Auburn Courier August 13, 1896

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Auburn Courier August 13, 1896

Married Hundreds- Novel Reunion in Indiana-Pastor Meese Has Called together the 1,500 couples He Has United and They will Celebrate at Auburn on August 20.

Huntington, Ind., Aug. 2-One of the queerest reunions in the history of Indiana will take place at Auburn, DeKalb County, Ind., on Aug. 20. It is to be composed of the men and women who have been united in marriage by the Rev. W. L. Meese during his ministry there. They form a fair proportion of the population of DeKalb County besides being represented in every other state in the union. This novel idea has taken immensely with them and the prospects are that there will be a gathering that will be memorable.

For years the Rev. William L. Meese or "Uncle Billy," as he is called, has officiated at a large share of the matrimonial ceremonies held in that county. Finally it developed into a popular impression that the thing was not properly done unless it had his pious sanction. This has been especially the case among the rustics, until now the peace-loving man can not put his finger on the county map without covering broad acres tilled by men who were made benedicts by him. How many there are of them the parson does not know and the records do not disclose, but he has officiated in that capacity more times than has any other minister now living in this section, and it is safe to say that the number will reach 1,500. Of these many have since attained distinction in different walks of life, and is a fact of which the Rev. Meese is proud that very few of his marriages have been undone by divorce courts.

Programme of the Reunion

The novel programme proposed for Aug. 20, was brought about by the desire of Mr. Meese to round out his active ministry by a grand gathering of all those whom he has started out in life. He announced the idea several weeks ago and it met with instantaneous approval. Letters of congratulations and offers of assistance came pouring in and at this early date is an assured success. Speakers of local prominence have been secured to address the gathering. It will be an all day affair. A brass band has been engaged to enliven the occasion with music and a great chorus of voices will assist it.

The reunion will be held in a beautiful grove at the edge of town. There will be hammocks and swings and enough good things to eat to make the hearts of visitors glad. Intermingled with the music will be oratory and recitations and the finale will be a grand march led by the first couple married by Rev. Mr. Meese. They are George Swineford and wife (nee Belle Hornberger). The newest married couple will have the honor of the left of the line and no one will venture to guess who they will be, as Mr. Meese has announced that he will marry anyone free on that day who will make an application.

When the procession has reached the proper position it will about face and will be "taken" by a local photographer who has been fortunate enough to secure the exclusive right to the job.

That is the programme as now made out for the first matrimonnial reunion ever held in this country so far as known.

Sketch of the Minister

The man who is thus honored was born in Canal Fulton, O., on Dec. 14, 1828. He was confirmed in the Catholic Church at Massillon in 1844. He was a towboy on the Wabash and Erie canal from 1846 to 1853 and moved to Indiana in 1855. He joined the Methodist church in 1856 and in the same year was licensed as an exhorter. In 1877 he was licensed to preach. He was elected sheriff of DeKalb County in 1872 and again in 1874.

During the forty years of his work as an exhorter and minister he has made the acquaintance of nearly every man, woman and child in the county. His popularity with the country people is boundless. He officiates at their marriages and funerals and is consulted in naming the new-born children. It has been said that some of these people would refuse to die unless they were assured that "Uncle Billy" would officiate at their funerals.

Notwithstanding his life of activity and success as a minister he is poor. He is charitably inclined and is a splendid type of the old time preacher. He was never a politician in the popular sense of the word; yet when he ran for sheriff he overturned an adverse majority. It has been estimated that if only persons whom he had married with their descendants, were to vote for him, he could be elected to any office in the county.

Matrimonial

Record of Those who were in Attendance and Registered at the Meese Reunion at Auburn, Indiana, Thursday, August 20th, 1896 (from the Auburn Courier)

