The descendants of Jenkin Davies met Sunday,
September 19, 2010, at Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church to
celebrate the 71st annual reunion of the Davis Family.
Kay Whelan opened the meeting.
Attendants introduced themselves and stated who their
grandparents were. Treasurer
Mark Jeffers reported as follows:
$300.68
balance forward – September, 2009
$120.00
collected
$ 78.15
reimbursements for stamps, supplies, etc.
$342.53
balance – net
Dues of $2/adult were collected.
The Reunion decided to donate $75 for use of the church hall.
The Minutes of the 70th Annual Reunion
were unanimously approved, subject to a change in the spelling of
“Viktor” Lockard Spencer to “Victor”.
Historian Michael Warner reported on the following
births, deaths, and marriages:
Births:
NEWLYN FRANCES LLOYD to DARREN and LAUREN LLOYD,
on July 2, 2009.
OLIVIA MARIA TAYLOR, to SCOTT DAVIS and KAREN TAYLOR, on May 12, 2010.
Marriages:
SCOTT DAVIS to KAREN KURLEY, April 11, 2009.
Deaths:
JAMES J. PURDUM, son of WILLIAM PURDUM and JULIA
E. DAVIS, on September 25, 2009.
Correspondence: None
The Secretary reported on invitations that had been
returned. He also asked that
attendants fill out the form to build a directory of Reunion members.
Historian Michael Warner also reported on two
“famous” relatives.
A high school in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is named
for relative John Piersol McCaskey.
Mr. McCaskey is also the author of “Jolly Old St. Nicholas”.
One of his sons or grandsons, Edward McCaskey, studied at the
University of Pennsylvania, where he met Virginia Halas.
He later married Ms. Halas, the daughter of George Halas of the
Bears football team. Eventually
Mr. McCaskey served as president of the Bears.
Edward McCaskey was also a talented crooner who auditioned for
the Harry James band in about 1939.
Unfortunately, he lost out to a new young talent named Frank
Sinatra.
Old Business: None
New Business:
Pat Warner reported on inaccurate references in a
publication of the Frederick County Genealogical Society (FreCoGS).
The Society intended to run a story on Isaac Davis but withdrew
the publication in order not to spread inaccurate information.
The report was also to include birth data on people who are still
living. The Reunion
recommended that no birth dates after 1910 be included.
Pat will maintain contact with the Society.
It was reported that Mike Nasser could not be present at the Reunion
because Lewis Davis’s sister, Ruth Bennett, had taken a fall.
The Reunion decided to send a get well card to Ruth.
Bill Brosius inquired whether anyone is working on
a narrative of the Davis Family. Nancy
Winchester’s mother wrote about the “Old Homestead”, Aubrey and
Ursula Davis’s farm. Mike
Warner also said that a report of the first four generations is on the
family website but that there are too many people after that point to
undertake such a report. It
was suggested that the Reunion attempt to collect some oral history
recordings at future Reunions. Pat
Warner said that he had a list of questions to get the discussion
started, and someone will have to bring a digital recorder to the next
Reunion to collect the information.
A member asked whether it would be possible
to place a report of the Reunion meeting in the Frederick newspaper.
Dorothy Warner volunteered to write a brief article and submit it
with a picture of attendants at the Reunion.
Elections:
The following slate of officers was elected:
President
Ben Davis
Vice President
Kay Whelan
Treasurer
Mark Jeffers
Secretary
Dale R. Schmidt
Historian
Michael Warner
Prizes
Prizes were awarded to BILL BROSIUS (oldest family
member in attendance, age 90); WILLIAM CALLUM, age 7 (youngest); JUNE
RICHARDS (farthest traveled, from Denver, Colorado); BEN and ELIZABETH
DAVIS (most recently married, one week).
NANCY SPENCER won the candy jar with the closest guess (1004) to
the actual number (1011).
Present at the Reunion were: Bill
Brosius; Sharon Rice Brosius; Anthony and Katy Callum, with Mary,
Thomas, and William; Barbara Davis; Benjamin and Elizabeth Davis; Bryan
Davis; Jack and Elizabeth Davis; John W. Davis; Stan and Fran Davis;
Mark and Betty Davis Jeffers; Leslie and Teresa Jeffers; Gene Salvo;
Mary Sands; Dale Schmidt; William Spencer; Michael and Dorothy Warner,
with Christopher Warner; Pat and Sarah Warner; Steve Warner; Charlotte
Weller; Margaret Whelan; Tom and Kay Davis Whelan; Nancy Winchester.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
The 72nd annual Davis Family Reunion
will be held on the THIRD Sunday in September, 2011 (September 18,
2011).
Respectfully submitted,
Dale R. Schmidt, Secretary