Walter Stewart Family 2010 Newsletter

The 104th annual Reunion of the Walter Stewart Clan will be held during the weekend of August 13-14, at Bethany Presbyterian Church near Clinton, S.C. This is the first time in many years a Stewart reunion has been held at our family's original home church, which most of our ancestors attended before moving to the Fountain Inn area and elsewhere. 1 Samuel Stewart and 5 Walter Stewart, Jr. are buried in the church cemetery. Our cousins 317652 Joey and Becky Henderson and 3222211 Valerie S. and Les Jones and their families are members of Bethany Church and are making this wonderful event possible for us. We hope you'll join us on Saturday and Sunday for the many interesting activities that are planned.

We look forward to seeing you during Stewart reunion weekend to renew old ties and celebrate new ones. As it has for over a hundred years, the call still goes out, bring a full picnic basket and join us. We hope to see you.

REUNION OVERVIEW “A TIME OF SEARCHING”

We have been welcomed by the session, members, and family of faith of Bethany Presbyterian Church for our 104th Annual Reunion of the Walter Stewart Clan. The roots of the Stewart Family and the Bethany Church are shared. Much of the original Bethany land was given by 5 Walter, Jr. and Sallie Stewart in 1833. The connection continues to this day as Bethany’s current membership and family includes nearly a dozen 6th, 7th, and 8th generation Stewarts.

It would be difficult to overstate the impact of Bethany on our early American Stewarts. Hence, many of our lives today are still influenced by those early years.

In preparation for this year’s reunion, please consider reading The Walter Stewart Family History (page 421 – 424) about 6 Clark Berry Stewart’s teaching, evangelical, and pastoral missions. These ministries were essentially launched from Bethany. Clark Berry not only taught his nieces and nephews of the 2nd generation at Bethany, but also with wife Katharine taught his children at home. He ministered and evangelized in a large geographical area served by small or rural churches.

The Family History records at age 24 Clark Berry Stewart entered into “a time of searching” following the death of a dear friend. He emerged from this time two years later with a faith based mission and purpose. Consider the impact of our surroundings – personal and cultural; which are probably much different than those of Clark Berry. Would we (or our children) emerge from a time of searching brought on by deep tragedy with a stronger faith and purpose as did Clark Berry?

The Stewart Clan Reunion Committee has planned a weekend of activities and discussions to remember and reflect upon the continuing impact of this early rural church on our family, church, and world today. Perhaps you will develop a greater appreciation of the impact of those early Bethany years on your own life. Perhaps you may want to reintegrate it into your life today.

2011 Reunion Directions & Accommodations

Note: On I-26, Exit 52 is Highway 56, the "Bethany Exit." Exit 54 is Highway 72.

Take Highway 56 away from Clinton , go 3.8 miles, turn left on Bethany Church Road .

Go 1.1 miles, at Bethany sign, turn right on Fawn Road . Church is 100 meters on right.

The address of the church is 106 Fawn Rd , Clinton , SC 29325 , ph. 864-833-5763

Comfort Inn and Suites, Exit 52 on I -26, Clinton, SC 864-833-1800. “Stewart Reunion”, $79.99 +Taxes if reserved by Friday 7/29/11. $114.99 Standard Rate.

Quality Inn, Exit 52 on I-26, Clinton SC 864-833-5558. “Stewart Reunion”, $59.99 + Taxes if reserved by Friday 7/29/11. $69.99 Standard Rate.

Check here if you will make a monetary contribution in lieu of bringing food on Sunday: ____________

Check here if you would like to be contacted if a Saturday hike materializes: _____________________

Please provide a cell phone number if you’re interested in a Saturday hike: ____________________

Send to Joey Henderson, 350 Lake Field Rd , Waterloo SC 29384 . Make checks payable to Walter Stewart Family.

Many thanks to all of you who have sent in updates and contributions to maintain our family records and send out the newsletter. I apologize for not responding as promptly as I should -- the past year has been a difficult one for me, what with settling into a new home and having to deal with surgery. (Things are much better now, and I look forward to a new level of health and activities.)

It especially pleases me to hear from long-lost members of the Stewart family who continue to contact us through our walterstewart.org website. I am hoping during the coming year to continue investigating the ever-growing number of Stewart families who now identify themselves through DNA results. So far we have been very nearly unique in the DNA profile of our own Stewart ancestors, but I think surely the time is coming when we'll be able to establish kinship with other old Stewart families with roots in Northern Ireland and

Scotland

Help Wanted: Every reunion takes some planning and sharing of tasks to make everything go smoothly, so every year some of us meet in the SC Upstate to accomplish this. Many who would be glad to attend these meetings live in other states, too far away to be on hand. We need a few more "locals" within driving distance to help get ready for our reunions. If you're willing to be on a Planning Committee, please let Chief Charles or one of the members of the Executive Committee know. Help wanted!

Old Home Sites: We all love to visit the old home sites in and around Fountain Inn. In 2009 we visited three old home places in the House of Robert and enjoyed the hospitality of our cousins who still live on the premises or nearby. If your family has a home near Fountain Inn and you would be willing to show it to the cousins on a Saturday afternoon tour, please speak to Chief Charles or Historian Mary Newton. We'd love to visit.

