Graham Family Reunion 1980 to present

2010 Graham Family Reunion

August 14, 2010

Reunion Happenings!!

Once again, the Graham Family Reunion was a resounding success!! Around 62 Graham family members attended this year. We had four hours to catch up on all the news of the year. Everyone stood up and introduced themselves and spoke briefly about their Graham connection and any news they had.

Good food, and good time had by all. Mary Graham (wife of Charles William Graham) and her daughter Alice Graham Welch did a lot of cooking and with the food brought by all who attended we had a feast!! My favorite is the rice and gravy, but I think the sweet potatoes were gone before I got through the line. The chicken was superb as well as the ham and all the delicious sides. I saw some red velvet cake on the dessert table and could not resist. Thanks to all !!

*The oldest attendee was Gert Gardner (Anna Gertrude Graham) born Sept 9, 1920, daughter of Wesley Snyder Graham (1896-1961), a grandson of John Powell Graham and Ada Gertrude Childers (1896-1976). Gert's late husband, John Graham Gardner (1912-1990) was the son of Caroline Letitia Graham (1879-1958) who was a daughter of John Powell Graham (1829-1912) and Caroline Melissa Tobias Graham (1861-1921). Gert looks younger to me each year--she is always smiling and is just beautiful. Gert always has pictures and stories to share and her two children, Lois Jeanne Gardner Geddings and John Graham Gardner, Jr. attended with their mother. Sarah Olive Graham Weeks, Gert's younger sister, traveled from Florida to be at this year's reunion.

*The youngest attendee was 4-month old Jordan Grace Welch, born April 17, 2010. She is the granddaughter of Alice Graham Welch. She attended with her parents Kevin Charles Welch and Sarah Harrington Welch. She is just adorable and it was so obvious that Alice is enjoying being a new grandmother.

*The attendees that traveled the farthest to attend the reunion were Roger Warwick Graham and Evan Michael Graham. Roger is the son of Michael Warwick Graham (1924-2005) and Betty Hayslip Graham. Roger and Evan traveled from Cherry Hill, New Jersey which is just outside of Philadelphia, PA. That is over 600 miles/10+ hour drive. Roger and Evan come to the reunion every year and are always pitching in with the set-up and clean-up.

*Betty Graham, is instrumental in organizing the reunion, sending out invitations, registering guests at the reunion and keeping track of all who attended as well as a library of documents and pictures about the Grahams. Betty has worked at the reunion for all it's 30 years. Betty's son, Richard Graham, can be seen at each reunion wearing a traditional kilt made from the "old/traditional" Graham tartan. Richard's wife, Renee, shows family pictures using a powerpoint presentation/projector, collects pictures, stories and dates to update the Graham genealogy records. Another son of Betty, Paul Leland Graham, serves as moderator, making announcements and encouraging the efforts of all attendees to keep the reunion going.

*Jimmy and Paula Graham always have a good turn-out with their family members. Paul Christopher Graham, Kay Graham Smith, Cindy Graham Turner and Karen Graham Shealy along with their children attended and add a lot of lively chat and activity. Jimmy (James Christopher Graham) is the son of Rembert Ernest Graham (1915-1997) and is a great grandson of John Powell Graham (1829-1912) and his first wife Sarah Isabel Chewning (1841-1877). Thank you Jimmy for sending out emails and directions letting everyone know how to find the reunion.

*Robert (Bob) Few Graham, III and his brother Paul (Gene) Eugene Graham attended this year with sad news of the passing of their mother, Sarah Harrington Graham on October 7, 2009. Their father, Robert Few Graham, Jr. (1926-1987) was an organizer of the first Graham Family Reunion back in 1980. The brothers sat with their aunt, Mary Blanche Graham Franklin who is the daughter of Robert Few Graham (1898-1979) and a granddaughter of John Christopher Graham II (1865-1916) and Jane Blanche Jordan (1871-1901). Bob Graham brought information for the group on how to join The Clan Graham Society.

For further membership information, please contact:

Cliff Fitzsimmons

Clan Graham Society

Membership Vice President

2919 Denson Ave.

Knoxville, TN 37921

http://www.clan-graham-society.org/new_page_3.htm

*Four grandsons of Ann Eliza Graham Chewning (1883-1976) attended the reunion this year:

- William Anton Behlmer, Jr. came from Florida

- Wade Chewning; Wade has a lot of genealogy information on the Chewnings and Junes.

- William Everette Horton, Jr.

- Richard Woodward Chewning, III

Ann Eliza's grandsons say she was the best grandmother EVER!!! What a lovely remembrance.

*It was so nice to see Phillip Preston Graham and his wife Jennette who traveled from Richmond that morning to be at the reunion. Phillip is the son of Joseph Powell Graham (1894-1990). Phillip said he had not been to the reunion in 15 years!!! Thank you so much for being there and we appreciate the prayer and blessing before lunch. Phillip and Jennette have a Christian Stationary and gift business for which Jennette does all the artwork. Please visit their website and see the wonderful creations!!

http://www.netsart.com/

*I found Sara Irene Ridgeway and Betty Jo Ridgeway Cole talking to Betty Graham at a back table and was able to get some information from them and their pictures. They are granddaughters of Adrama Irene Graham Rawlinson (1869-1962) who was a daughter of John Powell Graham (1829-1912) and his first wife Sarah Isabel Chewning (1841-1877). So glad they could come this year!!

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Tod Graham, Sarah Irene Ridgeway, Betty Jo Cole, Jimmy Graham

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Violet Smith Graham, wife of Joseph Wilmont Graham

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left to right: Lois Gardner Geddings, Victoria Annette Weeks, Olive Graham Weeks, Gert Graham Gardner, Julie Gardner, John Graham Gardner, Jr.

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left to right: Kevin Welch, Jordan Welch and Sarah Harrington Welch

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Richard Walter Graham in Graham tartan kilt

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left to right: Cindy Graham Turner, Elisabeth Smith, Kay Graham Smith, Karen Graham Shealy, Paul Christopher Graham, James Christopher Graham, Paula Thornton Graham, Ivy Graham Shealy

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Paul Leland Graham moderating introductions and announcements

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left to right: Ruth Graham Hinson, Mary Graham Franklin, Robert Few Graham III (Bob), Paul Eugene Graham (Gene)

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Grandsons of Ann Eliza Graham standing: Richard W. Chewning, III, Wade Chewning; seated: William Anton Behlmer, Jr., William Everette Horton, Jr.

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Phillip Preston Graham and Jennette Atkinson Graham

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Granddaughters of Adrama Irene Graham Betty Jo Ridgeway Cole (left) and Sarah Irene Ridgeway (right)

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William Everette Horton, Jr. and Pauline Richburg Horton

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Mary Haley Graham and Alice Graham Welch, in the kitchen Thanks for all you do!!!

The next Graham Family Reunion will be held on Saturday, August 13, 2011