Macon City had a notable gathering Saturday in honor of the 80th birthday of our state. It was gotten up largely by M.C. Tracy and he and Ben Eli Guthrie made speeches. Some of the old men were on hand as follows:
William Robert Samuel of Huntsville, born in 1822, one of the first to join the nation's standard when the bugle call was sounded for the Mexican War and who came out of the Army as a Lieutenant in Price's regiment.
Captain W. T. Austin, the well known pioneer lawyer of Randolph county, who was a schoolmate of Bill Anderson, the guerilla chieftain.
Major W.C.B. Gillespe, veteran newspaperman of North Mo., who began his journalistic career fifty years ago as a Sprinfield, Illinois correspondent of the Chicago Times.
Dr. J. B. Winn of Macon, aged 86, who for fifty-four years has practiced medicine in Randolph, Linn, and Macon counties, and in his early professional years, kept five horses in his barn to meet the constant calls for his services for a neighborhood fifty miles in extent.
Mr. and Mrs. Liberty Noble of Jacksonville, Randolph county, aged 92 and 83, who were married sixty-two years ago.
William Stokes of Excello, aged 74, who was prominent figure at a big Baptist meeting in 1834, when the "Hardshells" withdrew from the Missionary Baptist.
Major Thomas Moody, aged 78, a Missourian since 1844.
Richard M. Holt, born in Nashville, Tenn, seventy two years ago and came to MO in 1832.
I. Jeff Buster of Marceline, Linn Co., MO
Five first class old time fiddlers, all over 60, are as follow: Isiah Lewis, Morrow township: J. N. Ketchan, Macon: Mordecia Harp, Bevier, E. Sumpter, Woodville: James C. Carpenter, Narrows township.
Shelbina Democrat ~ August 14, 1901