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Excerpts from Souvenir Submitted by David M. Waid |
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APPENDIX MY
1886 OR FIRST SOUVENIR.
When, in 1885, the "History of Crawford County" was
published by my friends, Messrs. Warner, Beers & Co., of Chicago, I
was desirous of having my personal and family sketch appear in that volume
in a more elaborate and exhaustive form than it does; but at the time of
giving the several data to the agent, I found I had no practical
biographer by my side to aid me in the undertaking.
That sketch is like the capitol of our country--it is unfinished,
"but the work goes bravely on."
We too often ask others to do for us what we can do for ourselves. Harriet Beecher Stowe, in conversation about her "Uncle
Tom's Cabin," said that no one was more surprised than herself at
the result. "At
first," said the authoress, "I intended to write two or three
numbers, but when I got agoing I found I could not stop."
I have discovered that what I thought I could not do of myself, by
Divine help I can. Nothing
affords me more pleasure than to continue in the work; and the expressions
of appreciation I have received from many of my kindred and friends, to
whom I presented copies of my first SOUVENIR, give me great courage and
hope. Some of the written acknowledgments I will here give as far
as space will permit. When I
sent my cousin, Bigler Roudebush (who lives at Erie, Penn.), a copy of my Souvenir,
I received in return a photograph of my aunt, Clara Roudebush, with her
youngest child, Bigler, in her arms.
I do not know of anything that would have pleased me more.
My friend, Sylvester A. Tiffany, on receiving a copy of my book,
wrote me a very interesting letter, in which, after kind expressions of
thanks, he says: "I wish
I had such a book for my friends."
A relative says of the S0UVENIR:
"It is good enough for a king;" and another writes from
Milwaukee, Wis.: "If you
had sent me $100, although I need money, it would not have pleased me as
well; may you live to write more; I think your 'Address to the Youth' is
very good. God bless
you."
Mr. Hamilton says he "read the Souvenir, and failed to find
anything that would offend, but much to please and interest."
A young man, whose father was a schoolmate and scholar of mine,
thus writes me: "After
perusing your book, which you presented to my uncle, I longed to possess
one like it, for I think between its covers are examples worthy to be
imitated by any young man." I
will add that this gentleman's wish was gratified.
My cousin, M. S. Morehead, of Armington, Ill., writes: "I received a very interesting and valuable book from
you. I am pleased and
delighted in reading its pages. Many
thanks, and while some incidents of sad news bring tears, some others
bring joy."
From Mr. J. F. Hamilton's letter, dated Muddy Creek, London Co.,
Tenn., March 29, 1887, I quote the following:
"I am proud of the present you sent me.
I think your Souvenir is so nice.
I am under many and lasting obligations to you.
Give our love to all the family."
E. W. Harroun, from Guy's Mills, Penn., writes an interesting
letter, and after expressing thanks for the book, says: "Francis, your parents and mine were eastern people from
Connecticut. I remember well
the last time your mother visited our home.
I sat and listened to hear them talk of their girlhood days in Old
Connecticut. Both were good
talkers, and conversation was lively when they came together, but now they
both sleep in the same burial ground--our best friends.
I respect your judgment in selecting a book to give your friends; a
good book is a joy forever, the same to-day or a hundred years
hence."
Under date of January 2, 1887, Warren Cutshall, of Pine Island,
Minn., writes: "It was
with great pleasure that we received your book, and we will keep it as a
token of friendship. It
brings back many scenes of childhood and youth--the old red school-house
that I passed in going to the mill, for in those days many a grist was
carried on horseback. It was not until after you were married that I became well
acquainted with you." Warren
Cutshall, David Finney and Henry Smith built our house in 1861.
Warren is a brother of George W. Cutshall, my brother-in-law, and
since his removal to Pine Island, Minn., I with others have visited his
pleasant home twice, once with Mr. G. W. Cutshall and my brother in
November, 1880; and in the fall of 1881 I had the pleasure again to visit
him in company with Mr. and Mrs. Cutshall and Eliza, my wife.
We drove across the country from Lansing, Iowa, to Pine Island,
making a most enjoyable trip.
I also enjoyed Warren Cutshall's and his wife's company when they
were visiting relations and friends here in 1882.
On one of my visits to Pine Island, I went to see, in company with
G. W. Cutshall, Warren Cutshall and G. N. Waid, Pine Island Cemetery,
where, I was informed, eight of the Cutshall family or kindred were
interred, among them being Mrs. Warren Cutshall, my friend's first wife,
and J. Cutshall, his brother, with whom I was acquainted; the names of the
other relatives I can not recall. Warren
Cutshall is not only a farmer, but a good carpenter and speedy workman.
