The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1885-09-09
AN INTERESTING OCCASION.
A Reunion Of the Murray.MOrrOw
Family.

| branches, into Morrow, is shrOuded in mys-
terry nevertheless the family have their
! hypotheses. The true theory no doubt is
that the change was brought about by "A
| religious difference in the family at au early
! day while still in ireland, when the Protes-
tant branch took the name Of Morrow,
whilo the Catholic remained Murray. Then
after the family emigratcd to this country
the bitterness between the factions died out
and some of the Morrows took the original
name and still keep it. Whatever may
! have been the cause, or means Of the
change, that they are of the same family,
branches Of the same parent stock, there
can be no doubt, for they are still in posses
sion of an old family record in which the
names Murray and Morrow are both re-
corded, and that of two sisters, ono
! born in 1911, named Murray, and the other
born in 1914, named Morrow. Now this
change of name might be made an interest
ing study to this family, and it is hoped
that they may be enabled to solve the mys-
terry Of the name.
But now to the matter in hand This
large and interesting family, held their
third reunion Aug. 20, 1885, in beautiful
grove on the farm of Mr. John Morrow,
about three miles southwest from Piqua.
0. There were about 1875 members of the
family present, from the great-grandfather
to the great-grandchild besides some
neighbors and invited guests. Among the
older members of the family present were
Thos. Morrow residing on a farm five
miles north of Piqua, aged 80 years; Mr.
Geo. A. Murray residing near Sidney, o.,
aged IS years; Mrs. Eliza Barrere, Of New
Carlisle, o., aged 70 years, and Mr. James
r. Morrow, of New Market, Highland
county, o., nged G8 years.
BY special invitation of Mr.. Geo. A.
Murray and the kindly transportation fur
nished by Mr.. Mitchell Morrow, your re-
porter, Mr.. Editor, was privileged to enjoy
this grand festive occasion. The day was
balmy, delightful, all that could have been
desired. The native grove of trees was
beautifully sodded and the shade delightful;
n most charming place. The floral decora-
tions were artistic and lovely, and the
dinner of meats, and fowl, and fruits, and
cakes, and pies and jellies aud floats, and
coffee and tea, and lemonade, etc, etc,
was rich delicious and superabundant,
defying description, and only needing to be
discussed to be enjoyed
) All things in readiness q few taps of the
gong-a tin pan-brought the company,
old and young, one and ALL into tempting
nearness to the bountifully filled tables,
when Mr. Geo. A. Murray escorted Rev. j.
p. Shultz, Pastor of Grace NJ. e. Church,
] Tng L.. 1r H.l1 of Ian
making few very appropriate remarks
referring to their former reunions, the
numbers present at each one, and those of
them who had since died, and saying that
while there was no doubt a feeling of sad
ness occasioned by their absence, that yet
there should be in the hearts of all SD
of thanllfulness that so many were spared
and permitted to be present to enjoy this
occasion, and of gratitude to the bOuntifuI
, Giver for such an abundant repRst OF
which they were then about to partaFe, he
, introduced Mr.. Shultz to the company, and
called upon him to offer prayer.
In response he returned thanks to God
for his past favors and blessings upon all
present, and especially upon the family
whose reunion they were then holding, fol
the large number, the industry, sObriety
: intelligence good citizenship, Christian
character and life, and general prosperity
/ of this family, and prayed that they should
e become none the less so in any of these re
t spects but increase in all of them, so tha
4 ! at last they may, without amissing link, bC
u gathered home and hold one grand reunion
70 in the sweet groves of the upper Eden.
Dinner being ended, the Rev. j. p
Shultz being called upon for some renark
by way of introduction exhibited sOmC
family souvenirs. One was a patent to 24l
+ acres of land issued by the United States t
= VIM. Murray now occupied by Thoma
b Morrow, and signed by Jas. Madison
= President of the United States, and JOsial
! Meigs, Land Commissioner. Another wa
a an old illuminated Family Record, datinl
+ back to 1777. And lastly, an old famil,
G Bible, printed in old English characters
supposed to be about $50 years old. Tha
Bible has a history. Although belonging
to a stauuCh old ScOtch-Irish Presbyterian
- family it was once immersed in the Sciot
f River.
And then the reverend gentleman, touch
u ing teuderly upon the sRddening element il
:, such a gathering, the dear departed ones
[. referring to his former acquaintance witt
=, his dear friend of other years, Mr. Geo. A
! Murray, proceeded to show how pleasan
5, such occasions were, in renewing oil
T. friendships, forming new ones, and cherish
e ing the hope of more joyful reunion whe
, time shall be over with us here.
Now these family reunions are made pos
d sible, desirable, and delightful, by indus
@ try, economy, sobriety, and moral worth
q and by these traits Of character and lit
q they may be perpetuated to the end OF time
q The crowd was then entertained for som
L. time by several choice selections of mus
d by different members of the family, aftt
IS which d. Q. Morrow, Esq, law partner {
4, Uric Sloane, of Hillsboro, o., was called
=" from the crowd and made a happy litt
1s imprOmptu speech expressing his gree
- pleasure in being there and meeting
or many of his relatives, more than he ha
ever seen of them in all his life before. II
BE- also gave his theory of the change Of tI
name and expressed the hope that thei
10 reunions would be perpetuated in u
t- future; that the Murray Morrow fami
=. would so deport themselves as that the
~ would be worthy and hOnOred citizens
it this great country. And he hoped, furthe
m that they might effect permanent organ
zation and that the minutes and prOeee
ings Of this organization might grow into
n history of the Morrow family. In concl
a sion he read a historic sketch of Thom
liB MorOW's family.
I'M The next thing attended TO was Il
W appointing Of the different committee
~ after which the crowd fingered until
Is late hour In the afternoon, and then di