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Moerlein reunion first for family
Relatives of the 19th-century Cincinnati beer baron Christian Moerlein began the day at Philippus United Church of Christ, which Moerlein helped found; the church procured a pipe organ which Moerlein's money purchased.
After services, the reunion-goers headed for a picnic and libation, including three varieties of a foamy beverage bearing the name of the family patriarch.
This was the first reunion of a family that's been in America for eight generations.
Moerlein and his fellow immigrants were proud of their heritage, but they were short on sharing specifics.
"We were told we were related because of our last name and we had some ceramic crockery-style Moerlein beer bottles at home," one descendant said. "But that's all we knew. We'd drive by Philippus church and my dad would point and say, ‘That was your grandfather's church,’ and the car just kept on rolling.”
Welcome to Christian Moerlein 101. Born in Bavaria in 1818, Moerlein came to the US in 1841 and Cincinnati in 1842. In 1853, Moerlein joined forces with a brewer and in the first year produced 1,000 barrels of beer. By 1894, they were brewing 500,000 barrels a year. Their beers won gold medals at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair as well as expositions in Atlanta and Nashville.
The Christian Moerlein Brewing Co. became the largest brewer in Cincinnati and 13th largest in the nation.
Moerlein became a multimillionaire. He built mansions and gave money to numerous charities but he was a quiet giver--no publicity.
Then tragedy struck. A fire destroyed the main brewery in May 1891. In August, George Moerlein, the most business-savvy of Christian's sons, died. Throughout the decade, the temperance movement grew. When the movement's anti-drinking sentiments became law with Prohibition in 1919, that spelled the end for the brewery. But not for the family's philanthropy.
Five branches, bearing 400-plus names, are on the Moerlein family tree. None of the branches knew of the existence of the others.
From a story by Cliff Radel in The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, Ohio.
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A Patriot history almost forgot
Recently, Oscar Marion became the first slave who fought in the Revolutionary War to receive military honors at Arlington National Cemetery. Marion was the personal slave of Brig. Gen. Francis Marion, the legendary "Swamp Fox" from South Carolina who thwarted British Redcoats during the War of Independence.
An honor guard presented the colors. Soloists sang the National Anthem and the hymn Bright Morning Stars Are Rising. A wreath was laid. A bugler played taps. But it was more family reunion than funeral, and the women in the family wore festive red outfits for the occasion.
An oil painting hangs in a third-floor corridor of the Capitol's Senate wing that depicts Francis Marion, in a military hat, talking to a red-coated British officer. Oscar Marion, kneeling behind a table and cooking sweet potatoes on a fire, is also there.
From a story by James Hohmann in the WashingtonPost.
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Salem Witch Trial history
Bloodlines of Salem is a new family history group of descendants of English colonists who participated in the infamous 1692 Salem Witch Trials. The group, created by trials researcher David Nelson, will remember the trials that unfolded more than three centuries ago.
“As amateur and professional Salemologists,” Nelson said, “we may focus on our infamous ancestors in our work, but it's the celebration of their memories and mysteries that continue to fascinate new generations of their families and the public.”
Bloodlines of Salem launched its website www.bloodlinesofsalem.org/ on the 315th anniversary of the end of the trials. The group promotes better understanding of the trials and their participants through genetic and documentary research and popular culture.
Family returns to Salem
The 27th annual Towne Family Association (TFA) reunion brought together descendants of William and Joanna Towne to commemorate the history of the Towne family, intertwined with the Witch Hysteria of 1692.
William and Joanna Towne, parents of eight children, arrived in Salem, Massachusetts, from England in 1635. Daughters Rebecca, Mary and Sarah were falsely accused of witchcraft in 1692. Rebecca and Mary were hanged.
The reunion offered the Townes an opportunity to connect to their ancestry in tangible ways as they toured Salem and Danvers. “The Rebecca Nurse Homestead is the closest we have to a family location. We have not found graves for William and Joanna or their children,” explained Lois Payne Hoover, a descendant of Sarah.
In a ceremony of solidarity, the TFA congregated in the meetinghouse at the homestead for prayer and song by the Nurse Homestead Singers. The TFA also visited the Witch Trials Memorial in Salem to lay flowers among granite benches in memory of those innocents who were convicted and hanged.
