This Site Comes With Music!

The Allen Family gathered on the lawn of the homestead, located on Allen-Padgham Road in the Town of Farmington about 1912.

The six children of Ellery G. and Jennie (Briggs) Allen always found time to return to the homestead in Farmington, New York to celebrate the birthday of their mother in early August.  In 1910 the children formalized these gatherings into the Allen Family Reunion, meeting on the first Sunday of every August.  Jennie Allen died in 1918, but that did not stop the children, their children and grandchildren from continuing the tradition.  On August 2, 2009 the Allen family will once again gather to commemorate the birth of Jennie Briggs Allen and to mark the 100th Allen Family Reunion. 

99th Allen Family Reunion - August 3, 2008

MINUTES OF 2008 ALLEN FAMILY REUNION

The Allen Family met on Sunday, August 3, 2008, at the Farmington Friends Church for its 99th Family Reunion.  After the usual bountiful meal, the family meeting was called to order by David Allen, President.  Minutes of the 2007 meeting were read and approved.  Family statistics were shared.  There were not deaths to report and for that we were all thankful.  Six births were reported - Zachary Allen Hawkins (Jennie May Allen Hawkins Family); Gustaf Raymond O'Brien and Andrew John (A. J.) Allen (George S. Allen Family); Kayleigh Mae Knickerbocker and Ryan Parke Allen (Willard H. Allen Family); Henry Jacob Bowerman (Carrie Allen Padgham Family). 

There were 29 family members present this year.  The two youngest were one- year old twins Wyatt and Luke Garlipp, children of Jared and Mary Alice (Allen) Garlipp of the Lewis F. Allen Family.  Their two cousins Leslie and Sarah Hull, daughters of Martha Anne (Allen), also attended and all were delighted to have some younger relatives at the reunion!

The 100th Allen Reunion Planning Committee met prior to the regular meeting and brought their recommendations to the floor.  Ideas were also solicited from the attendees.  The following decisions were made:

1.  Idea of catering the reunion was shelved and we continue the tradition of attendees bringing a dish to pass and their own table service.  We might add burgers and hot dogs and pop to menu once we know approximately how many children may be attending.  

2.  The Reunion will start with a brief gathering of the family in the Church building upstairs.  Time would be given to making the connection of the Allen family to the Quaker community of Pumpkin Hook.  Marion Cole will talk with Margaret Hartsough, Farmington Town Historian about this.

3.  The Family Tree should be displayed on a wall so that people could see where they fit into the picture.  Marjory Perez has a database and will talk with Bill Allen who has done extensive family research to see if we can create a mural piece that will do the job.

4.  A room will be set aside for the display of family heirlooms and artifacts - wedding dresses, portraits, tools, spinning wheel, etc.  If an item is too large to bring, a photograph and history of item would be a great idea.

5.  The question about identifying family members in a better manner was raised.  Currently each family has a color-coded name tag - i.e the Carrie Padgham family has purple; the Lewis Allen family has yellow.  Recommended that attendees could wear a shirt of their family color - of course this would be optional since the Allen family is nothing if not independent folk.  Suggested that the name tags be more informative - going beyond the relationship to just one of the six original children - a mini family tree?  Someone will have to study this - the name tag could get pretty big. 

5.  Since many of the Allen ancestors are buried in the Farmington Cemetery directly behind the Friend's Church, it was thought that we could mark the graves so that visitors could more easily locate the gravesites of their ancestors.  

7.  A Children's Committee was appointed.  Martha Hull and Mary Alice Allen agreed to plan some age-appropriate activities for children.

8.  Suggested that we ask everyone to bring a family photograph and create a giant collage.  

The meeting adjourned without holding elections so I guess the same officers will hold office for another year.  Family did agreed to meet in 2009 on the first Sunday of August.  Meeting adjourned at 3 pm.

Respectfully Submitted,
Marjory Allen Perez