Pike County GaArchives News.....John Green’s Descendants September 26, 1902
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Lynn Cunningham http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00011.html#0002535 November 14, 2006, 10:36 pm

The Pike County Journal, Zebulon, Pike County Georgia September 26, 1902

It had been previously arranged for the Green family, all those that were 
related by blood or marriage to meet at the family cemetery near Zera, in Pike 
county, with well fitted baskets for an old time family reunion. Tuesday the 
16th of September was set for the day. It dawned with a bright and beautiful 
morning, with all the glory of Indian summer. Early the vehickles [sp] began 
to arrive from all directions, filled to their utmost capacity with loving 
friends and smiling faces. After a hearty handshake with fathers and mothers, 
brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, cousins, uncles and aunts, in fact 
all we met were kinsfolk. All seemed enthused with a slight foretaste of that 
great reunion, when we will all be gathered safe at home.

We remained at the cemetery some little while looking after and caring for the 
grave of the loved ones, after which we repaired to the famous old rock 
spring, where our father, grand father and great grand father and great great 
grandfather Green settled, a pioneer in the early part of the nineteenth 
century, before the trail of the Red Man had vanished from his native forest. 
It was here he settled near this spring, and reared a large, remarkable family 
of eight sons and six daughters.

While some died in infancy, all others married except their oldest daughter, 
who died while in the flush of early youth. This patriarch and his wife were 
named John and Nancy Green. Ther children were as follows: Mountain, Hartford, 
Gilben, Rebecca, Alethia, Malinda, Franklin, Daniel, Jonah, