The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1891-08-29
THE FLEMING FAMILY
Holds a National Reunion Of
Members at Fairmont.
OYER ONE THOUSAND PARTICIPATE.

OYER ONE THOUSAND PARTICIPATE
And Nearly Half the States In the Uniol
Represented-A History Of FamiI,
Prepared from Data Carefully Col
lected-Four Generations on tn,
Ground-A Base Ball Game Of which
Both Clubs were Composed Of Elem
ings-A Pleasant Event.
FAIRMoNr, w. VA, Aug. 10.-Thi.
has been great day in Fairmont
and the like of the scenes that have
been witnessed was never before
lequaled perhaps in West Virginia
The occasion was the annual re- union
of the Fleming family of the United
States, and it brought together hun
dreds of representatives of the fami-
ly from all parts of the Union.
Delegates were present from TWEEN.
ty-fve States to the number of more
than thousand, the largest delega-
ton being from Indiana, and arriv-
ing on special train of five cars
this morning. This delegation alone
numbered about three hundred peo-
pie, and was received at the depot by
an enormous crowd of waiting rela
tives and citizens headed by the Lo
Gust avenue band.
Delegations from other States had
arrived last night and yesterday, and
the streets of Fairmont were already
literally crowded with visitors. The
arrival of the Indiana contingent
completed the assemblage and the
festivities of the day commenced
without further delay. The scene in
the town was remarkable in many re-
spects. The crowds of strangers
wearing handsome badges made for
the occasion suggested the idea OF a
general holiday occasion.
Everybody was in gala attire, and
every body's name seemed to he Elem.
ing. One had but to call the name
of Fleming on the street to witness
nearly everybody in hearing distance
turn his head and acknowledge the
salutation. 1t would occupy too
much space to name all the promi-
nent members of the family who are
here from different portions of the
Union, or to trace in anything like
satisfactory manner the relationships
that exist between them, as they rep
resent so many different branches of
the original family.
PROMINENT FLEMINGs.
Among those most prominent in
the immense crowd that was congre
gated in the grand stand on the Fair
Ground this afternoon at the formal
opening of the reunion proper, were:
Governor Fleming, of this State;
Hon. Thomas W. Fleming, Mayor of
Fairmont; Hon. S. S. Fleming, of
Shinnston, and many other represen.
tatives of the West Virginia branch
es, who are prominent in public and
social life. From other States were:
Thomas L. Fleming, of Philadelphia,
Miss Lizzie E. Fleming, of Muncie,
lnd.; c. j. Harrington, of Farming
ton, Delaware, and long list of
Flemings and their connections in
Delaware; Findley NJ. Fleming, of
Frazysburg, Ohio, and large dele
CATION from that State; nearly three
hundred representatives of the Indi-
ana branch of the family; Dr. A. o.
Pitcher, of Iowa, and a number of
other Iowa representatives; members
from Kentucky, Pennsylvania New
Jersey, Maryland, Illinois, and many
other States.
The family now has a complete
chain to the seventh generation from
Fleming, who was born early
in the eighteenth century. The
seventh generation was represented
in the stand by several children
from three or four years of
age down to a very few months. The
Indiana special was delayed some
what and did not arrive until after
ten O'Clock, and it was almost noon
before the great crowd followed the
Avenue band to the fair ground,
where the reunion was to occur. The
grand stand at the fair ground was
packed with the hundreds of the
delegates from all parts of the coun-
Try, large proportion of whom were
ladies'. A glance over the
throng revealed the fact that it
was a thoroughly representative
their appearance indica
ting every walk of life.
The lawyer, the merchant, the
the journalist, the laborcr,
the man of influence and the one in
moderate circumstances, though all
showing evidences of prosperity; the
patriarch bent with age and the child
Of the youngest generation; more
than a thousand of them, all of one
family and one blood, gathered from
all sections of the country to ex-
change greetings, trace kinship, com
pare notes as to family history and
20 form ties of friendship such as
should properly exist among those
whose blood and name are the same. |
It was a scene grand to me, who took
INTO consideration its significance.
GOVERNOR AND MAYOR FLEMING.
No formal program was observed. |
After music by the band, Hon. Thorn
rs w. Fleming, Mayor of Fairmont,
rom stand in the centre of the
grand stand, delivered a brief adj
tress of welcome to his kins- folk on
behalf Of the citizens Of Fairmopt in
general and on behalf Of their rela-
lives in and about Fairmont in par
.icnlar. Mayor Fleming sustained |
ais double capacity of welcoming
mayor and the chosen speaker for
hose whose name he is proud to
bear, in splendid style. He spoke
'eelingly the words which were evil
lently straight from the heart, and
gave the guests of the occasion a |
genuine old fashioned Virginia well
.ome. AT the conclusion be intro