Name	Woman	Residence	Date	Chil'n
George Swineford	Isabel Hornberger	Mt. Hope	Nov. 2, 1879	-
Silas S. Potter	Etta Lochner	Auburn	June 5, 1889	1
Edward Beaty	Anna Lochner	Auburn	Nov. 20, 1888	1
Thomas Horner	Lina Surface	Auburn	Mch. 28, 1880	5
John L. Keeran	Anise C. Beeber	Auburn	Sept. 25, 1884	1
George W. Quince	Viona Durham	Auburn	April 25, 1885	2
Oscar Hanes	Carrie Myers	Angola	Dec. 23, 1886	-
Thomas Cool	Amanda Myers	Auburn	June 12, 1881	6
G. W. Burtzer	Rachael A. Lyon	Auburn	Sept. 4, 1881	2
Wm. P. Lucas	Ella Boyle	St. Joe	Sept. 9, 1885	-
David Heitz	Emma Willer	Butler Twp.	Oct. 12, 1890	3
Thos. C. Stafford	Ida A. Moore	Auburn	Mch. 6, 1878	3
John C. Lochner	Darley Clark	Auburn	May 9, 1894	1
Reuben Clouse	Manda Lacy	Auburn	Feb. 17, 1882	3
W. B. Rohn	Phebe C. Townley	Waterloo	Dec. 23, 1893	-
Joseph Ferguson	Cora Kosht	Union Twp.	Dec. 27, 1890	1
William Clouse	Maude Miltop	Auburn	Jan. 29, 1882	3
Joseph Kelham	Lydia Simon	Butler Twp.	Mch. 29, 1882	3
August Bohlke	Myrtle Maurer	Auburn	May 6, 1890	1
Alex D. Freeman	Sylvia Bailey	Auburn	April 18, 1880	7
A. C. Baker	Minerva Knight	St. Joe	Nov. 10, 1885	1
C. W. Lanham	Lizzie Clouse	Auburn	Sep. 10, 1891	2
M. Springer	Laura Carper	Auburn	Mch. 25, 1891	2
W. S. Dancer	Mary E. Cool	Jackson Tp	Mch. 11, 1880	7
James Freeman	Anna Beugnot	Butler Tp	Feb. 5, 1895	1
David Dulaney	Margaret Carr	Auburn	Dec. 20, 1887	2
Jacob M. Smith	Ida Fansler	Cedar Creek	feb. 23, 1888	1
David Matheny	Mary Hough	Auburn	Sep 25, 1882	2
Albert Thrush	Ella Pepple	New Era	Jan. 1, 1882	5
Wm. Fitch	Lucinda DePotte	Ft. Wayne	Mch. 22, 1892	2
Clyde Brandon	Clara Hough	Auburn	Dec. 25, 1887	3
F. A. Squires	Della McConahey	Auburn	Dec. 24, 1887	1
Geo. W. Beeber	Lydia Hall	Auburn	Sep. 30, 1881	2
John Clark	Eva Wise	Auburn	Nov. 24, 1881	-
H. A. Penland	Minnie Hallam	Auburn	June 25, 1892	2
E. T. Cochran	BelleShook	Auburn	Mch. 24, 1886	-
F. E. Hensinger	Belle Crum	Auburn	July 3, 1891	2
Ellis Cartright	Kate Hensinger	Auburn	Apr. 16, 1891	2
John Strouse	Millie Osbun	Auburn	Apr. 10, 1884	4
L. E. Harding	Alice King	Linn Grove	Apr. 7, 1887	-
Frnak Cosper	Jane McDaniel	Auburn	Nov. 2, 1882	2
B. Bailey	Nettie J Wise	Auburn	Dec. 25, 1889	1
Daniel Houk	Arilla Kiner	spencerville	Nov. 22, 1883	3
Serenus Haag	Ella Draime	Cedar Creek	July 28, 1888	3
Edward Kelham	Viola Whetzel	Garrett	Feb. 1, 1880	4
William O. Stantes	Laura Anderson	Auburn	Jan. 1, 1891	3
Joseph Cochran	Mary E. Miser	Auburn	Oct. 6, 1881	3

Matrimonial

Record of Those who were in Attendance and Registered at the Meese Reunion at Auburn, Indiana, Thursday, August 20th, 1896 (from the Auburn Courier)

