Where are the pioneers of Linn?

Alas! they’re falling fast;

A few more years and they will all

Be numbered with the past.

 Among these families of old

So very dear to me,

Is one I wish to mention here,

The Newman family.

 They came from Indiana

This country for to dwell.

We’ll call the roll of those who

came

Their names I wish to tell.

 Uncle Perry was among

The first of those who came,

And now the children we will try

To call each one by name.

 Thomas, John and Joseph M.,

Bill, and Henrietta too,

James, Benjamin, Frances too and

Miche;

They all together grew.

 They were a happy family,

And jolly so to speak;

Their home was on the Rapids

road

Just north of Otter Creek.

And now ‘tis uncle Billy

Who’se calling our attention,

And to his children one and all,

Whose names we wish to mention.

 Big John and Perry we recall,

Both here to manhood grew.

A sister, Hester, dark eyed girl,

And dancing Bennie too.

 Next we recall is uncle John

and his good wife Aunt Nancy,

Their names are real, they lived

here once

It is no passing fancy.

 Thoas was the eldest son,

A soldier tried and brave.

The next a son was born to them,

We called him little Dave.

 Johnson, Elizabeth, and Jane

Were born in olden times;

Caroline, and Johnnie too

Are mentioned in these rhymes.

 And there was Uncle Gustie,

We’ve always understoond

He had no children of his own,

But raised one Sammy Good.

And now ‘tis Aunt Jane Roy,

Whose name we wish to mention;

And also of her children

If you will lend attention.

 The eldest son in Benjamin,

We used to know him well;

He left Linn County long ago,

In Kansas he doth dwell.

 John T. was the next to come,

And, likewise Pinkney,

Dave, Oliver, and Newton

Composed the other three.

 Anna was the only girl

She died some years ago;

But to more boys were born

to them

We’ll mention them below.

 Alvarian of great reserve

And Willard next, his brother,

Were last to join this family

To bless their dad and mother.

 Elizabeth McLeod is next,

As we can plainly see,

I’ll mention all her children’s

names

And bring them unto thee.

 Nancy Jane and William too

Emma, Ella, also James,

Nettie, Maude, are calling too

And now, we’ve mentioned all

their names.

 Micha Reynolds next we give

A place upon these page;

Her christian faith was steadfast

As the ancient Rock of Ages.

 William is the eldest son,

Then Ezra, Gus. D. Wm;

Sarah was the eldest girl

And Anna next with eyes of blue.

 Thomas D. was widely known,

A preacher of renown,

He spoke thro-out the country,

And also in the town.

 Admonishing his hearers

As he wandered to and fro,

To see religion whilst on earth

And thus evade the woe.

 We’re calling for the children,

Their names we will obtain.

We’re calling for the eldest girl,

I think they call her Jane.

B. R. is next upon the list

And Lucy too as well;

James A. has gone to Backus

In Backus he doth dwell.

 The baby girl was Micha

Whom we cannot remember;

She died within the spring of life

Instead of chill December.

 Aquila was a preacher too

Who prayed both night and day,

And died whilst he admonished

The scriptures to obey.

 And now as to his children

We’ll try and name them too;

We want the name of each you

know

Presented unto you.

 Martha, Nank, and Frances too,

May, June, and Lizzie B,

And Willie too the baby boy,

And that is all I see.

 Yes, this is all of this old set,

And I have not the time,

To hunt the names of all the rest

And set them down in rhyme.

 Of Newmans there’s another

branch,

Cousins by the way,

Who came to settle Iowa

In a far distant day.

 Five brothers came that we recall

Their names I wish to tell.

They came from somewhere in the

east,

To Linn County for to dwell.

 Nelson lived near Center Point,

He settled on a farm.

He spent his life in doing good

And never doing harm.

 Malinda was his eldest

With eyes of azure blue.

James, the son, came later on

For there were only two.

 Thomas lived one half mile east

We often did him see,

There he lived and tilled the soil,

And raised his family.

 We’ll call the children if we can,

As we oftimes used to do.

We’ll call their names as fast we

can

And present them unto you.

 William Edward, John Nelse, too,

Pheobe Ann, and Mary Ellen,

Often we would meet them there,

When the schools would have their

spellins.

 Esther, Nan and David, too

Composed the other three.

We have the names of all of them

And brought them unto thee.

 Aquila was the next we call

His children too we’ll mention

Willie, Annie Limia too

Augusta claims attention.

 And now ‘tis Jesse that we call,

A smith by occupation.

He had a host of friends you know,

And thousands of relations.

 Malinda was the oldest girl

Then Marion her brother.

Manda, Joe and Hilly too,

And Jessie was the other.

 Jody was a brother too

Which constitutes the five,

They’ve passed beyond the vail of

tears

For they are not alive.

 The elder generation’s gone

But we can truly say,

Their memory is cherished yet,

And honor them today.