The Rockport Journal, June 28, 1935

Article was typed as it was worded in the newspaper.

Full Program For July Fourth Ready

MAMMOTH PARADE TO START DAY’S ACTIVITIES AT 10 O’CLOCK

The Lincoln Pioneer Village is to be dedicated on July 4th, and at 10 a. m. the big parade is to open the day’s program and a long line of historic floats are to pass in review down Main street, then to the City Park (old fair grounds) and circle the race track. Hilbert Bennett will announce each float as it passes the grand stand. With amplifiers, all may hear what is spoken from the speakers’ platform. The reception committees will be on the outside of the Lincoln Pioneer Village to receive the guests. On the main reception committee besides those mentioned last week are: Mr. and Mrs. Robert Squire and Mr. and Mrs. Myler Shrode.

The Ladies Aid of the M. E. church will begin serving their wonderful pioneer dinner from 11 o’clock on for 50c a plate, to those not taking basket dinners.

At 1 p. m. the McGuffey Clubs meet in the pioneer village and have a special program under the direction of J. Roy Strickland. Their program is as follows: "America", audience; invocation; address of welcome, Joseph R. Haines, Rockport; response, "Some History, Some Facts About McGuffey Club", Paragraphy; "Life of William Holmes McGuffey", Alidore Cassidy Huffman, Tell City; vocal solo, "Long, Long Ago", Mrs. Kate Salm, Rockport; address, "McGuffey’s Influence in Indiana", Rev. J. F. Rake; perfecting permanent McGuffey club; "Auld Lang Syne", audience, led by Mrs. Kate Salm; adjournment.

At 2:30 p. m. the dedicatory program begins in front of the amphitheater and is as follows:

Bess V. Ehrman, president of Spencer County Historical Society, presiding.

Band music, Rockport high school, under direction of E. E. Nichols; invocation, Rev. L. S. Jarrett, pastor M. E. church, Rockport; address of welcome, Mayor Harvey Chinn; presenting Sen. Sherman Minton by Hon. Edward C. Simpson; address, "American Patriotism", by Sen. Sherman Minton; presenting Judge Roscoe Kiper by T. C. Basye, president emeritus of Spencer County Historical Society; address, "Lincoln’s Boyhood in Spencer County", Judge Roscoe Kiper; presenting Attorney General Philip Lutz by Hon. E. C. Simpson; address, "A 4th of July in Lincoln’s Time and Today", Hon. Philip Lutz; song, "In the Good Old U. S. A.", by Mrs. Ben Smith, Grandview; presenting former Lieutenant-Governor Harold Van Orman; presenting Congressman John Boehne by Hon. E. C. Simpson; address, "Lincoln Memorials", Hon. John Boehne; presenting Hon. William Fortune by Mrs. Bess Ehrmann; remarks, Hon. William Fortune; presenting Hon. J. Roy Strickland by U. S. Lindsey, treasurer of Spencer County Historical Society; remarks, Hon. J. Roy Strickland; presenting George Honig, artist and sculptor, by Mrs. Bess Ehrmann; dedication of Lincoln Pioneer Village, George Honig; band music, Rockport high school; benediction, Rev. W. M. Allen, pastor Trinity Lutheran church, Rockport.

Many interesting things have been arranged to take place on the grounds during the day. Frank Stewart and Henry Hoch, joint chairmen of an active committee comprising Hilbert Bennett, Claude Snyder, Thomas Fortune, Clarence Underhill and Charles Link, have been untiring in their work for the big celebration, with Loney Parsley as marshal of parade and pioneer village activities.

The day will close with a big Indian raid staged by the Kiwanis Club as Indians, and Roy Martin, Claude Snyder, Robert Snyder and Loney Parsley in charge of the village defense.

The teachers in the Rockport schools are to act as official guides for the day, conducting visitors through the village and explaining its historical significance. They are Edith Brother, Ethel Lawburgh, Charles Fay, Helen Posey, Eva Kehrer, Essie Lee Williams, Ben Atkinson, Thomas Fortune, Tina Hill and Eva Featherston.

The village has eleven log houses and they are to be furnished and pioneers living in them that day. There are 175 actors in the village as its citizens for July 4th.

No. 1 is the administration building and for the day will have in one room an exhibition of war relics, with Myler Shrode, American Legion commander of the local post and others in charge. In the other room the Legion auxiliary will have a pioneer home with many interesting furnishings and the ones in charge there are Goldie Napper, Jennie Squire, Myrtle Walker, Leon Richard, Mrs. Martin, Edna Ice, Helen Parsley, Garnet Parsley, Grace Allen, Stella Niles, Mrs. Luther Myers, Amanda Kessner.

