I started writing this after our wonderful reunion event at Cedar Hill Farms in Hernando, Mississippi. The drive through the country roads from our hotel in Southaven, MISS was an adventure. Another memorable gathering!
Families Who Attended
- Tom and Georgia Jenkins – Heads of the Table: I met Willie B. Jenkins’s family from Portland, Oregon, for the first time. His daughter shared stories about her father, a WWII veteran. A retired teacher (granddaughter of Delia Jenkins) presented the family history booklet and gave us a photo of Delia. The church service at Citadel of Deliverance in Memphis where the grandson of David Jenkins is an assistant pastor. I represented my grandfather Levi Jenkins Sr. The reunion were mainly organized by the families of David and Augusta (Uncle Gus) Jenkins.
- Uncle Will Jenkins: Representatives from Hollis Jenkins, Clementine (Clemmie) Jenkins, and Austine Jenkins’s lines attended. Austine’s family shared a lovely newlywed photo of him and Callie Mae. I finally met a member of Genetta Jenkins Scruggs’s family in person after years of corresponding on FamilySearch.org.
- Uncle Willie (William O.) Jenkins: I connected on Ancestry with the wife of one of his descendants. Willie is believed to be the brother of my great-great-grandfather Garrison Jenkins. His grandson (through Floyd Jenkins, son of Willie Jenkins and Mary Gutter Jenkins) joined us—DNA helped confirm the connection.
It was great seeing everyone trace connections and notice repeating names across branches. Examples include Tommie (named for great-uncle Tom), the name Will/Willie/William passed down, and another Garrison. The 1900 Pike County census shows these patterns clearly.
Reunion Highlights
The meet-and-greet on Friday night was an evening filled with many family members. Many people got a bag full of mementos which included a t-shirt two bottled waters. Gave one away to a cousin who represented Tom & Georgia's last surviving child. We also received a copy of the Jenkins Family History with our bags also.
There were many pictures of Jenkins ancestors all around the venues. Including Mama Delia Newman Jenkins, Aunt Catherine Jenkins Manning, Uncle JayGou, Aunt Lucy Jenkins Jones with her husband uncle Lee Jones, Uncle Augusta Jenkins. There was a slideshow that showed many family memories, many of those pics you may have seen on this blog in the past. The young people get to see our earliest family memories documented visually.
The outing at Cedar Farms in Hernando, MISS was a memorable outing. I'm still waiting for the pic everyone took on the trailer for the hayride which I took part in.
The banquet featured great food, more ancestor photos, an excellent MC presentation, appreciation awards, family trivia prizes, and encouragement to connect with relatives. We also enjoyed a lively church service on Sunday at Citadel of Deliverance in Memphis, TN.
 |
| Taken at Citadel of Deliverance Church Memphis |
Finally, I got my T-shirt! Purple was a bold choice, and the committee did excellent work. What do you think?
 |
| Front |
 |
| Back |
The next Jenkins Family Reunion
Attendees at the reunion banquet by a show of hands voted to send the reunion to Portland, Oregon in 2028. The MC suggested reunions every two years — do you support that? Portland should be great (I missed the 2010 Johnson/Cole — Mama Georgia's family — reunion there). Who wants to ride the Empire Builder train with me?
The Jenkins Family History booklet
The booklet is a “living document” that says “to be continued…” on the back. I’ll share excerpts and thoughts here on the blog soon so we can review it together.
I will add for now that there is a lot of information for those who are interested in our Jenkins Family History. It would provide a great basis for those who are continuing their own research.
Keeping Connections Alive
Thank you to the committee for the appreciation award. I’ll continue answering questions and sharing research. Reach out anytime—my email is below.
 |
| E-mail Me |