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Chambers family celebrates 125th consecutive reunion
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Neighbors | Submitted.The Chambers family hosted its 125th consecutive family reunion on June 28 at Firestone Park's Pavilion 3.
By TIM CLEVELAND
While many families have reunions, there aren’t very many that can say they’ve had them for 125 consecutive years. The Chambers family of Boardman has hosted a family reunion every year since 1889.
The first Chambers family reunion was hosted by Dale Chambers at his home in Colebrook, which is in Ashtabula County.
This year’s reunion was hosted on June 28 at Firestone Park Pavilion 3 in Columbiana, as it has been for the past 13 years. Boardman’s Dale and Nancy Chambers said 62 people attended, more than the past few years.
“The new ones that came back this year have said they had so much fun, they are looking forward to coming in the future,” Dale Chambers said.
Dale was asked about the history of how the reunions started.
“The first reunion was in 1889 when one of my grandfather’s [Hamilton Plummer Monroe Chambers] sons [Josea] was getting married,” he said. “They so enjoyed all being together for the wedding, they decided to start having reunions each year.
“In the early years the reunions were held at relatives’ homes in different towns and then at Colebrook Park in Ashtabula County, where we would walk to the local church and the church women would prepare and serve our noon meal. We’d return to the park, conduct the meeting where the lifetime secretary would add to the growing family tree. This was a blueprint paper unrolled on two picnic tables set end to end where she would enter the births, deaths and marriages since the last year. Games were played and visiting done, before everyone went on their way. In an effort to improve facilities from the parks outhouses, we moved to Atwood Resort for a few years and then about 13 years ago we began celebrating at Firestone Park in Columbiana. While we still have a short walk to the new, modern restrooms, Pavilion 3 has become a favorite for the beautiful setting. You can always find a group sitting under the trees in their lawn chairs and retelling old stories, laughing and making new memories. This is what we do best.”
Chambers said he can trace his family history back a long way in Northeast Ohio.
“We can trace our roots back to the French American War, where Steven Chambers was awarded land in New Jersey for his military service,” he said. “Steven sold that land and moved down U.S. Route 322 into Ashtabula County after getting married and starting his family. He had three sons, Steven, William and Daniel. Once grown, young Steven and William went back to New Jersey, settling in eastern Pennsylvania or New Jersey. Daniel stayed in the Ohio area and started his family. Daniel is the tie most of us have since then. The third generation was started from Daniel and from that the fourth generation. One of the fourth generation’s siblings had Daniel Chambers who was the father of the bride who was about to get married and that’s when they started the reunions.
“It was decided to have the reunion each year thereafter, on the fourth Saturday of June. This was because it would be the Saturday closest to the longest day of the year, which would give all those who came a long distance the most time to get home before dark, as they had to use horse and buggy as their mode of transportation.”
Chambers said the 100th reunion was particularly memorable.
“In 1989 we celebrated our 100th at a Methodist church camp outside of Cleveland, where we had activities planned each day, Friday, Saturday and Sunday,” he said. “We had 99 people attend and we had a dinner Friday night, square dancing Saturday night after our regular meeting, activities planned each day with breakfast and a church service conducted by two family members who are ministers on Sunday. It was a weekend of fun, family and wonderful memories.”
Chambers said it feels great to be able to continue the family tradition.
“It feels wonderful to me and a lot of the others,” he said. “Years ago my father pressed the importance of attending these reunions. He said, ‘If you don’t keep going they will falter and die.’ I understood what he meant and have imparted this thinking to my girls. Elections are held every two years. I had several turns and now my oldest daughter and son-in-law are co-presidents and did a great job this year. We keep passing the gavel, hopefully there will always be a new generation willing to do the job so it goes on.
My dad’s sister aunt Jessie, the lifetime secretary, after her mother [Hamilton’s wife] made up a handwritten family tree on blue print paper that was 24 feet long. Now Aunt Jessie’s daughter Karen Hansen is the lifetime secretary. Between 1997 and 2003 we gathered updated info and using the original tree and the new information have computerized the tree using labels and leaving room for three more generations. The tree grew and is now in seven sections, each 40 feet long, or approximately 280 feet. This was a great undertaking and outgrew our home; we had to go to the local high school and unroll it on the cafeteria tables to work on the tree. It was a tedious, long learning experience and we now have 1,434 plus entries and of course, it grows each year. My wife and I will maintain this tree for as long as we’re able. We believe, to know where you’re headed you must know where you’ve come from; family is most important.”