This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Martin, Anderson, Rusk, Gooden, Derrick Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/Hi.2ADI/2556 Message Board Post: Newspaper Clipping from 1910 Martin Reunion Three Hundred of the Clan Present to Enjoy the Occasion. The 5th annual reunion of the Martin Family was held at the Oakland Church, five miles south west of Versailles, on Thursday of last week. Soon after 9 o’clock members of the family began to arrive and within an hour it was evident that the attendance would be beyond all expectation. The morning was devoted to renewing and forming new acquaintances and friendships and strengthening the bonds of the large family, sociability being at a high ebb. At the noon hour a bountiful dinner was served on the seven long tables in the basement of the church from the many filled baskets prepared for the occasion and spread by a number of willing hands. By actual count 268 persons partook of the repast, and quite a number gathered in later, so that we feel safe on staying within bounds in placing the total attendance at not less than three hundred. After the noon hour, a business session was held which was opened by Rev. James N. Martin of Peru, Ind., invoking the blessings of God upon the family and the meeting. Following the president’s welcome address, Rev. James N. Martin of Peru, Emanuel B. Martin of Covington, Ohio and Miss Nannie Martin or Farmland, Ind., made brief but interesting talks, each rejoicing over the fact that they were members of the Martin family, Miss Martin saying that she liked the name so well that she has clung to it, although she is something over 18 years of age. The minutes of the previous meeting were then read by the Secretary and approved. The election of officers resulted in retaining the officers for the previous year, viz: D. W. K. Martin, Versailles, Ohio, President; Rev. James N. Martin, Peru, Ind., V. President; Charles S. Anderson, Stockwell, Ind., Secretary; Miss Elsie Martin, Bradford, Ohio, Assistant Secretary; Emanuel B. Martin, Covington, Ohio Treasurer. Upon motion of James N. Martin a vote of thanks was tendered to the Trustees, Elders, and in fact the entire membership of Oakland Brethren church for the kindness shown to the Martin clan in permitting the reunion to be held on the beautiful church grounds, and granting the use of the basement for serving dinner and the auditorium for holding the business meeting, etc., and to the sexton, I. W. Hollinger, for his kindness in opening the church and assisting in every way to make it pleasant to the large family he had on hands that day. The matter of holding the next reunion then coming up, it was decided to change the date from the third Thursday of August to the third Thursday of September, and the place, the home of Chas. S. Anderson, five miles south of Dayton, Ind. Six deaths were reported to have occurred in the progeny within the past year. A very sad accident had occurred on Tuesday morning at the home of the oldest son of Mr. and Mrs. George Martin of Mulberry, Ind., when 14 month old son fell into a jar of water and drowned, which prevented some from attending the reunion who had intended to do so. After singing the song, “God be with you will me meet again” in a very spirited manner, the reunion was in history, and many were the expressions of appreciation of being present to enjoy the season of sociability and spirit of good feeling beyond expression. It was the universal opinion that no better or more appropriate place for holding this reunion could have been selected than the beautiful Oakland church grounds, which formerly belonged to the old homestead of grandfather Jacob Martin, the pioneer member of the family in this section of the country. Among those present from a distance were Newton Martin of Birmingham, Alabama, Rev. James N. Martin of Peru, Ind., Mr. and Mrs. Cyrus Derrick of Frankfort, Ind., Mr. and Mrs. Wm. H. Anderson and Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Warwick of Dayton, Ind., Mr. and Mrs. Chas. S. Anderson of Stockwell, Ind., Levi Martin of Anderson, Ind., James Gooden and family and Miss Nannie Martin of Farmland, Ind., Mr. and Mrs. S. A. Dryer and Clovis Martin and family of Lafayette, Ind.