The Toledo Chronicle
July 8, 1875

The Johnston Family - A Grand Reunion

On Friday evening, July 2nd, there was, at the residence of Father Johnston, in Toledo, a meeting of unusual interest-a re-union of all his surviving children, nine in number, with their wives and husbands, and all of his twenty-nine grand children excepting five. They were the parents of eleven children, two of whom died in infancy. Of the remaining nine, eight live and prosper in and about Toledo and one, Lavina continues to reside at Mt. Pleasant, Pa., and the wife of Mrs. Isaac Stauffer a leading merchant of that place.

The whole number surviving of the Johnston family, including parents, children, with their wives and husbands, and children's children, is forty-two, as follows:

Parents-Father and Mother Johnston.
W. F. Johnston and wife, Toledo, Iowa, 1 child.
Wesley Johnston and wife, Toledo, Ia., 7 children.
Wm. Wade and wife, formerly Susanna Johnston, Toledo, Iowa, 6 children.
Isaac Stauffer and wife, formerly Lavina S. Johnston, Mt. Pleasant, Pa., 8 children.
Jacob Yeiser, Jr., and wife, formerly Lydia K. Johnston, Toledo.
John W. Ebersole and wife, formerly Sarah K. Johnston, Toledo, Iowa, 4 children.
George M. Berger and wife, formerly Sarah K. Johnston, Toledo, Iowa, 3 children.(This is an error on the editors part! Sarah K. was repeated.)
Winfield S. Johnston, Toledo Ia, unmarried.

All the above excepting five of the children of Mr. Stauffer were present at the reunion.

There were also present Mrs. Shallenberger, Mrs. W. F. Johnston's foster mother, E. C. Ebersole, cousin to the Johnston children and his wife, Mr. John Owen and Miss Bell Ritter.

At 5 o'clock supper was announced and after Father Johnston had, in most fitting words, returned thanks for this happy and yet solemn meeting, twenty able bodied adults began a united effort to relieve the table of the burden of breads, meats, fruits, pies, cakes, jellies, and ices under which it was made to groan. But the effort was unavailing for Misses Amanda and Anna, who so skillfully and gracefully waited on the guests, seemed to have a boundless reserve somewhere, from which the table was replenished as fast as the victuals disappeared; and at the end of forty minutes the twenty adults fell back, willing to concede that they were unequal to the task of clearing that table. But there were twenty children ready and anxious to renew the assault; and after the commanders of the victuals had had time to re-arrange their forces, the children were let in. They made a vigorous and gallant onslaught, but, though they succeeded admirably in putting the table in contusion, we were not able, at our last observation, to perceive that the quantity of good things was materially diminished.

Father and Mother Johnston have a reason to rejoice, in their declining days, over the family they have reared. Of their nine surviving children, seven are happily married, and if the usual signs do not fail the other two are likely to be in due time. No immoral or disgraceful conduct on the part of any child has ever brought grief to the parents. No son, or son-in-law, has ever indulged in strong drink, or in any of the prevalent vices of society, and we can think of only one who uses tobacco in any form. All the children, except one, and the companions of all who are married, are members in good standing in some branch of the Christian Church. All who are qualified to vote, vote the republican ticket, and are invariably found ?? on the right side of every political, social or moral question. In business, all are industrious, honorable, economical and self-reliant, and as a result of all their practical virtues, they are all enjoying a good measure of worldly prosperity, and hold a big position in the estimation of their neighbors and acquaintances. To rear so large a family so well is a rare achievement, and one of which any parents might well feel proud; and to meet around the family board forty of one's descendants, no one of whom has ever disgraced himself and brought grief to his ancestors, was the rare felicity of Father and Mother Johnston on last Friday evening.

Toledo Chronicle
Toledo, Tama Co. Iowa
July 15, 1875

At W. C. WALTERS’ is the place to get your Harvest Groceries

Mr. G. H. GOODRICH’S father from “way down in Maine” is visiting in Toledo.

A new engine was brought to Toledo last Monday morning for the Toledo & N. W. railway. Her name is Oregon.

“Charley, dear,”said she tenderly pushing him from her as the moonlight flooded the bay window where they were standing, I think you had better try some other hair dye; your moustache tastes like turpentine.