Numbering more than 100 cousins, the TFA remembered their ancestors, the history of witchcraft hysteria and lessons reaped from it so many years later.
Contact information:
Rebecca Nurse Homestead
PO Box 456
Hathorne MA 01937
Towne Family Association, Inc.
Executive Office
1214 SW 124th St Apt. B - 200
Burien WA 98146
From a story by Carolyn Moore in the Danvers Herald, Beverly, Massachusetts.
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Family returns home
The Parsons Family Association, Inc., dedicated a granite bench in honor of three deceased association members—Josiah Parsons, Gerald Parsons and Earle Parsons—at a ceremony at their annual reunion at one of three houses owned by Historic Northampton and located on the original family home lot that was established in 1654.
The three Parsons whose names are engraved on the garden bench were lauded for their efforts at keeping Parsons family history alive. The association of about 200 people is dedicated to the preservation of the Parsons family history, which includes Mary Bliss Parsons, Cornet Joseph's wife, who was tried for witchcraft.
“Family is important. That's the bottom line,” said Robert A. Heath, of Huntington, the association's historian. “If you don't honor your ancestors, what do you have?”
From an article by Holly Angelo in The Republican, Springfield, Massachusetts.
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Harnden reunion at Harnden Tavern
The Harnden Family Reunion visited their namesake Col. Joshua Harnden Tavern in Wilmington, Massachusetts. The tavern doubles as the Wilmington Town Museum.
Terry McDermott, curator of the tavern, hosted the Harndens’ visit. A tour began in the “grog room,” with displays and information about the tavern and the volunteer effort to restore it. The “keeping room,” also known as “Abigail’s kitchen,” is named after a former resident. The tavern’s “secret hiding spot” is believed to have been used during the Civil War-era “Underground Railroad” as a place for runaway slaves to hide while making their way north to escape to Canada.
The tavern is furnished with genuine 18th and 19th century antiques by the Friends of Harnden Tavern, a volunteer group working with the Wilmington Historical Society.
From a story by Mac McEntire in the Wilmington Advocate, Concord, Massachusetts.
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Family history sharing
“Sharing history helps provide roots for a sense of belonging,” said Karen Dickrell, family living educator for Outagamie County University of Wisconsin-Extension. “Family history can be promoted by telling family stories. Having time to sit down and share, go through pictures and talk about family history and where ancestors came from is valuable and helps keep family traditions alive.”
Family reunions generate documentation about family members, such as photos with names (surprisingly rare in vintage photos), which contribute to the body of knowledge about the life and times and people of a certain time and place, said Sharon Clothier, curator of the History Museum at the Castle in Appleton, Wisconsin.
“Reunions provide an opportunity for generations to share stories, an opportunity for elders to pass down their experiences and memories to younger family members. Genealogical information is often shared, written down and sometimes preserved by younger family members,” Clothier said.
Sharing stories and humor also helps people better deal with life's stresses, Dickrell added. “Getting together with family is a coping tool for some. It dispels anger and aggression, relieves tension, and we learn from laughing with each other, not at each other. It's strength-building with grandchildren and other relatives.”
From a story by Cheryl Sherry in the Appleton Post Crescent, Appleton, Wisconsin.
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New Midwest Genealogy Center
Historic Independence, Missouri, is rich in genealogy resources including the new Midwest Genealogy Center. Holdings offer extensive microfilm and microfiche sources, including US census records, Civil War histories, Native American records, biographical archives, Black family history records and 60,000 titles of families’ genealogies. The Center offers ample facilities for researchers and oversize parking spaces to accommodate RVs. All resources and classes are free, as are appointments with experts.
Contact Midwest Genealogy Center, 3401 S. Kiger Road, Independence, Missouri; 816-252-7228; www.midwestgenealogycenter.org.
Nearby sources for family history buffs include the Jackson County Genealogical Society Research Library and the Merrill J. Mattes Research Library at the National Frontier Trails Museum. Also nearby the Jackson County Historical Archives and research library, the Family History Center for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints www.lds.org.
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