The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-10-30
THE BLoo4E1EEBs.
Reunion Of 1870.

Bhlp9 ana braVed the pertls OF frontier life who
feled the forests and laid the foundation for the
inestimable blessings the present generation now
enjoys, few are now remaining The number ls
growing rapidly less, and ere many more years
shall roll around they will all have passed
away.
Occasionally one OF these old frontiesmen is
met with who has survived the storms and raw
ages OF time but his silvery locks and his feeble
step tell us that ere long he will lay himself
down from his laboTs within that tent whose
curtain never outward swings" In no way can
the present generation honor so well these old he
roes OF the early time as by initiating their vir-
tues and preserving inviolate the blessings guar
anteed unto us In the civil, educational and re
lIglous institutions founded and fOstered by
their wisdom and Eelfsacrlfce.
A very commendable and praiseworthy meth
cd Of honoring the memory Of the early settles Of
this county Is the custom just now fairly initiated
Of holding what they call Family Reunions"
Tho gathering together, often from great dis.
tances, OF the descendants Of these old families.
the meeting frequently OF kindred who, previous
to the family gathering had never seen each
others faces the talking over the family history,
incidents and anecdotes; the pleasure derived
friendship, and the renewing Of old ones; this 10
a custom that ought never suffer decline, No.
until we have grown recreant to the trusts COM
mitted to our hands, and have become unworthy
the blessing we now enjoy, may we venture to
ignore the memory Of those whom the world now
delight to honor. #.
One Of the pleasantest family gatherings held
In this vicinity took place at the residence Of W.
L, Nash In Marlboro township, and was known
as the Bloomfield Reunion" The Bloomfield
family Is one Of the Oldest In this section of coun
try as well as one Of the Oldest In America. Their
descendants are scattered far and wide; from
New Jersey, where they first settled near the
close Of the seventeenth century, to the distant
regions Of the far west. 1t was impossible to
gather together more than a small fraction Of
those now living, but some Of them were taken
there from the east and some from the west-a
happy, Joyous company the greater number Of
whom were the descendants Of Lewis Bloomfield,
who settled In Marlboro in 1929, and to whom
shall again refer ,t
In addition to large number Of BloOmhelds,
there were present Of those who have married
into the family and their descendants, the
shreves, the Nashes, the Winders, the Puts, the
Marshalls, the MaxwellE, and Others whose
names cannot now be called to mind,
OF fcourse at such gathering the dinner Is no
unimportant item, Beneath the shade of ever.
green's in the front door yard long table was
prepared at which seventy persons sat and par
took Of the ample repsst. When 1t is stated that
each family had provided itself with enough eat
ables for four families some idea may be gained
of the amount Of provisions placed before the
guests. The inroads made into the piles of meats
pies, biscuits, cakes, breads, etc., are somewhat
indicative of their quality. After dinner the
company assembled In the large sitting.Toom and
spent couple Of hours in giving and listening to
historical incidents and recollections of the an
cesters Of those present,
W. L. Nash, for himself and wife, In q very neat
and appropriate address welcomed the guests to
his humble abode, where luxury has not lavish.
ed its wealth, but where industry, fruRslity and
content abide.' Mr., Thomas shreVe, Of Pennsyl.
vania, whose mother was Bloomfield, gave some
very interesting history connected with the an
cestors OF the Bloomfelds. From information
now in possession Of the family this history is OBJ
tanned: Uu
James l.. Of England, had enforced upon his
Scottish subjects liturgy which they abhorred
as they would the worship of Baal. Under the
| leadership OF one Richard Cameron many re.
belled and were known as the CameIonlans. They
were mercilessy persecuted, hunted IN field and
forest, many were executed and others banished
During the time of this persecution large mum.
Der Of the Cameronians were placed upon an old
vessel called the Caledonia and threatened with
immediate execution II they ever returned. The
Caledonia was an old and unseawOlthy craft, and
1t was undoubtedly supposed that she would
founder at sea and all on board would perish
| They were given neither chart nor compass, an6
| 1t was supposed there was no one among theil
number who understood the art of navigation
When they were well out at sea, and when al
hope OF deliverance had died within them, thert
came from the hold Of the ship man with {
compass and quadrant and assured the little
band Of persecuted christians If they would trus
themselves to his guidance he would endeavol
to pilot them across the Atlantic to America
They submitted to him as tO one sent from God
AS their stock of provisions was small they wert
put on short allowance and then steered fol
New York. He failed to reach the harbor Of New
York but made the shore of New Jersey neal
Amboy where he run the vessel ashore and saved
every soul alive. So late as 1867 the wreck Of the
Caledonia was still lying off Amboy. One o.
this little band OF banished christian patriots wa
| Marion Renwick a lenial descendant of the
| Bruces She was born In Dumiries, Scotland
about 1861. Some time after her arrival in thiE
country she was married to Adam Hude. He.
death occurred November 20, 1882 about forty
| years after her landing. Adam Hude died June
q, 1N6. Anna, a daughter Of Adam and Marion
Hude, married Andrew Bloomfield, the grand
father of Lewis Bloomfield, before mentioned
Thomas, son of Andrew and Anna Bloomfield
and father Of Lewis married Elizabeth Morris
This Elizabeth Morris was Of the same family
from which came Robert Morris, the great Hnacier
of the Revolution to whose efforts and financial
credit the country was indebted for the means Of
carrying on the war. Thus twill be seen that In
the veins Of the present generation Of the Bloom
fields flows the royal blood Of the Scottish Bruces
and the renowned patriot Morris. To Thomas
and Elizabeth Bloomfield were born eleven chill
dren: Catherine, Isaac, Robert Msrgarite, Lewis
Anna Stephen, Sarah, Andrew, Thomas and
Elizabeth.
The fifth child, Lewis, is the one already men
toned as settling In Marlboro In 1929. Thomai
Bloomfield with his family left New Jersey Snt
settled In Fayette county Pa, when Lewis wal
fourteen years old. After a residence there o
five years they moved into Crawford county, ther
bowling wilderness, settling upon land belong
ing to the United States. The townships were
neither named nor laid out, but when they wert
named the one in which Mr. Bloomfield had set
tied was named "BloomAeld," In honor Of tht
sturdy pioneer Here Thomas and Elizabeth
lived and died. Here their children grew to man
hood and womanhOod, married, and went ou
from the old homestead to begin the battle o
life for themselves. Lewis Bloomfield was tn,
father Of ten children. With his wife Susannah
and all his children except the oldest daughter
he bade adieu to the scenes Of his young manhood
and came to Stark county and purchased largt
tract of land, mostly in the wilderness and upor
which he lived until the day Of his death June
q, 1864. Mr.. Bloomfield lived to see the wilder
| ness around him give place 10 we'll cultivated