No. 2 is the pioneer church where old-fashioned worship is held from time to time all day. Rev. Karl Kramer of Rockport is to be the preacher and the mothers chorus of Grandview and Rockport are to be members of the congregation and sing old time religious tunes. Men and women in the village are also part of the congregation. The singers are Mesdames Madeline Kinney, Ethel Sibrel, Lula Mae Thorpe, Gertrude Baker, Mary Weaver, Flora Gabbert, Terila Hammond, E. N. Johnston, Esther Towles, Melba Hall, Ross Wibbler, Nora Freshly, Welker Painter, Katie Scherer, Clarence Carter, Stella Niles, Rose Himmelheber and Bertha Luckado.

No. 3 is John Pitcher’s law office and Edgar Houston acts the part of Judge Pitcher.

No. 4 is the Jones store where Col. William Jones will be acted by Edgar Shrode, and Millard Huffman of Huffman, Ind., playing the part of Abraham Lincoln, the clerk. The store is to be equipped and managed by the Rockport Woman’s club with the following ladies in charge: Mesdames Nell Weiner, Lizzie Gentry, Glenna Ashcraft, Dell Thurman, Gertrude Laird, Mary Gillett, May Beeler, Nora Rimstidt, Maud Richards, Dade Hill, Pearl Powers and Ola Scamahorn.

No. 5 is the Daniel Grass home and Miss Laura Wright acts the part of her great-grandmother, Mrs. Daniel Grass.

No. 6 is the Gentry mansion, a log cabin donated by Mr. and Mrs. William Selzer of Midway, and rebuilt by FERA labor and a special money donation of some of the Gentry family in memory of their ancestor, James Gentry. In this lovely old log house the Gentrys will receive their visitors. Those taking part being Miss Elizabeth Bullock, Grant Gentry, Dolly Smith, Anna Gentry, Ada Rhoades, Helen Trobaugh, Sissie Haines, Frances Gentry, Anna Boultinghouse and baby, Birk Gentry, Roby Gentry, wife and baby and Jeanette Gentry.

No. 7 is the Azel Dorsey home. This house was donated by Henry Hoch. In Dorsey’s home, which was about three miles west of Rockport, the first court was held in Spencer county. Dorsey was one of Abraham Lincoln’s school teachers. The Rockport Garden club has charge of this home and the old fashioned garden. Mrs. Fred Heuring acts the part of Mrs. Dorsey. Garden club members as hostesses for the day are: Mesdames Jacob Baum, Louis Schoenfield, R. E. Roberts, Isabelle Kopp, Elizabeth Wells, James Hopkins, John Buxton and Amelia Meeks.

No. 8 is the Pioneer school which is put on by Chrisney people. Gus Sarver is the old time school master and following pupils: Wilma Moessner, Violet Beasley, Maxine Egnew, Iona Carter, Mary K. Haines, Ila Dee Kramer, Gloria Ann Kramer, Mary Janet Chrisney, Henrietta Kratz, Nina M. Grigsby, Venesia Stephens, Pauline Dawson, Ruth Cissna, Natalie Heady, Helen Parker, Nila G. Ayer, Louis Meyer, Kenneth Ayer, James Meyer, Norbert Hartz, Lester Wroe, Roy Stephens, Jack Stephens, Junior Main, Robert McDaniel, Edmund Cissna Jr., and Curl Johnson.

No. 9 is the Reuben Grigsby home where Mr. and Mrs. Eli Grigsby are to be host and hostess with the Silverdale home economics club carrying on pioneer activities. Those acting the part of pioneers are: Mesdames Marie Kramer, Myrtle Kinney, Jennie Squire, Florence Lakey, Myrtle Atkinson, Gertrude Kramer, Addie Bretz, Mamie Giles and Charles Mayhill.

No. 10 is Brown’s Inn and here the early arts are to be demonstrated and many lovely old hand made articles sold as souvenirs. The Trinity Lutheran Ladies Aid will be quilting. Mrs. Jolly, Mrs. Lashbrook, Mrs. Rose Thurman and Mrs. Hart spinning and weaving; Mrs. Cochran hooked rug making, Mrs. Harris rag rug weaving; the Catholic church guild knitting and hand work; Baptist and United Brethren Aids hand made articles; the Eastern Star will sell Nancy Hanks Lincoln candy under the direction of Mrs. Stanley Murray and Mrs. Jessie Trinkle. Historic booklets of Rockport and Spencer county, written by Mrs. Bess Ehrmann and published by the Spencer County Historical Society will be on sale and Lincoln Pioneer Village gift plates made for the village will be sold by Mary Jo Kellams and Marjory Parsley. A Lincoln Pioneer Village post office will be in this inn and one may buy a Lincoln post card and mail it in the village post office.

