A Sigh of Relief

Did you miss me?

Wonder where I have been?

The yearly Galbreath Reunion...#107

Last year I was so worried, only 18 came to our reunion.

I was so concerned that it was just myself and my cousin holding it together.

But this year was a complete turn around!

I planned a 3 day weekend.

We had people from Seattle, San Antonio, Maryland, Indiana, Iowa,

Colorado, AZ and all over Illinois

First day I got there the doorbell rang at 1515 and it was cousin Fran from Maryland.

We had lunch and then dinner with the twins and the Texas cousin and that was Thursday.

Friday my cousins from Indiana arrived and we in this new age text messaged everyone to come to lunch at our favorite new place.

meeting cousin Greg and wife Linda for the first time

You have to remember we are cousins through our 3rd or 4th Great Grandparents

Then some hanging out at 1515..love that

That night we did our annual Ribs at Roc's in Charleston

prior to my cousin David's book signing

18 of us! that was how many there were at the reunion last year!

cousin Gregg, Bob and Cleone meeting

Their Great Grandfathers were brother and as we found out

fought in the Civil War together.

Lois is from AZ, and I had never met her, she was so sweet.

And even though the twins are not related they came and joined us

because everyone wants to be related to them!

cousin David ready to do his book signing 

appreciate Bob Bertrand for opening his Pensees Bookshop for the signing

The next day was the workshop I had put together

but something happened along the way there......

I was rear ended!!

By the Assistant Regional Superintend of schools so I took the 

opportunity to discuss the Charleston Riot and the schools participation.

The policeman said that the superintend said I was the nicest person

he could ever of ran into.

So I was late for the event I was hosting by only 10 minutes.

But I was frazzled the rest of the day.

26 showed up for the Genealogy workshop!

I was so very happy

Our focus was our family during the Civil War

But the highlight was the appearance of the family bibles!

cousin Gregg touching the 1767 Mitchell Bible that was hidden

in the trunk under my 5th Great Grandmothers dress when then the 

British stormed the spring house they were hiding in during the Battle of Guildford Courthouse NC.

My 4th Great Grandfather's birth recorded in it 4th May 1774

Bob and Judy entertained us with Civil War music and music they have written

about our families adventures!

Some of us at 4pm went to the family cemetery

My 3rd Great Grandfather who served 7 years in the Revolutionary War

and whom we honor

some of us were enjoying the baby calf's

or they watching us!?

that night a impromptu dinner for 10 at 1515 we had a blast!

and July in Illinois means fresh corn, green beans and tomato's!

cousin David and the twins held court and we laughed at the stories they told.

It was a late evening

The next day was the official reunion day

at my Grandmother and Great Grandparents church

getting the meal together

I asked cousin Lynn "when did it happen that we now are the ones getting the meal together?" It is like a coming of age thing we decided

cousin Phil who was President for many years

Jerry talks to his Aunt Janet who brought a display of her husbands things.

He was my Dad's first cousin and a well known archaeologist and Professor at SIU

I did a display and the bibles were there that day too.

the tables were full!

and how many were there?

38!!!

I was so happy

Phil and dear cousin Fred have kept this going for so long.

We elected new officers and was so happy Phil's niece is the new president!

Bob and Judy played again and the Battle of Adam Mitchell they are going to put on You Tube!

We officially changed the reunion name to the 

Galbreath-Mitchell Reunion

I cried

I am such a sap

but I work so hard on this.

I ran cousins Bob and Judy out to St Omer cemetery

to see the orb tombstone of our distant cousin

they say one was a witch because her tombstone 

says she died Feb 31st.

I say she was the last to die and now one was there to point out the error

Time to say goodbyes

9 Descendants of my Great Grandparents

2013

1933 when our parents were children

my dad is in the overhauls

with our Great grandparents

or

cousin Fred is the only one from the 1938 picture in the picture now

he is the little boy on the rt front and in the now picture

back row lt

times change but the love remains

look at my sweet daddy hugging his sister on the left

I would think Adam Mitchell and William Galbreath are pretty proud of their

Scottish Clan