The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-08-30
MEDEARIS FAMILY
HELD ITS REUNION
The Pleasant Gathering Took
Place at Jackson Park
On August 18th.
ONE HUNDRED PRESENT.
EST PERSON PRESENT, WILL
SOON REACH HIS NINETY
EIGHTH YEAR.

The Medearis family held one of its
most enjoyable reunions at Jackson's
park Wednesday, Aug. IS. 1t was at
tended by almost a hundred relatives
and friends. After a splendid picnic
dinner a meeting was called to order,
ID. b. Medearis presiding. Remarks
were made by Rev. McCarty. Fletcher
Medearis, John Keys, Caleb King and
others.
Fletcher Medearis, who if permitted
to live until Nov. 10, will celebrate his
ninety-eighth birthday, spoke in feeb
le tones expressing his gratitude at
being able to be present and saying
he hoped to be present on future oc
casions
The following officers were then ell
ected:
D. B. Medearis-President.
Jessie misunderstanding and
Treasurer.
The meeting adjourned to meet the
fourth Wednesday in August, 1908.
A brief history of the family fol-
lows:
John Medearis was born about the
y
Nov %, 1873. They were married in
1903. To this union were born six
children namely: Fletcher, Charles,
Emsley Martha, Nancy and Jefferson.
Mary Medearis with her children
came to Indiana from North Carolina
in 1928 when it was yet Territory
and endured the hardships incident to
early settling, the changing of dense
and unbroken forests into fruitful
farms and comfortable homes.
Four children are still living, Flet-
cher aged 81, Martha Keys aged 81,
Nancy Crooks aged &c. Jefferson aged
ing passed to the great reunion be-
yond, he dying in 1928 at the age
of 81 years. In 1875 Mary Medearis
suggested family reunion, the first
of which was held in September of
that year at the home of Thomas and
Nancy Crooks near Olive Hill, Ind.
The annual gatherings occurred for a
number of years. One of these was
a joint reunion of the -Chees-
man families and was held at the
church known as Kennedy's chapel.
They were attended by children,
grandchildren, great grandchildren and
a host of friends and each meeting
was held in tender memory until the
greetings of the next Grandmother
Medearis was only privileged to at
tend two of these reunions. She died
on July z, 1877, at the ripe old age of
90 years. Several years elapsed in
which there were no reunions, but on
August IL, 1905, the descendants of
John and Mary Medearis numbering
more than a hundred. gathered at
Jackson's park west of Centerville
and spent the day in social enjoyment
and partaking of a bountiful dinner
which was spread on a long table in
the park. After all had done justice
TO the repast meeting was called to
order and the reunions were made an
annual affair On August %, 1906, an
other reunion was held at Jackson's
park and was attended by 125 rela-
tives and friends.
The day was spent in greeting old
friends and making new ones. After
grand picnic dinner which all en-
joyed to the fullest, photograph was
taken of the assembly which included
Fletcher Medearis, John and Martha
Keys, Jefferson and Marilla Medearis
the oldest members of the family.
Nancy Crooks being in poor health
was unable to attend
With pleasures come sadness On
Feb. 2, 1906. Martha, wife of Israel
Medearis passed from earth. She has
gone to reap a well earned reward.
Since our last meeting death has
again entered our circle and on Jan.
II, 1907 removed Uncle John Keys.
]. H.