The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1924-08-09
Lake Family To
Assemble Here
Interesting Program to be Given
In Wesley Church All Day on
Thursday Next.

The 21st Annual Reunion of the
Lake Family. will be held in Wesley
M. E. Church next Thursday. AS the
program shows this promises to be
n of the most interesting meetings
of this family. Descendants come from
every part of the United States.
William Lake was one of the first
settlers in what is now Pleasantville,
Coming from Long Island to Cape May
with his brother-inlaw, Nicholas Still
well, and his cousin, Jacob Spicer, as
whajers as early as 1890, he soon re-
moved to Egg Harbor, the Colonial
name of the section comprising practi-
cally all of Atlantic County. Here he
took up property adjoining what is
still known as Lakes Bay. Much of
the original grant is still held by men,
bers of the Collins branch of the fam
lily. The original old family burying
ground was situated on a rise of
ground back of the present home of
Charles w. Blake, on the Ryon tract.
All trace of this old burying ground
has long since vanished.
William Lake was Overseer of the
poor for Great Egg Harbor in 1913.
None of his descendants seem to have
cared for official positions, living plain
u~nostentatious lives. John Lake, the
father of William, was n of the 80
who formed the settlement at Grave
send, L. l., in 1915. These were fol-
lowers of the then prosecuted Roger
Williams, and probably accounts for
the early settlers of Cape May County
being Baptists. Courage of their con
victions in the face of opposition is
still a strong characteristic OF this
family. They are always to be found
as loyal champions of Right, and the
stronger Might is entrenched against
Right, the stronger is their loyalty and
opposition.
Another characteristic of this family
Is a peculiar mechanical genius. Their
inventions are numberless almost, and
include some of the most important
devices in the world. 1t was with ST
mon Lakes Submarine that Germany
hoped to conquer the world, and prob
ably would have succeeded had it not
been for the great Tank, which was
invented originally by Uncle Jesse
Lake, who was Uncle Jesse" to the
whole Shore, having no children of his
own. Many in Pleasantville remember
ssUncle Jesse's Devil Wagon. This
aj1 Ruyp:
pike. and probably seemed rightly
named. as it ratified and clattered uI
and down the Shore road. belching
forth fire and smoke.
Interested members of the Atlantic
County Historical Society are invited
to meet with the family. particularly
during the evening. The evening SEES
sion, will be public, and all interested
are most cordially invited to be pres
ent.
Dinner will be served in the church
dining room for 81. and supper for soc.
Reservations should be sent to Mrs.
Wilbur Reed.
Beside the following program it is
hoped that Simon Lake may be able
to be present and speak:
II a. m.
Congregational Singing; Devotional,
Rev. James E. Lake; Welcome by Pas
tor, Rev. w. L. Shaw; Response, Ar
thur Adams, B. D., Phi. D.; Reading of
Minutes of Last Meeting; Memorials
by Arthur Adams, B. D., Phi. D., and
Rev. James E. Lake, B. d., d. D.; Solo,
selected, Roland d. Erskine; Reports
of officers and Committees; Round
Table Talks; Social Hour and Dinner.
las p. m.
Organ Recital, selected, Miss Mida
c. Blake; Election of officers; Unin-
ished Business: Publications, Mrs. Ma
ria Collins Thomas; Remarks, Mrs.
Anna C.. Fleming; Solo, selected, Miss
Louisa Corson; Early ~Recollections,
Hon, Somers T. Champion, Rev. James
E. Lake, B.. D., D. D.; Social Hour and
Supper.
7.45 p. M.
Organ Recital, selected, Miss Mida
c. Blake; Invocation, Rev. S. M. Van
SAINT; Greetings. Mrs. M. ". B. Scull,
President of Atlantic County Histori.
cal Society; Solo, selected. Mr.. Scott
H. Adams; Remaks, Rev. w. Elwell
Lake. A. B.; Solo selected, Robert L.
Race; Address, Hon. Christopher ].
Lake, father of Simon Lake. subject;
"reminiscences of Some Important
Achievements in the Advancement of
Mankind through the Lake Family;
Solo. selected. Roland ID. Erskine.