Walter Stewart Clan 100th Anniversary Reunion Information

The big 100th Anniversary Reunion weekend has now come and gone, leaving behind it a a wonderful familial glow and a multitude of new memories.  August 11-12, 2007 marked the Centennial Reunion of the First Stewart Family Reunion that was held in 1907.  We had record turnout at the Saturday and the Sunday activities.  The work that that went into planning and preparing for the Reunion paid off generously to make the weekend a very special family event!   The complete program for the event is posted here.

In 2007 we held our Centennial Reunion during the weekend of August 11-12, 2007 in Fountain Inn, S.C. Extra effort was put in to make this event special and it was a great success, with many cousins attending the festive occasion.  It was a wonderful time to bring the whole family, and a golden opportunity to exchange stories and memories, renew acquaintance with cousins and meet new ones.

We had some very special and interesting plans for Saturday and Sunday. Saturday afternoon in the Fairview church fellowship building.  38213 Carl Kramer narrated a history of the Stewart family in South Carolina, with pictures and other media on our family history. Also Saturday we sawsee a documentary on DNA research and the history of man.  Chief Historian Mary S. Newton brought us up to date on our Stewart family DNA findings.  We had local family members standing by to escort groups to the various cemeteries in the area where our ancestors are buried.  At our Saturday night supper we heard memories and stories from several kin, including a “new” cousin with a fascinating story of how he found our Stewart family after many years of searching.

We had more treats planned for Sunday morning.  Registration at New Harmony church was a busy time.  We gathered in front of the church for a group picture, similar to the one taken at the first reunion in 1907 and printed in the Stewart Family History.  All attending this event received a lapel ribbon and a 100th anniversary commemorative coin stamped with an image of New Harmony church on one side and Fairview church on the other.  We hope our descendants still have these 100 years from now, just as the cousins kept commemorative ribbons from the first Stewart reunion 100 years ago.    You can see a First Reunion ribbon and the new commemorative coin art here.

At our reunion meeting we heard the Civil War story of 422 Synthia Stewart Boyd of the House of James. Young Synthia is our most famous Stewart, thanks to her eyewitness account of Sherman’s march to Atlanta through the little mill village where she lived. Along with her mother and siblings, she was deported to Louisville as a prisoner of war for making cloth for the Confederates.  Synthia has had at least one book written about her (“North Across the River,” by Ruth Beaumont Cook). Cathy Kaemmerlen, a professional actor, has made a CD of her story, “New Manchester Girl.” Ms. Kaemmerlen will re-enact this story for us at our reunion meeting Sunday morning. (See her website at www.tattlingtales.com.) We also had special music including cousin 38213 Mary Kramer on the bagpipes.  

Because of the large number of Stewarts cousins at this reunion, our Sunday morning meeting was held in Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, a few hundred yards away from Harmony Church. Pleasant Grove has a larger sanctuary and a fellowship hall big enough to seat us all comfortably for our traditional reunion dinner. 

To celebrate our family’s good cooking over the years we have printed a 100th anniversary cookbook that was be ready for sale at the reunion.

A DVD and CD crammed with family information was available both days of the Reunion.  The DVD contains a very special treat of video footage from 1967 to 1972 kindly provided by 31713 John and Frances Stewart.  It is playable either on a computer or on a regular DVD player.  The CD contains the entire contents of the 1982 Walter Stewart Family History, the talk to be given by 38213 Carl E. Kramer, Ph.D. at the Reunion along with the presentation shown at the same time, the entire family picture archive, pictures from reunions back to 1984, and family newsletters back to 1999.  The DVD and CD together will have a small fee to offset the production costs to the family.

We look forward to seeing you at our next  Stewart Reunion. As it has for a century, the call still goes out, bring a full picnic basket and join us!  

The 100th Reunion Planning Committee

The Reunion Planning Committee

Back Row: Chief Charles Stewart, John Hellams, Dick Newton, Polly Hellams

Middle Row:  Beth Hall, Mary Newton, LaMarr Brooks, Becky and Joey Henderson

Front Row:  Chairman Linda Clark, Ann Shaver

Judy Smith not pictured.

Contact Walter Stewart Clan Chief Historian at email address:  mary at walterstewart dot org(disguised to foil spammers)