Address Change: We ask the Postal Service to notify us of address changes, but sometimes this information isn't available, and it always costs us extra money even to find that out. Please, if you're moving, add the Stewart family to your notification list! Send to our Registrar:

Out of State Cousins: At our Stewart Executive Committee Meeting this year we talked about the problem of out-of-state cousins (mostly those who fly in from far out-of-state) trying to find food to bring to our Sunday picnic dinner. If this is a problem for you, we suggest you donate a few extra dollars to the Sunday collection plate, and we will see that there is enough food on hand to go around (no miracles necessary, we hope).

Military Records: John Hellams has volunteered to help coordinate our military records. If you or someone in your family was in the military please send in the pertaining information and we will add it to our records. You may bring this info to the reunion or mail it to John Hellams, 108 Nash St., Fountain Inn, SC, 29644, musiclover11137 "at" aol.com.

Genes Will Tell: Here's a novel suggestion. 31713 Linda Clark, on hearing that some of her Stewart relatives are gluten (wheat) intolerant, says it would be good if we shared this information among ourselves. She is willing to compile information on this and other conditions known to be at least partly genetically determined. If you're interested, or want to share news of your own health problem, contact her, linclark "at" localnet.com.

If you need to contact one of our board members please use the contact info below.

132.11.5	RUTH HENRY WHITE, 94 (widow of Charles Raymond White) died February 25, 2011 at the Presbyterian Home in Easley , SC. A funeral service was held February 28 at the Thomas McAfee Funeral Home Downtown Chapel and entombment was in Woodlawn Memorial Park Mausoleum
151614113	EMMA JULIA LONG, born to J. Curtis, Jr. and Amanda Long of Simpsonville, SC on June 15, 2010 in Greenville, SC. Grandparents: John C. Sr. and Martha Long of Seneca , SC. G-grandparents: Johnny Ray and Betty Hedrick Long of Travelers Rest, SC.
21415113	(Correction) BENJAMIN KEITH HESTER, son of Mr. and Mrs. Keith Hester of Elk Grove , CA married Leslie Gail Collins, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ken Collins, on July 10, 2004 in Fresno , CA .
24241224	AUDREY JANE WHITE, born September 24, 2009 to William Mark and Amelia Howard White of 952 Beverly Drive , Rock Hill , SC. Grandparents: Mr. & Mrs. Eddie Howard of Simpsonville , SC. G-grandparents: Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Price Howard of Simpsonville.
24274	LUCILLE "CHUBB" COLEMAN TAYLOR , 98 (widow of Robert W. Taylor) died January 2, 2010 at her residence in Taylors , SC. Burial was at Woodlawn Cemetery in Greenville
24276	LOIS COLEMAN WARNE, 92 (widow of Donald H. Warne) died March 11, 2009. Burial was at Simpsonville City Cemetery in Simpsonville , SC.
242.11.1111	HANNAH KATE TURNER, born March 7, 2007 to Kristen S. and Dr. Samuel J. Turner of Winston-Salem, NC. Grandparents: Mr. and Mrs. William David Stewart of Spartanburg , SC. G-grandparents: Mr. and Mrs. William Grady Stewart of Spartanburg
242.11.1112	CAROLINE STEWART TURNER, born January 29, 2010 to Kristen S. and Dr. Samuel J. Turner of Winston-Salem, NC. Grandparents: Mr. and Mrs. William David Stewart of Spartanburg , SC. G-grandparents: Mr. and Mrs. William Grady Stewart of Spartanburg.
2523.10.	JERRY BABB WOODS, 79 (husband of Ernestine L. Woods) of Gray Court, SC died February 19, 2011. Funeral services were at Greenpond United Methodist Church and burial with military honors was in the church cemetery.
31312	MARGARET (MONNIE) LINDSEY JONES CALDWELL, 91 (widow of William E. Caldwell) of Greenville , SC died October 2, 2009. She is buried in Woodlawn Memorial Park in Greenville beside her husband.
31377	JAMES CRISMON TIPTON, 90 (widower of Virginia Lee Tipton) of Charlotte , NC died March 2, 2010. Interment was at Sharon Memorial Park in Charlotte .
3142232	DANIEL WILLIAM BRADFORD, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jesse P. Bradford of Belton , SC married Lisa Rae Parks Bradford on March 10, 2007 at Mt. Bethel Baptist Church , Belton , SC
31422321	COOPER PARKS BRADFORD, born May 30, 2010 to Daniel W. and Lisa Rae Parks Bradford. Grandparents: Mr. & Mrs. Jesse P. Bradford of Belton , SC. G-Grandparents: Mr. and Mrs. Robert P. Bradford of Fort Mill , SC.
3821	MARY ROB STEWART KAGIN, 99 (widow of the Rev. Edwin F. Kagin) of Louisville , KY and Minneapolis , MN died March 24, 2011. A memorial service was held April 2 at Calvary Episcopal Church in Louisville and interment was at the Franklin Cemetery in Frankfort , KY

Return form below to:

Mary S Newton

1 Bishop Gadsden Way #123

Charleston , SC 29412

Checks payable to Walter Stewart Family.

Please continue sending me the Stewart family newsletter at $2.00 per year for ____ years $________

Send ____ copy(s) of the Walter Stewart Family History book at $30.00 (postage included) $________

Send ____ copy(s) of same, CD-Rom at $35 per copy (postage included) $________

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Wendy Welch

5600 Ashwind Trce

Alpharetta , GA 30005-7291

email - wew71@comcast.net

Or report on the family webpage at www.walterstewart.org

Walter Stewart Family 2011 Newsletter

2011 Reunion Directions & Accommodations