Special features:
Some of the best reunion prose (60th reunion)
Barnes family's sesquicentennial in Jackson, MI
Attenders to the 1975 "picture" reunion
Who's who in picture and some more reunion history
Who bought copies of the picture
The David and Mary (Hood) Barnes Family Before 1895
Possible Pictures of Thomas and Sarah (Sittser) Barn(e)s
The T. H. Barnes reunion was named in honor of Thomas
Hood Barnes. He was a son of David and Mary (Hood) Barnes, and
grandson of the Thomas and Sarah (Sittser) Barns, who brought
their seven children (eldest to youngest) Melissa, David, Aaron S.,
Sarah Ellen, Martha Louise, Sophronia Ellen, and Sevira Ellen
to Jackson from Seneca Falls, New York, October 24, 1843. T. H.
and wife Pearl (Russell), who had no children of their own, restarted
in 1924 the lapsed reunion tradition that formerly had been carried
on for many years. These days the reunions are held annually on the second Saturday in August.
| The Thomas and Sarah Barns family did not begin spelling their name "Barnes" until after arriving in Michigan. The large, granite marker near which Thomas, Sarah, David, Mary, Arvilla, Aaron S., and other Barneses are buried at Mt. Evergreen Cemetery in Jackson honors this history by carrying the name BARNS. The Barns family remaining behind in Throopsville, Cayuga County, New York changed the spelling to Barnes around the same time according to the Storke family genealogy. |
Following is a list of known locations where reunions were held. Numbers in parentheses show attendance.
Ella Sharp Park in Jackson: circa 1924 (80, per first known newspaper article about the Barnes reunion. See below.), 1935 (55 per newspaper article. See below.), 1941 (58), 1943 (43), 1944 (28), 1945 (48)
Circa 1924
"About 80 relatives of the Barnes family held a reunion
Sunday at Sharp Park. Members were present from Lansing, Macon,
Concord, Hanover, Horton, Rives, Vandercook Lake, Alma, Jerome;
Toledo and Elyria, OH. Dinner was served and later in the day,
ice cream and cake were also served. William H. Barnes presided
at the business meeting. The following officers were elected:
President, Lee McGonegal; vice president, Horace Levengood; secretary-treasurer,
Mrs. Francis [Salsbury]. [The article actually said "Mrs.
Frances Barnes," but Miss Frances Barnes had already
been married to Pearl Salsbury.]
1935
The 11th annual reunion of the Barnes family was held Sunday
at Sharp Park with 55 in attendance. Potluck dinner was followed
by election of officers. President, Thomas Barnes; vice president,
Will Barnes; secretary-treasurer, Mrs. Lyndell McNickle were re-elected.
Reunion minutes mention gasoline rationing as the reason for gathering at Ella Sharp Park during the war years despite other locations being chosen. The home of Charles and Esther Barnes in Rives Junction was to be the 1941 site, Swains Lake near Concord the 1943 site, and the Salsbury farm the 1944 site.
Tom and Hilma Barnes were re-elected as reunion president and vice president at the July 18, 1943, gathering. The next year, July 16, Tom's mother Nellie Barnes was secretary-treasurer pro tem, as Tom was in the Army, stationed in Texas, and Hilma was with him.
Home of Earl A. and Cassie Barnes at Big Vineyard Lake: 1940 (48)
Home of Wanda and Donald Pickell in Horton: 1942 (68)
Home of Marjorie and Roy Lyons in Horton: 1946 (38)
Home of Lyndell and Marshal McNickle in Jackson: 1947 (35), 1950 (54), 1952 (59), 1962 (?), 1963 (?)
Per Lyndell's motion at the August 10, 1952 reunion, a record of the year's births, marriages, and deaths was slated to become part of each year's meeting minutes. Helen Leggett, elected secretary-treasurer that year, was the first to do so.
Home of Edith and David "June" Barnes in Horton (now known as the Centennial Farm): 1948 (72), 1951 (52)
Home of Helen and Clyfford Leggett on Baldwin in Horton: 1949 (75)
"The Grove" at the Mill Pond in Horton: 1953 (50), 1954 (38), 1956 (53), 1957 (28), 1958 (34), 1959 (66), 1960 (21), 1961 (43), 1965 (36), 1966 (50), 1967 (32), 1968 (?), 1972 (31), 1973 (22), 1974 (?), 1975 (74), 1976 (97), 1977 (80), 1978 (65)
Bill and Susan Mills, who held the offices for the 1966 reunion, were the first to include an extensive listing of family addresses with reunion minutes. Other such listings occurred in 1972, 1978, 1985, etc.
1975 was the year of the Barnes family photograph by Charles "Allen" Garrett (Bob Garrett, Sr.'s nephew). Click here for more information on that gathering, including a complete listing of all who attended that year, their placement in the picture, and who purchased copies of the photograph.
