Monroe Stewart and Hannah Butler-
I write to entertain you
Got married on one Christmas Eve
In Clarion, Pennsylvania.To this union came two girls-
But having little earthly gain
They packed their trunks and their girls
And for Kansas took the train.They had not lived there very long"
'Til they worte back to Aunt Rhoda-
Another girl, Celseta,
But they always called her CodyNext Lulu Butler came along
After they had bought a place
then our brother, Bermie,
And little sister Grace.By then the older children
Were needing education,
But they lived so far from school
It was mostly all vacation.So when Oklahoma opened
In eighteen eighty nine
They packed their covered wagons
and moved across the line.It took three weeks to make the trip
and then they ceased to roam
'Twas several days after that
Before the found a home.Then like all the poineers
They found no time to shirk
In getting fixed to winter here
it took a lot of work.For quite awhile we lived in tents
Then a house was built for mother
For when the month of august came
it brought our second brother.Then later on Mettie Joyce-
Next came our brother Murl,
Last of all, Amber Dean
another little girl.Now if you've kept score right
You'll find seven girls are we,
and in the boy's line,
You'll bind the number three.But count us all together
Seven women and three men
And if you've counted right
I'm sure the number's ten.Not long ago, these children ten
a reunion did debate-
And decided on a time,
the year, nineteen forty-eight.In Payne County, Oklahoma-
Yes, on the same old place
Where we used to squabble
And sing or play or race.At last the glad day has arrived
For us to gather here.
Some of us live far away
While others still live near.Olive Edith Thatcher
The eldest of the lot
From Daisy, Oregon, (near 73)
Is right here on the spotEffie Coral Thatcher
The second as you know
At 71 is also here
From Chama, New Mexico.Celesta Arcola Scott
The third one in the line
Is here from Hinton, Oklahoma-
and she is sixty-nine.Miss Lulu Butler Stewart-
Sixty seven, the family maid
Is also here from Hinton,
Enjoying home's evening shade.Charles Bermie Monroe-
The first son to arrive
Is here from Dorena, Arizona;
He is nearly sixty-five.Verna Grace Schaffer
The sixth limb on the tree
Her home is just a mile away,
And she's might near sixty-three.Chesney Harold Stewart,
Fifty-nine, the second son
From Exeter, California,
You see, he's made the run.Metta Joyce Bridenstine
At whose home we are today-
Still right here at fifty seven
She's never moved awayMurl Kenneth, the third son
Is down from Stillwater-
You'd hardly think of him fifty-three
with and eight year old granddaughter!And from not so far away
Came our Amber Dean Boyce-
At fifty, she is still the baby,
but you see, she had no choice.No not one in ten is missing
From cities-states, we came
If we thank not Providence
"Twould surely be a shame.Now none of us are paupers-
None loaded down with wealth.
We've had a lot of sickness,
Yet large degree of health.Some have had their operations
And a broken limb or two
Still we sing praise to God above
From whom came the blessings true.Most of us are yet quite spry-
Some have grown a little lazy,
Some our minds are growing short,
But none or us are crazy!None of us smokes cigarettes
or spit tobacco on the floor
Or drink a morning toddy-
Nor did our parents before.We've all had some bad accidents,
yet all of us can hear and see-
I believe that most of us
Could yet climb up in a tree!Most have had three sets of teeth-
Some are bald and others gray.
We've had our joys and sorrows
all down along life's way.Not one divorce among us-
Out of all this group often.
None have had to serve a ten
Locked up in the State Pen.None of us have been burned out-
None have erver blown away.
Seems almost like a miracle
That all the ten are here today.So let us be gay and happy
and enjoy this time together-
Whether it be all sunshine
Or just cloudy stormy weather.And get that picture for Ripley-
Or one to scare the crows,
That enormous family ten
Of Hannah's and Monroe's