The second Sunday in August, each year, is the Edgemon Family Reunion at Ten Mile, Tennessee. It was started in the 1920s, according to the best estimate I could get, and is held on the site of the old Edgemon Cemetery, and pavilion in Meigs County, Tennessee. Mother, Lucy Eula Edgemon-Henson, said that she and her parents were visiting some of the family up near Ten Mile in the 1920s. They were discussing the family and mom said, "We should hold a family reunion!" They had one the next year with about 600 people in attendance. We believe this to have been the beginning of our current reunions.

On August 11, 1996, a gray rainy morning, Audrey and I packed our potluck lunch and headed north on Highway 58. Ten miles above Decatur is the little community of Ten Mile, a rather clever name when all is said and done. The people in the area say that its called "Ten Mile" because the Edgemons own every thing for ten miles around. There is a Texaco Convenience Store on the west side of Highway 58, and a country lane turning immediately beyond, running east through the hills and valleys of East Tennessee. We turned right onto this road and continued for three miles to the cemetery and pavilion.

When we arrived there were about 100 people gathered under and around the pavilion. The rain had stopped and the weather was pleasant. They had come from such diverse places as California, Colorado, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Georgia. Bessie Haynes-Harrison and Carson from Chattanooga had been there, but were not feeling well and had returned home before 11am o'clock. She is my first cousin, her mother was Aunt Laura Edgemon-Haynes.

Before lunch Audrey espied the outdoor privy and I walked part way out the path with her. She disappeared inside and then all of a sudden the door flew back open and I heard a disgusted voice say something that was too distant for me to understand. I called back up the trail toward the facility and said, "Watch out for snakes and wasps!"

Later as we were walking through the cemetery, I paused and broached the subject of the outhouse. She said in disgust that there was no pit and the building was sitting on the ground. I remember having seen such an arrangement on the farm of my Aunt Minnie Edgemon-North when I was a child. Theirs was a rough, unpainted, wooden building whose door was held in place by a pair of large, rusty hinges. Upon entering the toilet the hinges gave such a hideous creaking sound that the chickens all got the cue and ran under the high side of the building. If we were staying for lunch I would never eat the deviled eggs, or fried chicken. I thought vegetables to be a safer bet.

The cemetery sat on a knoll above the pavilion, without the benefit of shade trees or church house. Lunch was called and we hurried down the grade. The pavilion was equipped with a long table and many brown pews from some old church of the past. It was open on all four sides, and had a smooth concrete floor and a metal roof.

A young man in his thirties was called upon to say the blessing, which he did in a repetitive, sing song voice. My mind went back to a former year when I was there. An older man, who was standing next to me was called upon to return thanks for the bounties. He took two steps forward, extended his arms, lifting them upward said in a clerical voice, "You'ns bow yens heads and say the Lord's Prayer atter me!" There was a pause then he began, "The Lord is my Shepherd..." and he saw the 23rd Psalm all the way through to completion. I opened an eye to survey the flock, and what a conundrum this presented with some saying the Lord's Prayer and others following the lead of the old gentleman through the Psalm. By the end of the prayer we were all back in sync with the Psalm.

An old Edgemon gentleman at the reunion told me that he could remember my grandfather, Huse Edgemon, coming up to the reunion from Ooltewah. Another told of family history that was passed on by Uncle John (Nabe) Edgmon, and my mother, Lucy Edgemon-Henson. People are such gregarious creatures. I am sure that they have as much fun from watching and listening to me as I derived from being with them. I look forward to going again. These reunions sure can be fun!!

Submitted by J W Henson

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