The Methodist Church in Horton (due to rain): 1955 (43)
Jackson Field on Benn Road in Jackson County: 1964 (32)
Loomis Park in Jackson: 1969 (15), 1979 (58)
Home of Charles and Esther Barnes on Sandstone Road, Jackson County: 1970 (45)
Home of Doug and Kathryn "Kappy" Barnes in Jackson: 1980 (48)
Tompkins Township Hall, Jackson County: 1981 (66), 1982 (58),
1983 (21), 1984 (40), 1985 (40), 1986 (50), 1987 (?), 1988
(25), 1989 (79), 1990 (43), 1991 (33), 1992 (44), 1993 (35),
1994 (19), 1995 (64)
60th Barnes Reunion
It was a beautiful Sat. afternoon when forty of us gathered at "Thompkins town hall" to have our "60th Annual Barnes reunion."
An afternoon of fun began with a ball game and horseshoes. Bob Garrett led us all in the Doxology before a lovely potluck dinner. Several families came from various destinations in Michigan as well as Roy Barnes and daughter Nykky from Utah, Robert West family from Illinois. We were glad to have with us Laura, a friend of the West family.
After dinner a meeting was called to order by Bill Barnes, Sr. Minutes of the 59th reunion were read by Florence.
Old business: Helen Leggett made a motion to reimburse
Florence for the game prizes, motion carried.
Bal. of 1983 treasure was $35.30.New business:
Expenses for 1984-
Rent of hall - 15.00
Game prizes - 5.17
Total expenditures 20.17
leaving bal. of $15.13 - Collection of $21.00 was taken, leaving a bal. for 1984 of $36.13.
It was voted and accepted we hold reunion at "Tompkins town hall" Sat. Aug. 10th at 1:00. Mary Lou West suggested we bring recipe for dish we prepare. There sure is some tasty food. Bob West introduced Ken Smeader, then everyone followed by introducing and telling where we were from, with a pause of cheers while Uncle Clyfford and Aunt Helen stood.
A motion was made by Lois Jackson to elect Robert and Nancy Prus as our 1985 President and Secretary. Motion second by Florence. Accepted. Thanks Bob and Nancy. Bill announced there would be games for the small children and a ball game for all who wish to participate.
Meeting adjourned.
Reunion ended with an afternoon of fun: chatting and a "sing-along" with Bob West at the piano. Great job.
Thanks to all who helped in cleaning the hall.
Sec.-Treas.
Florence L. Barnes
1993 (Barnes
family's sesquicentennial in Jackson, Michigan)
A special "media" event happened at the Saturday August
14, 1993, T.H. Barnes reunion. That year, Zandra Denise (Barnes)
Kunzelman was reunion president/chairperson. The event was a visit
by Linda Tien, Special Writer from the Jackson Citizen Patriot
newspaper. Linda was there to cover this particular reunion because
1993 was the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary, or sesquicentennial,
of the Thomas and Sarah Barnes family arrival in Jackson. The
resulting article, including a picture of Jodi VanSumeren creating
giant bubbles, and another showing Jennie Paige, Hilma Barnes
and Dorothy Davis looking through a family album, appeared in
the Monday paper and was titled 150 and going. Jennie and
her sister Helen Leggett were interviewed as "unofficial"
family historians, and snippets of family history were shared. Article: Part 1 Part 2
1995
Reunion officers Zandra Denise Kunzelman and Nancy Jane (Salsbury) Prus began sending reunion notification postcards to a broader range of family, namely younger generation families and singles living away from home. The personalized notifications seem to have been appreciated, as several people came this year who have never come before, or haven't attended in many years.
The only reunion location not accounted for in reunion notes since 1940 was the one held in 1971.
Alphabetical
Listing of Attenders to the 1975 Reunion
|
Adkins, Mary Barnes, Billy, Sr. Barnes, Brian Barnes, Chuck Barnes, Connie Barnes, David Barnes, Doug Barnes, Eleanor Barnes, Esther Barnes, Florence Barnes, Floyd Barnes, Helen Barnes, Hilma Barnes, Jacqueline Barnes, James C. Barnes, Kathryn Barnes, Roy Barnes, Sarah Barnes, Sharon |
Barnes, Zandra Davis, Carl Davis, Dorothy Davis, Stephen Doan, Charles Doan, Craig Doan, Jeannine Eley, Emmabell Garrett, Allen * Garrett, Bob, Sr. Garrett, Charlene Garrett, Connie Garrett, Laura Garrett, Sue Jackson, Don Jackson, Kathy Jackson, Lois Jackson, Ron Leggett, Art * |
Leggett, Clyfford Leggett, Helen Leggett, Wanda * Levengood, Evelyn Levengood, Horace McNickle, Lyndell Newbold, Margaret Paige, Charles Paige, Elaine Paige, Jennie Paige, Karen Paige, Margaret Paige, R. D. "Bud" Pickell, Donald Pickell, Ronnie Salsbury, Billy Salsbury, Dave Salsbury, Dennis Salsbury, Dick |
Salsbury, Eric Salsbury, Eunice Salsbury, Jason Salsbury, Ken Salsbury, Lorraine Salsbury, Margaret Salsbury, Pat Salsbury, Suzanne Schrank, Jason Schrank, Lynn Sterling, Mary Striker, Lillian Wallis, Phyllis West, Angela West, Elizabeth West, Mary West, Rob |
| * Not in photo | |||
Who's
Who in the 1975 Reunion Group Picture taken by Charles "Allen" Garrett
- 1975 -
SOME MORE HISTORY - The 51st T.H. Barnes reunion was held
in "The Grove" at the Mill Pond in Horton, Michigan.
