Thursday, June 11, 2015

Stewart Family Reunion


Last Saturday, we gathered for a Stewart Family Reunion. 

I have to look at it this way.
John Gibson Stewart (Glenn's great grandfather)
Glenn Gibson Stewart (Glenn's grandfather)
Donald Glenn Stewart (Glenn's father)
Glenn Clark Stewart (my husband)
Gary Glenn Stewart (my son)

We met new friends, descendants of the 9 children of John Gibson Stewart
James Claude "Jim"
Samuel Edward "Teddy"
Lydia Estella Pearl "Stella"
Mary Winifield "Winnie"
Margaret Iona "Birdie"
Frederick Alexander
Glenn Gibson
Harold Gailey

This was Glenn's great grandfather's family.  John Gibson Stewart had 9 children.  Glenn Gibson Stewart was next to the youngest.  He had 3 children, one of which was Donald Glenn Stewart (Glenn's father).  So the reunion was for the extended family of all the children and their
 descendants of John Gibson and Mary Stewart.
{photo courtesy of K. Gilbreath}
The Reunion was held in Garnett, Kansas, the eastern part of Kansas, just over an hour south of Kansas City.  There were 5 of Glenn's first cousins.  We met many 2nd and 3rd cousins.

It was fun reconnecting with Glenn's cousins.

The reunion was well organized.  Each family group had a different color ribbon they wore to distinguish their family tree.  There was a map we could pin our location where we live.  There were tables with family photos of the 9 children of Gib and Mary.

One of Glenn's 2nd cousins, whom we just met 1.5 years ago, did an extensive genealogy report, giving us unique stories about the Stewart past.  It was very interesting.  She even talked about the Stewart nose.

We heard stories of different families.  We learned how Rev Smith's daughter, Maggie served in Egypt for 59 years and how there is a thread of the missionary and pastoral work through the family.

It was interesting to see how God has worked in the Stewart family serving overseas!
 
Many folks brought their photo albums and were sharing stories.
family group photos



 After a morning full of making memories, meeting new and old relatives, hearing a report of each of the family members, laughing, group photos and lunch, we headed out to the local cemetery to see the grave site of Rev. James Nelson Smith who was Glenn's great great grandfather who started all this.
In summary, the day was full of making new friends with old relatives, learning about the Stewart heritage and God's faithfulness throughout.

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