Name	Woman	Residence	Date	Chil'n
W. L. Moore	Inez B. Smurr	LaGrange	Aug. 16, 1885	1
Uriah Shank	Rebecca Stonestreet	Cedar Creek	Sep. 25, 1880	2
S. F. Morr	Effa Provines	Auburn	June 27, 1891	3
Jno W Bucher	Ellen Gulick	Auburn	July 2, 1891	2
R Blum	Rose A Shaffer	Garrett	Mch 29, 1888	1
Cory Shugers	Ida Wildeson	Auburn	Oct 17, 1889	-
Levi Barnhart	Ida Smurr	Mooresville	Oct 21, 1883	4
Samuel Watson	Clara Slusser	Huntington	Sept 12, 1880	4
J M Brown	Malinda Stafford	Oufa	Dec. 18, 1880	4
Norman Donalson	Lida Reed	Auburn	Oct 18, 1891	2
L.F. Weygandt	Jennie Freeman	Ft. Wayne	Apr. 2, 1889	2
Jacob Shull	Elizabeth A. Morr	Auburn Jc.	Jan. 8, 1891	2
Wm. Blodgett	Pluma Miller	Auburn	Nov. 16, 1893	1
Miles Embry	Jennie Weygandt	DeKalb P O	Jan. 8, 1888	1
Wm. G. Boren	Ida A Wasler	Auburn	Feb. 8, 1886	3
Wilbert Lutz	Etta Pugsley	Concord	Aug. 18. 1896	-
John Spear	Cora Boren	Auburn	Jan 12, 1896	-
John D. Essig	Mary E. Carnahan	Auburn	Dec. 1, 1888	2
J. R. Lewellyn	Alice Ridge	Waterloo	Apr. 3, 1886	-
Joseph Morr	Lucy B. Frick	Waterloo	Oct. 25, 1892	2
Walter G. Pugsley	Maude E Haney	Butler	July 23, 1896	-
Wm. Watson	Bertha Grim	Spencerville	Mch. 28, 1891	3
Willard J. Potter	Jennie Wenrich	Auburn	Aug. 12, 1886	2
N. S. Squires	Christina Wagner	Auburn	Oct. 9, 1890	3
C. V. Brandon	Almeda Myers	Auburn	Jan. 15., 1887	1
Samuel Noel	Susan Draime	Garrett	Jan. 26., 1882	3
Samuel Culver	Anna Rakestraw	Auburn	Jan. 11, 1892	-
Tim McDowell	Adda Essick	Auburn	Dec. 20, 1886	2
James M. Owens	Junie E. French	Auburn	Dec. 18, 1886	3
Henry H. Witt	Rosa A. Lahnum	Auburn	Dec. 23, 1889	-
Clinton J. Feagler	Florence L. Pence	Altona	Apr. 2, 1896	-
Emmett Kosht	Jennie Ferguson	Auburn	Apr. 17, 1893	-
Porter Depew	Dora Bailey	Auburn	Jan. 12, 1885	1
John Lawrence	Emma A. Sheffer	Auburn	Dec. 18, 1885	-
T. F. Elson	M. E. Cornell	Auburn	Oct. 14, 1880	5
Thomas Mason	Diana Hathaway	Garrett	Sep. 9, 1881	7
Louis Culler	Carrie Shaffer	Chicago, Ill	Sep. 4, 1883	2
H. M. Phillips	Alice A. Wise	Auburn	July 22, 1882	1
Geo. Kelham	Nettie Yard	Swan	Apr. 18, 1886	2
J. H. Walters	Rose Houston	Auburn	May 31, 1888	1
J. M. Carmer	Nora Reasoner	Auburn	Dec. 4, 1890	2
M. W. Bishop	Hannah E. Brown	Auburn	Dec. 24, 1885	-
A. M. Carr	Anna Strebe	Auburn	Nov. 26, 1889	2
A. Mason	Elmina Mitchell	Auburn	Dec. 17, 1890	1
Silas Nugen	Emma Bartels	Auburn	Oct. 1, 1885	-
Wm. Armstrong	Lizzie Bowen	Auburn	July 9, 1882	6
Elsworth Draggoo	Cora Stout	Butler	Nov. 19, ----	4

Matrimonial

Record of Those who were in Attendance and Registered at the Meese Reunion at Auburn, Indiana, Thursday, August 20th, 1896 (from the Auburn Courier)

Name	Woman	Residence	Date	Chil'n
Wm. H. Grube	- Sheets	Auburn	Dec. 18, 1889	1
Clinton Potter	Georgie Maxwell	Auburn	Nov. 29, 1889	1
John W. Cool	Alice Armstrong	Auburn	Mar. 27, 1885	-
Frank Groves	Sarah J. Hensinger	Auburn	Mar. 21, 1883	-
Dr. F. M. Hines	- Carper	Auburn	Mar. 29, 1885	5
Geo. Chapman	Winnie Potter	Auburn	Nov. 27,1889	2
Marion Osbun	Rickie Kruger	Auburn	-	-
Grant Owen	Ora Hoffman	Auburn	Dec. 6, 1885	2