so many other brave soldiers who gave their services to there country.

Am now in my eighty-eighth year, and have written this without glasses, and may have made some blunders.

S. F. Gano."

Another notable impression made on me there, at these associations, was some strong temperance resolutions offered by Rev. James D. Black, who had a dissipated son, whose life was crushing his father in spirit. Some one offered an amendment (I thought with a view to kill the resolution), "That we also discountenance and discourage horseracing, card-playing, dancing, and theater-going, with other fashionable and sinful amusements, etc."Much to the delight of every one, the resolutions and amendment were adopted by unanimous note. It was there, also, that I first saw Rev. Y. R. Pitts, the farmer preacher, and his venerable mother, Elizabeth T. Pitts, who came thirty miles to attend. Brother Pitts made a most touching and appropriate prayer out in the forest where the meeting was held, and when a collection was raised for missions, he was among the first to respond with ten dollars for self and ten for "my mother."

My mind now passes twenty-one years to 1875, when the association met with the same church. The old pioneer house had been replaced with a new and modern one; Father Dillard, though still living, was too feeble to attend; Brother Pitts and his dear old mother had been called home, as well as many others I call to mind but do not name; among the number was my wife, who before was young and buoyant; but two of her grown daughters were there, with my present wife, who is a granddaughter of old Mother Pitts. At the first named association, in 1854, I was but a youth, modestly teaching a class of boys in Sunday-school at home; now I was attending as messenger my twenty-second consecutive year, and was the associational Sunday -school superintendent. But to return, I lived four years a member at Silas, when I removed to Fayette Co., and took membership at South Elkhorn Church, Mar., 1860, and in May of the same year was chosen and ordained deacon, and continued to serve as such until I left the State in the fall of 1881. I was also treasurer of the church for several years and superintendent of the Sunday-school for fourteen years

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Thanks to Candy Hearn for transcribing this page.