D. ARB & CO., are preparing for summer by getting on a good supply of Wire Cloth for doors and windows, to keep out the flies, grasshoppers, bugs &c., &c. The manufacture frames to order on short notice.

Harvesting will begin this week in some parts of our country.

Rev. C. J. KEPHART returned home from Western Wednesday noon.

A number of our citizens are attending the Camp meeting at Cedar Rapids.

The roads are getting much better since the rains have stopped for a season.

“Mike” BOYLE now has the handsomest turn out of any livery stable in the county.

Judge STRUBLE is herding cattle this summer-at least we saw him wildly brandishing a tree top and driving some cows along Wednesday noon.

Just as we were going to press we received a communication from Dysart, stating that Eddie VAN WINKLE, a lad about 16 years old, was drowned while bathing in Big Creek, last Sunday. The communication will appear next week.

The Toledo Chronicle
Toledo, Tama County, Iowa
July 22, 1875

Teachers Normal Institute

The second session of Teachers Normal Institute of Tama County, Iowa will be held at the School House in Toledo, commencing at 9 o’clock A. M., August 16th, and continuing four weeks. It will be greatly to the interest of every teacher in the county to be present the entire session. Text Books, and Dictionary indispensible for the work we propose. A competent corps of practical instructors are provided. LEADING EDUCATORS from abroad are expected as Lecturers. We hope to make a more perfect announcement next week. Let citiziens of this city desiring boarders, report as early as possible to the conductor. H. A. BROWN, Co. Sup’t., Condutor.

Report of School Inspection for the week ending July 16th.

July 12, Dist. No. 7, Spring Creek Tp., Miss F. McCLUNG, teacher; July 12, Dist. No. 5, Spring Creek Tp., Mr. A. FRENCH, teacher; July 13, Dist. No. 3, Spring Creek Tp., Miss J. L. NOBLE, teacher; July 13, Dist. No. 9, Spring creek Tp., Miss F. KEMUS, teacher; July 14, dist. 6, Carlton Tp., C. E. GRANGER, teacher; July 14, dist. No. 9, Howard Tp., Miss S. V. Somers, teacher; July 15, Dist. No. 4, Howard Tp., Miss L. J. BRUNER, teacher; July 15, Dist. No. 5, Howard Tp., Miss E. M. DEXTER, teacher; July 16, Dist. No. 3, Otter Creek Tp., Miss Ann CLEARY, teacher.

In nearly all of these schools good work is being done. This, a discerning public should not fail to appreciate.
H. A. BROWN, C. Sup’t.

The Toledo Chronicle
Toledo, Tama Co. Iowa
July 22, 1875

DROWNED

Eddie VANWINKLE a son of Mr. and Mrs. I. I. VANWINKLE was drowned last Sunday in Big Creek while bathing with four of his companions. His parents live about two miles north of Dysart. He with other boys was at the creek about two miles north of his home. He could not swim and one of his companions undertook to swim the creek with Eddie on his back, he became frightened and they were all unable to save him. The stream was very high with current swift and strong. It was but a few minutes until crowds of people had gathered upon the banks of the stream to search for the drowned boy. Diligent search was made for him till about one o'clock at night (it was three o'clock in the afternoon he was drowned.) the moon went down rendering it impossible to hunt for him any longer. At the break of day the next morning the people began to gather upon the banks of the stream to renew the search for the boy, and every visible means thought of was procured to find him, and one o'clock came and so far the search had been fruitless. It was proposed to try firing off an anvil; they were speedily procured and fired from a boat over the water where he was last seen. About four o'clock the body was discovered floating about fifty rods below where he had drowned, the anvil unquestionably had raised him. He was taken home to his parents. His was sixteen years of age, an intelligent and industrious youth, and was highly respected by those who knew him. He was much beloved by his parents, brother and sisters, and they mourn their loss deeply. The funeral services were preached at 10 o'clock on Tuesday by Rev. Wm. HUGHS of Vinton, after which the corpse was taken to the cemetery near by, where it was interred while a multitude of people stood by in sympathy with the bereaved parents. His mother and a sister Mrs. A. RANSTON, have been invalids for some time and the terrible shock will be hard for them to endure. They deserve the sympathy of the people and the prayers of all Christians.