better than are found in text books, concerning the great divine law of dwelling together in unity and good fellowship.

Resolved, That our sincere thanks are tendered to the oflicers of the association, especially to Messrs. G. S. Toliver, president, and S. B. Anderson, secretary, for their free will and unremitting labors in giving the people of the county the generous influences of this great gathering; and we also thank the Glee Club and the Jefferson Military Band for their generous and splendid co-operation in making the day a real success.

Resolved, That we hereby send fraternal greetings, laden with choicest good will, to all the old settlers who would rejoice in being present, but who are hindered by sickness, infirmity, or from some other cause, from joining in the pleasures of this occasion. We have missed their faces, the sound of their familiar voices, their generous hand clasp, and account this our great loss. We assure them they are not forgotten.

Resolved, That these resolutions are submitted to the press of the county for their generous consideration.

The last meeting of the association was held in September, 1906, one of the very best gatherings of the entire series, in both attendance and good‘feeling. G. S. Toliver presided and his brother, J. M. Toliver, of Lake City, gave the oration. No meeting was held in the year 1907.

During all the years of the existence of the Old Settlers’ Association, save the first one, Mr. S. B. Anderson of Jefferson, has been its active and untiring secretary. The success attendant upon the gatherings has been largely due to his energy and good planning.