May 29, 1886
PICNIC Last Saturday, Mr. George BERGE, teacher of the Sodtown school, held a picnic and invited the Fairfield Center school and teacher to join him also the school over which Miss Ida BANES rules with gentle dignity. The Center teacher Miss Jennie DEITS took nearly all of her school with her and though the youngest teacher we were all proud of her. All schools did their teachers great credit in recitation, delamations, singing and deportment.

Lemonade was freely given by Mr. G. BERGE, while a sumptuous dinner was served by the ladies. We were all well pleased by Rev. Mr. STRINGER in his short speech which filled the children's heart with glee, as has illustrations and anecdotes will long be remembered by them. One little by said "Mamma, I know he is a good man, for he and his wife are so happy looking."

There is no sight more pleasant than large shade trees with their wealth of shadows thrown over a grass plot dotted with pretty children.

Mr. BERGE did us all a favor when he generously invited us to share with him this first picnic of the season.

November 13, 1886

Don't forget the pigeon shoot at Sodtown, Thanksgiving day, at 10 o'clock.

September 10, 1887

The Sodtown and Tampico clubs played a game of ball here last Saturday afternoon. Five innings were played, and, as a matter of course the Tampico boys led by a large score. Tampico ball players are hard to beat, you bet.

October 7, 1893

The HOWLETT's have been having a series of good times of late. Last Sunday they had a reunion at the home of Mr. John HOWLETT's daughter, Mrs. James THOMPSON, of Sodtown. On Wednesday another reunion was given at John HOWLETT. His brother, William, of Michigan, is here, and he expected his brother Thomas, of New Zealand; but for some unknown reason he did not arrive.

February 12, 1898

LETTER FROM JACOB BALDWIN We publish below a letter received from our old friend Jacob BALDWIN of Plano, who for many years was a resident of Fairfield, Bureau County, and who has many friends in this section. The letter refers to the early days of this county and proves that Mr. BALDWIN though four score years and ten has a retentive memory.

Mr. Editor,: - I notice that Mr. J.W. GLASSBURN gave you some of his experience of ye olden times, or the early days of this county. As I was there before his advent I thought I would try and recall an incident that occurred shortly after my arrival - in that part of Illinois in the fall of 1854. I left the State of Vermont with my family which consisted of myself, wife and two daughters, and came to Illinois and landed in Bureau county, in Township 18, Range 6, what was called Sodtown and now goes by the name of Thomas. There were few families there then, among the number being a Mr. CARTWRIGHT, Thos. SHERE and N.J. [Noah John] HOGEBOOM. The houses were all log houses and there was one empty. I confiscated that empty house, fixed it up and lived there quite comfortably, considering the house was a small one and had only one room. The walls of the house were made of logs and the roof of "shakes" or large shingles made of hardwood and unshaved. They were laid on ribs three feet apart and poles were placed upon top of the "shakes" to hold them down. There was a small cottonwood tree which stood near the east and an open well near the south-east corner of it, but the well had no water in it. On Saturday, the 20th of January, 1855, I secured the services of N.J. [Noah] HOGEBOOM and together we cleaned out the well and sank a barrel in it and secured plenty of water. It was a pleasant sunshiny day, no snow on the ground then; but that night a strong north wind visited our locality and Sunday morning I found the snow seven feet deep on the south side of my house. I shoveled a tunnel through it to the door and I could walk in the tunnel without stooping and not touching the roof of my tunnel. In the groves the snow lasted about two weeks and during that time our neighbors and ourselves stayed pretty closely at home as we all had plenty to do in looking out for our families and our stock. When the snow went out it went rapidly and the fields were dotted here and there with small lakes and running streams. You will please excuse my bad writing and any errors I may have made, for remember I am ninety years, seven months and three days old to-day. Jacob BALDWIN. Plano, Ill., February 13, 1898