Horton first appeared in family records when David and Mary (Hood)
Barnes purchased two hundred acres of farmland near Cross Lake
January 20, 1874 (the Centennial Farm).
Three of Thomas and Sarah's seven children were represented at the 51st T. H. Barnes reunion: David Barnes [by most present], Sarah Ellen (Barnes) Rhoodes [by Horace and Evelyn Levengood, Lyndell (Levengood) McNickle, and Mary Helen (McNickle) Adkins], and Sevira Ellen (Barnes) Bonham [by Lillian (Randall) Striker, Emmabell (Striker) Eley, and Margaret (Striker) Newbold].
Click on the picture to see the oversize version (396 KB)
List of attenders as they appear in the picture: from front to back - left to right
ON LAWN - Brian Barnes; Elizabeth West; Jason Schrank; Angela West; Billy, Suzanne and Eric Salsbury; Sharon Barnes
CHAIRED - Donald Pickell; Helen and Floyd Barnes; Horace and Evelyn Levengood; Lyndell McNickle; Jennie and Margaret Paige; Hilma Barnes; Lillian Striker; Chuck and Esther Barnes; Helen and Clyfford Leggett
THIRD ROW - Ronnie Pickell; Mary Adkins; Zandra Barnes; Sue, Connie and Laura Garrett; Karen Paige; Lynn Schrank; Mary West; Elaine Paige; Dorothy Davis; Jacqueline and Connie (with baby James Christopher) Barnes; Margaret Newbold; Emmabell Eley; Margaret and Dave (with baby Jason) Salsbury
FOURTH ROW - Lois Jackson; Florence Barnes; Charlene Garrett; Kathryn Barnes; Kathy Jackson; Rob West; Royce Duane "Bud" Paige; Stephen Davis; Eleanor Barnes; Jeannine Doan; Mary Sterling; Phyllis Wallis; Pat Salsbury
LAST ROW - Don Jackson; Billy Barnes, Sr.; Bob Garrett, Sr.; Doug
(with baby Sarah) Barnes; Ron Jackson; Charles Paige; Roy Barnes;
Carl Davis; Dick Salsbury; David Barnes; Craig and Charles Doan;
Ken and Eunice Salsbury; Dennis and Lorraine Salsbury
Purchasers
of the 1975 Reunion Group Picture
Alphabetical listing of group photo purchasers
(Prints distributed August 1976)
Barnes, Billy, Sr. 2
Barnes, Chuck 1
Barnes, David S. 3
Barnes, Hilma 1
Barnes, Jacqueline 1
Barnes, Roy 1
Doan, Jeannine 1
Jackson, Lois 1
Lammers, Paul , Sr. 1
Leggett, Helen 1
Levengood, Horace 1
Macomber, Robert 1
McNickle, Lyndell 1
Paige, Charles 1
Paige, R. D. "Bud" 1
Salsbury, Ken 1
Sterling, Mary 1
West, Mary 1
The David and Mary (Hood) Barnes Family Before 1895
Click on the picture to see the oversize version (730 KB)
L-R back row: Thomas Hood "Tom," William Hood "Will," Martin A. "Mart," Fredrick D. "Fred"
L-R front row: Mary (Hood), David, Jennie "Jen," David Jr. "June"
Possible Pictures of Thomas and Sarah (Sittser) Barn(e)s
These pictures were set as a pair in matching frames and had been packed away in Lillian Bereniece (Barnes) Hoeg's storage room upstairs at the Centennial Farm in Horton, according to Lillian's son Bion Lynwood "Lyn" in email dated May 27, 2006 and June 14, 2007. From his January 27, 2006 email: "You can see the likeness of my grandfather... Sharp features and clear blue eyes, typical of many of the Barnes clan." [The "grandfather" was David Barnes Jr.]
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| This may be a picture of old Thomas Barnes | This may be a picture of old Sarah Sittser Barnes |
For additional information regarding the history and genealogy of the Barns/Barnes family, contact Charles W. Paige.
Last modified: Tuesday October 21, 2008
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