Some time ago when in Meadville, I was talking with one of our
county commissioners, to whom I had sent a copy of my SOUVENIR, and, after
thanking me heartily for it he inquired how I found "time to get up
such a book." To this I
replied: "During the day I thought, and in the evening I put my
thoughts into writing. This
my publishers printed in book form which I could present to my friends,
and this pleases me very much."
"Yes," added he, "and your friends too."
Among the letters which appear farther on is one from my loved
friend, S. N. Phelps, of Woodstock, Minn., and this letter both gratifies
and instructs me. The closing
remarks interest me most, for they are a theme to which I have given
thought and endeavored to act in accordance with all my life, and if there
is not a motive in it, then it would be a blank to me, and of no avail
whatever; but it is not so conditioned.
I feel I have not labored in vain, either in the Lord or for the
Lord; and most heartily do I endorse the moral that whatever we do should
be done unto Him, and that we should do it as those who expect they have
to render an account of the deeds of this life. I now present to the reader a record of the distribution of the 300 copies of my first SOUVENIR, giving date, name and address, also number of portraits contained in each book. RECORD
OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE THREE HUNDRED COPIES RECEIVED AUGUST 17, 1886, GIVING DATES OF DELIVERY OR MAILING.
Of these 300 books 242 contained each four family portraits, and
fifty-eight contained twelve.
DATE.
NAME. August17, 1886 F. C. Waid, Meadville, Penn 17, 1886 To each of my sons, F. I., P. G. and F. F. Waid
Meadville, Penn.
17, 1886 G. N. Waid, Meadville, Penn.
17, 1886
G. W. Cutshall, Guy's Mills, Penn.
17, 1886
Martha Goodwill, Grand Valley, Penn
17, 1886
Albert F. G. Goodwill, Grand Valley, Penn
17, 1886
Horace H. Goodwill, Grand Valley, Penn
17, 1886
George A. Goodwill, Tryonville, Penn
18, 1886
Fremont Bradshaw, Grand Valley, Penn
18, 1886 Frank Sturgis, Centreville, Penn
18, 1886
Oscar Goodwill, Centreville, Penn
18, 1886
Uncle Robert Morehead, Meadville, Penn
18, 1886
John Morehead, Meadville, Penn
18, 1886
Robert A. Fergerson, Meadville, Penn
18, 1886 Clark Ellis, Meadville, Penn
18, 1886 Cora Williams. Meadville, Penn
18, 1886 Henry Smith, Meadville, Penn
18, 1886
William Smith, Meadville Penn
18, 1886
Orlando Waid, Blooming Valley, Penn
18.
l886 Daniel H Miller, Blooming Valley, Penn
18, 1886 Nick P. Waid, Blooming Valley, Penn
18, 1886
Marilla Bradshaw, Blooming Valley, Penn
18, 1886
Grant N. Waid, Blooming Valley, Penn
18, 1886
Iowa Joslin, Blooming Valley, Penn
18, 1886
Blanch Underhault, Union City, Penn
18, 1886
Elizabeth Riddle, Bolivar, Penn
18, 1886 Jacob Housenic, Union City, Penn
18, 1886 Sarah E. Russell, Guy's Mills, Penn
18, 1886 Frank Cutshall, Guy’s Mills, Penn
18, 1886
Philip Cutshall, Guy’s Mills, Penn
18, 1886 Aunt Eliza C. Phillipps, Townville, Penn
18, 1886
Pember W. Phillipps, Townville, Penn
18, 1886
Rebecca Arnold, Townville, Penn
18, 1886
Rachel Phillipps, Townville, Penn
18, 1886
Lucinda Gillett, Townville, Penn
18, 1886
Harrison Sutton, Townville, Penn
18, 1886
Aunt Clarrinda Morehead, Townville, Penn
18, 1886
Rachel Britton, Townville, Penn
18, 1886 Allen Morehead, Townville, Penn
18, 1886
Joseph Morehead, Newton, Penn
18, 1886
George Sutton, Blooming Valley, Penn
18, 1886
Lewis M. Slocum, Meadville, Penn
18, 1886
A. D. Brown, Blooming Valley, Penn
18, 1886 Ralph
Roudebush, Blooming Valley, Penn
18, 1886
Dr. G. W. Wetter, Blooming Valley, Penn
18, 1886
C. W. Wygant, Esq, Blooming Valley, Penn
18, 1886
Andy Ryder, Blooming Valley, Penn
18, 1886
Jerome Drake, Blooming Valley, Penn
18, 1886
Charles Morehead, Townville, Penn
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