Basham reunionThe family of the late Samuel Henry and Effie Mae Williams Basham met Sept. 14 at the Betsy-Jeff Penn 4-H Center in Reidsville for a reunion. The family includes five of their nine children, 22 grandchildren, 51 great-grandchildren, 69 great-great-grandchildren and three great-great-great-grandchildren.The theme was a Hawaiian luau. Surviving children and spouses are: Margaret Basham Love(Jack), Curtis Basham (Carolyn), Virginia Basham Holmes, Eunice Basham Massey (Ralph), and Sarah McCleney. They were presented with grass skirts, leis and a laminated copy of “The Life of Henry and Effie Basham.” (Eunice Basham Massey wrote the article, with the help of her siblings).
The siblings stood and introduced their families by asking them to stand. Additionally, the families of the deceased siblings stood in honor and memory of their loved ones. The deceased children are: Beatrice, James E., Glen V. and Richard S.
A family tree/album was displayed along with many memorable family pictures. About 115 members were in attendance.
Shutt reunion
The Shutt reunion was held Sept. 20 at Little Creek Recreation Park in Winston-Salem, hosted by Nannette Shutt.After-lunch activities included tennis, football, walking trails and a playground for the children. Thirty-five attended.
The oldest male and female member received gifts, along with, members traveling farthest and the one with most members present. A drawing for door prizes followed.
A donation will be made to Hospice in memory of Margie Shutt Dean and Frances Shutt, recently deceased family members.
The 2009 reunion will be held the third Saturday in September at Tobaccoville Park in King.
Brown-Fisher reunion
The Brown-Fisher Association held its annual reunion Sept. 13 at 1 p.m. at the Old Stone House. President Paul Brown welcomed the 125 members and friends.
He introduced the current board of directors: Paul Brown, Sarah Z. Brown, Larry Brown, Patricia B. Beck, Madge Brown Russell, Ann Carlan Bostian, Juanita Fisher Lagg, Pamela McCombs McDonald, Teresa Fox and Norman Ribelin. New directors are Todd Berg and Keith Wolfe.
The board will serve 2009-2011.
Treasurer Larry Brown gave an updated treasurers report. Paul Brown presented a $200 check to Ann Carlan Bostian for the restoration of the Nathan Brown House.
Larry Brown gave the invocation. A hot dog and hamburger lunch was catered by the Nathan Brown Historical Association, as a fundraiser to restore the Nathan Brown house. During lunch, The Polka Dots entertained with German music.
Paul Brown opened the business meeting by introducing Kaye Brown Hirst, executive director of the Rowan Museum and the Old Stone House, the ancestral home of Michael Brown, which dates from 1766.
She introduced her staff for the day: Tricia Denton Creel, Robbie Cochran, Joe Williams, Allison Barnhardt, Carol Brown and Theresa Pierce.
Hirst spoke of the activities of the Old Stone House. The house is open on Saturdays and Sundays April through November, and other times by appointment. The summer History Camp for children spent much time on the property. The Christmas Open House is the first weekend after Christmas.
Lack of parking space has always been a problem for visitors. There have been recent expenses of cutting down damaged trees, and replacing the furnace in the house. The next project will be reglazing the windows.
An Old Stone House Endowment Fund has recently been started. The Brown-Fisher Association Board voted to match the first $5,000 given though the Endowment Fund. Additional information can be obtained by calling the Rowan Museum at 704-636-5946.
Larry Brown honored members who served in the military: Charles Blackwell-U.S. Army 1951-53; John Seaford Jr.-U.S. Army 1951-53; Clarence Wayne Miller-U.S. Navy 1963-69. Each received a Parker flag pen.
Juanita Lagg recognized new Life Members: Emma Ann Clifton, Mr. and Mrs. Parks Berryhill, Walter DFisherJr. and Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Sexton, which brings the total number of life members to 117.
A gold dollar was given to the youngest person attending: Emma Ann Clifton, 1-year-old daughter of Ken and Kat Clifton. The two oldest persons attending were also recognized: John Earnhardt at age 95; and Otho Moose at age 92.
Gold dollars were given to the persons traveling the farthest: Larry Byrd of Buford, Ga., Frances Brown Ritchie of Mount Pleasant, S.C., and Sue Brown Pickett of Palmyra, Va. Also to Annie Marie Seaford for the most family members attending at 15; and to George Kluttz, Lane Brown, John Earnhardt, Carl Ritchie, and Charles Blackwell who had three generations attending.
The children attending were given gift bags and were later included in a drawing for kid’s prizes: Brandy Fox, Lily Brigman, Maddie Brigman, Kayla Swicegood, Sarah Gullett, Emma Clifton, Sarah Clifton, Maggie Dees and Lillian Kale.
Beth Kale, Frances Brown Ritchie, Larry Brown, Jack Brigman, Ann Carlon Bostian, Carol Brown, Ken Clifton, John Fisher, Monty Brown and Claudette Brown won door prizes.
Following the reunion, members were invited to tour the Brown cemetery located across the road from the Old Stone House, and the Old Stone Winery. Also, the Nathan Brown House was having an open house from 4 to 6 p.m.
The 2009 reunion will be held at Organ Lutheran Church on Aug. 30, 2009.
Mount Ulla reunion
Seventeen of the remaining 33 members of the Mount Ulla class of 1950, their spouses and friends, met at Ryan’s Steak House for lunch on Sept. 20.
They were: Donand Patty Wiggins Belk, John Bollinger, Lester and Faye Brown Peeler, Peggy Cauble Wood, Bill Graham, George Hamby, Nena Karriker Gibson, Ellis London Cauble, Quintin McKnight, Hugh Miller, Glenn Owen, Bill Phipps, Tom Turner, Betty Weast Nolley, and Bob Weast.
John Bollinger, master of ceremonies, conducted a brief memorial service for the 10 deceased members-Carl Lentz, Don Blackwelder, Don Stiller, Alex Corriher, Gilbert Goodman, Bill Ballard, Bob Drury, Margaret Cauble Graham, Betty Owen Parrish and Frankie Davis Lovin.
Following lunch, the group enjoyed John’s jokes and reminiscing about former years at Mount Ulla.
The third Saturday in September was established as the date for future reunions-time and place to be announced.