FOWLER, Illinois. The meal will start at noon on Sunday, August 17, and the 102nd consecutive Seward family reunion will start at 11 a.m. St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, located at 1319 Co. Rd. 1720N, will host the reunion. Bring a covered dish to share if you plan to come. There will be fried chicken, beverages, plates, cups, and cutlery available.
Families who intend to attend should get in touch with David Koontz or Jill Deege, or through the Family Seward Reunion Facebook group. Everyone is welcome to bring old photos or other mementos they would like to share.
Since 1924, descendants of the Seward family have consistently come together to commemorate their common ancestry. Due to unforeseen circumstances, descendants have convened in one location every year except for two (97th in 2020 and 101st in 2024). Families hosted little get-togethers in their homes and used Zoom to host a virtual reunion with others in order to continue the tradition over those years.
To assist with the planning of the 102nd, 103rd, and subsequent reunions, volunteers are needed. To volunteer, get in touch with Jill Deege.
Samuel and Lucy Ann Ross Seward journeyed from Ohio to Lima Township, close to Bear Creek, Illinois, in the 1840s via wagon. Samuel and Lucy had planned to visit in the spring, but the trip was rescheduled for the following winter because Lucy was expecting Melissa, her first child. They arrived in Hardin with Melissa in tow before the winter weather cut off their travel. Luckily, a nearby farmer agreed to let them stay on his land in return for helping him harvest his potatoes. They proceeded to Adams County the next spring. In addition to Melissa, Samuel and Lucy had thirteen more children, and since 1924, the third Sunday in August has mostly been attended by their descendants.
At Dick Anderson’s farm near Ursa, 98 amazing ancestors gathered for a traditional basket feast on August 17, 1924. Clinton Seward, Lucy Ann Seward Wilson, Emeline (Emma) Seward Bronson, and Samuel Seward were among the fourteen children of Samuel and Lucy who were there at that momentous first meeting. Unfortunately, nine of their children had already died by that time, along with their parents, Samuel and Lucy. Although she was still alive, Caroline Seward Fry was unable to go.
Early arrivals set up tables, chairs, and blankets. Eating, catching up, and practicing baseball and horseshoe skills took up the entire day. They rewarded themselves with cake, ice cream, and lemonade in the afternoon. The exhausted Sewards eventually dragged themselves home, but not before coming up with the bright idea to get together once more the next year.
Even though they are still running strong after 101 years, a lot has changed. Some will arrive in electric vehicles or airplanes, rather than riding horse-drawn buggies and Model-Ts on muddy roads. We will be in an air-conditioned church with running water and actual restrooms, rather than batting away the flies and sweating it out under a tree.
The family wants Samuel and Lucy Ann to understand how proud they are to be their descendants or relatives and how much they appreciate the sacrifices they made for other family members.
