Once some of them lived on the river,
And some lived near the mill;
Twas argued the Island air was purer,
But the river farm easier to till.

Tho Alfred and Reynolds and yes, Irad,
Myself and dad and the rest,
Admitted their claims to the city;
Datus claimed the Island the best.

He loved the view from Lake Erie,
Lost interest in the land on the flat;
A fine place to bring up family children,
No doubt he had about that!

The fog from Lake Erie would choke me,
No germs from the city infest;
Better crops, finer fruit, sweeter pasture.
Said the Rushes, the Beatty's and rest.

The Rushes, the Elfers, the Huntingtons,
The Carpenters, the Deans and Jake Hays;
Their livelihood won on the Island
In sundry and many various ways.

"with a schoolhouse and church," said Sara,
"a store and a place to meet,
The Islands a place for the children,
A better place could not be beat!"

Twas a trial throughout the long winter,
to clear snow and ice from above;
In sickness a doctor might never,
Make his way there, for money and love.

Good neighbors, they were to each other,
and they bared the winters at will;
All sang of the Great Lake Erie,
And many do live there still.

Fence-enclosed and surrounded by Maples,
Each plot bears a name that is dear
'Tis that that old memories waken
the faces long gone, reappear.

Tis there these loved families are gathered,
From cities and island so fair:
A compromise all have agreed on,
A blest spot, we all do declare.

And there they all slumber together,
Keeping tryst through the years long and still,
Yes, some of them came from the river;
With a marvelous dream to fulfill.

" In Loving Memory to my beloved brother Datus, and my beloved sister Sara. "      

               Thomas Moore Kelley
                154 1/2 Water Street
                 Cleaveland, Ohio.    

Source -  Darlene Kelley