Morning journal and courier., 1885-08-28
BARNES FAMILY REUNION.


 A Bay at Congamond Lakes-The
 Eleventh Annual Reunion of the
 Family A Success-Speeches Mades
 Histories Read and officers Elect
 ed.
 About Sis o'clock yesterday morning special train carrying about one hundred and fifty members of the Barnes family from this city and vicinity left the Union depot over the New Haven and Northampton railroad bound for Congamond lakes where the Barnes family were to hold their eleventh an nual reunion. At way stations between this city and the lakes about one hundred more Barnes boarded the train, which reached the lakes after an hour and three-quarters' pleas ant ride from this city. On arriving at the lakes the morning was spent by the Barnes in becoming acquainted and walking about the grounds and sailing on the lakes. The Congamond lakes situated in a valley surrounded by Massachusetts hills and the acres of land, are owned by the Northampton railroad company. The west border of the l lakes forms the dividing line between Massa- chusetts and Connecticut and by so doing takes out about ten square miles which it is claimed really belongs to Connecticut. There are three of these | lakes, which used to be the principal feeders of the old canal, they being 212 feet above the level of the sea. The largest of these lakes, directly in front of which is the lake hotel on the shore, is about three miles long, quarter of mile wide, and is from twenty to twenty-five feet deep, close to the shore. In this lake is situated small island called Block Island and along the east shore are seen traces of the old canal. Along the banks of the lake splendid fishing is to be had. Sev- eral rowboats are kept to let on this lake, and the fiat bottom steamboat Josephine, Captain Fred Butler, makes trips around the lake once an hour. The steamboat is GA feet long, and will carry 150 people. It draws only IA inches of water, and so is able to go anywhere on the lake without danger of getting aground. Captain Fred, as he is better known. has been at and about the lakes for the past seven years, and on his trips is always surrounded by crowd of interested listeners to- whom he points out and tells about the places of interest on the shores of the lake. The grounds are very pleasant as there is always good breeze there, and yes terday the air was little too cold for com fort. Very few excursion parties visit the place from lower Connecticut, but it is the principal picnicking grounds of the Massa- chusetts people in the section and nearly every day sees crowd at the lakes. After the many Barnes had visited places of inter- | est it was time for dinner and when the latter ! was served it was 3 o'clock. The business meeting was called to order by Dr. Lewis | Barnes, Oxford, who presided and made the address of welcome in the place of T. Atwater Barnes of this city, who was expected to be present, but could not well attend. Dr. Barnes then made the following address of ! welcome, also giving some of the family his l tory:
 Friends, relatives brothers and sisters-Again | welcome
 cestor Barnes to a day of social unrestrained and
 this =. occasion hasten to aeknowedge | the hope that all who attend here this day may
 have pleasure and profit thereby and that none go eleventh time in many successive years for out
 door worship and adoration of the family name ates" as once before beside the placid waters of
 on %hch ahd pleasant memories of bygone generations and that
 cali those memories blessed We are met to see each other face to face, 10 reunite old and form new pride as recount the family deeds and fame and
 to e our IF na@e each a stene of Whieh e is
 densely inscribed with some public honor attained
 formed; aye, some simple act of charity done in the Masters name. outshining every other record family history will be afruitful theme to-day and
 5 E e s1v Ke% fe o a S Id 5s
 province by stating that the origin of our family
 frn fery % t Some claim that it I about the time of the Norman conquest and that
 6y a \ tis synonymous with the names of child and
 appellation preservedin Scotland to-day where their ! children are all ,bairns It spfices our purpose
 men and nations of the earth, if
 the the names of Grant and and washingson % aa n'S'S Ae I A word to the ladies is never wanting occa-
 sions like this It is the natural aim and intent of all to marry someone better than themselves, or as | the poet has it:
 Each love is hedged with divinity, | In matrimonial affairs the Barnes brothers ap- pear to have been 9 success, in that they married them faithful and trusting wives and the mothers of progeny to whom they could point with pride exclaim, Behold there are many jewels Let their love be sunshine in our memory and their names | son of their training much of the family success has been attained and not mothers of us has
 let us once more have blessed and lasting reunion | may have an intending day of ceaseless pleasure and be known as the sons of our sires-and of God Secretary S. H. Barnes, of New Haven, 1 then called up those present to sing the | original song of the Barnes, which was com posed by Miss Edith Richards, of this city,
  was sung by those present, and is as fol- lows:
 We Barnes have gathered today, As we've gathered so often before, That has brought us together ence imore CHORUS. And to-day we'll be free
 We will baniSh all trouble and care. And we'll laugh, and we'll sing, With our hearts beating light as the air.
  To mingle with those that we love, To honor our name, nor forget To give thanks to our father above CHo.-And to-day, etc.
 Our parents and children are here Our brothers and sisters greet With their glad words of welcome and cheer And voices of melody sweet. CHo.-And to-day, etc.
 Meath the beautiful blue of the sky Our echoing scne now awakes And the gentle breeze passing us by Js waiting it far OCT the lakes CHo.-And to-day, etc.
 We would praise the good giver of all For the gifts from his bountiful store Who is ever awake to our call And is with us to-day as of yore. CHo.-And today etc.
 MT. R. A. Barnes, of Plainville, was next called upon to speak, and he said: ''If I had known 1 was going to be called upon to speak I should certainly have had my notes with me; but as I did not know it, and have not the notes, all I can say is that I am happy to be here with you Barnes to-day. I think these reunions are very good thing, and should be kept up in the future by our de- scendants Still, my thoughts are sad as I sit here to day and know that some of the faces have seen here in past years have gone to their last reunion" J. w. Barnes of Perth Amboy, N J., was next called upon, and arising said that he was not able to make speech as he did not know one was expected from him, but that he heartily agreed with the last speaker in thinking these family reunions should be kept up in the future.
 Truman E. Barnes was next called, but he begged to be excused, as were he and An drew F. Barnes, of Southington, who was also called.
 Who the first Barnes was or where he came from cannot be shown for 8 certainty by any of the Barnes of the present day, but the