No. 11 is the Grandview block house. Ezekiel Ray lived in this for a while and the Grandview pioneers are stationed here--Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Woolfolk, Mrs. Denby Cadick Sr., Mrs. Etheline Newman, Dave Hammond, Albert Ray and Dean Ray.

No. 12. Here we see as the last point of historic interest on this tour, Pres. and Mrs. Lincoln, William Parsley acting the part of the President and Mrs. Kenneth Atchison, Mary Todd Lincoln. A pioneer reception committee inside the village is Thomas and Nancy Lincoln played by Judge F. A. Heuring and Mrs. Grace Pattie, Sarah and Abe by Alma Jean Peek and John Shrode, Sarah Bush Lincoln represented by Mrs. Fanny Wright, the Jones and Grigsbys by Mrs. Tom Savage and Richard Savage, the Snyders by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Snyder, Barnetts by Miss Helen Barnett; Proctors and Morgans by Mrs. C. W. Halbruge; Browns and Morgans by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Brown; the Grahams by Mrs. Lizzie Graham, Hall and Stowers by Mrs. Hib Bennett, Romines and Hevrons by Mrs. Bell Chinn and Mrs. Hevron, Mrs. Anna Bird representing her ancestors who were the first to be married in Rockport, the Hinds family by Clifford Dawson. Jimmie Savage, Howard Jackson and Louis Kramer, pioneer citizens. There are to be two groups of old time dancers in the village, one of children under the direction of Miss Lucille Richards. They are: Joe Billy Parsley, Bobby Branch, Roy Bauman, Joe Youngblood, Eugenia Basham, Pauline Jones, Mason Jean Mochran, Ellen B. Parsley. An older group--Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Snyder, Mr. and Mrs. Louis Kramer, Claude Snyder, Mrs. Lakey, Fred Kehrer, Mrs. Lizzie Murray, Miss Carrie Kehrer, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Brown, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Bryant.

Outside the village an information committee will consist of six young girls who are to assist the visitors in every way possible. This group includes: Ellen Lindsey, Martha Kessner, Marguerite Anderson, Wanda Russell, Betty Crane, Maxine Hall.

James Rimstidt and Paul Hargis will act as gatekeepers at the village. The escort of honor consisting of the following young women led by the girls drum corps of Dale, escort the speakers to the platform, led by Miss Lucille Richards and Mrs. Elsie Riggle. They are Lois Bauman, Dorothy Sherwood, Mae Oma Keller, Louise Raider, Gertrude Laird, Ann Osborne, Janella Schoenfeld, Mariam Vititoe, Helen Hargis, Dorothy Hargis, Edith Williamson, Madge Cadick, Aline Thompson, Leona Raider, Martha Lee Robinson, Lillian Hoch, Mildred Axton, Marjorie Martin, Myrtle Wright, Martell Swan, Lloyd Hill, Elizabeth Hill, Margaret Wright, Mary Emily Halbruge, Dorothy Burdick, Margaret Ann Mulhall, Margaret Robinson, Helen K. Hougland, Virginia Sargent, Madge Miller, Mary Kessner, Evelyn Brother, Dorothy Shrode, Jo Towles, Lotus Harmon, Katherine Hougland, Mary Elinor Hamilton, Laura Martin Reeves, Martine Doyle, Helen Brown, Frances Forsythe, Nila Stevenson, Evelyn Ayer, Pauline Rimstidt, Katherine Synder, Mary G. Richards, Mabel Hargis, Martene Freschley, Katherine L. Stuteville.

Dr. Claude Lomax of Dale, who has one of the largest collections of old guns in the country, is to place guns in every cabin in the village making very real the need of defense from Indian raids in early days. This collection of valuable funs is worth going miles to see.

Money donations since last recorded are: Dr. and Mrs. J. T. Wheeler, Indianapolis, $10; Blanche Gilmore, Iowa, $2.50; Edith Price, California, $2.50; Kate A. Niblack, Oklahoma City, $1; Thelma Jones, Oklahoma City, $1; Mary C. Gillett, $1; Mrs. Jolly, Sr., $1; Richland Home Economics Club, $2.50; Newtonville Legion Auxiliary, $2; Cova Wetzel, $5; Mrs. M. Weil, $5; Fletcher Peek, $5; for special work on James Gentry memorial building, Ada Rhoades $16, Lizzie Bullock $10, Fred Gentry $1, John Haines $1, Sissie Brown $1, Dolly and Wynona Smith $1, James A. Gentry $1, Anna Gentry $1, Grant Gentry $1, Ab Gentry $1, Margaret Wright $1, Helen Hougland $1, Birk Gentry $1, Ed Gentry $1. Harvey Chinn $1, Sidney Carter $2, for general donations.