The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1909-08-12
THE NYE FAMILY REUNION.
National Organization In Session Mt
Highgate-An Old Fashioned
Sugaring OF Feature.

vi AlheIlCd, WAS begun at H1gngate,
where many of the descendants have
resided for many years, yesterday af-
ternoon at o'clock. About 1875 of
the family are present and enjoy
ing together "reminiscences of other
reunions, four of which have been
held in Sandwich, Mass, and one in
Marietta, Ohio. Notwithstanding the
fact the little hamlet of Highgate
is off the main railroads and only
four miles from the Canadian Dor
der the attendance is among the
best in the history of the organiza-
ton. The president Of the society is
unable to be present and William L.
Nye, of Sandwich, chairman of the
executive committee, is presiding at
the business meetings. Mrs. Annie
Nye Smith is secretary and treas
urer.
The sessions are being held at the
Methodist church which HIS been
most attractively decorated for the
occasion, the principal feature be-
ing the inscription "1635-Nye-19O9"
which extends across the front of
the audience room, while over the
door to the building is the word
welcome" made of evergreens.
The address of welcome for the
Nye, of Cambridge, addresses by w.
bert N. Nye, Of East Highgate; the
welcome to the younger Genera
ton" by Lynnford o. Nye, of High
gate and the welcome for the
town, Chauncey G. Austin, Sr. The
response was given by Capt. G. F.
Nye, of Pawnee City, Neb. These
addresses, with prayer, singing, and
organ selection concluded the af-
ternoon session. In the evening
William L. Nye, of Sandwich, gave
an address on Sandwich; a pa
per on "The Vermont Nyes" was
read by Mrs. Sarah l.. Davis, of
Greensboro Bend; and the Rev. E.
I. Nye, of East Georgia, gave All
address.
Today was taken up with bust
ness, recitations by Ralph and Sarah
Nye, of Cambridge, address by w.
F.. Nye, of New Bedford, Mass, and
w. G. Nye, of Washington, and
"reminiscences Of Bennett Young"
by B. F. Nye, of Highgate.
The social feature of the day was
an old fashioned Vermont Sugar
ing-off" on the church lawn. This
treat is given by Mr.. and Mrs. w.
H. Nye, of Johnson, who have
brought to Highgate real arch 50
that the visitors from outside the
state may have some idea of what
a bona fide boiling down" is like.
AS souvenirs Of the occasion, Mr..
and Mrs. Nye have presented old
fashioned sugar paddles to the
guests, which they used in eating
the maple sugar.
This evening another literary
program will be given which will
include an address on First
Thoughts of a Reunion" by Mrs. H.
A. Belcher, of Randolph, Mass. an
address on katherine Topper" by
Frederick S. Upper, of East Fair
field, and paper by Harold Marsh
of Sheldon. The association will
have a picnic and fish chowder at |
Highgate Springs tomorrow and
farewell reception in the evening
will bring the reunion to a close.
Beside the Vermont Nyes present !
at the reunion are twenty descend
ants of the family from Massachus-
etts, six from Texas, three from
Ohio, three from Kansas, two from
New York, two from Nebraska, two !
from Iowa, two from Maine and |
one from Connecticut. The oldest |
descendant is William F. Nye, of |
Mass, who is 81 years
old, and the youngest one in at
tendance is the three-year-old son
of Lynnford o. Nye, of East High
gate. The guests are being enter
tanned at the Commercial House and
in order to accommodate all of them
nine small tents have
been erected on the spacious lawn
for sleeping rooms, and one huge
tent in which the meals are served. !
These tents are all lighted by cleo
tricity and present an attractive ap-
pearance
The members of the Nye Family
Reunion Association are all des-
cendants Of Benjamin Nye, who
came to this country in the vessel
which followed the May
flower, and he first settled in Sand
witch, Mass. This was in 1885 and a
few years later he married Rather
inc Topper. The Vermont Nyes are
descendants OF another Benjamin
Nye, who came from Roxbury, "
H., to Fairfield in 1887, later NOV
ing to Highgate. The reunion is
being held in Highgate at the invl-
tation of Benjamin z. Nye, a son of
Nelson Nye, who died in Highgate
at the age of 81 years in July. 1908.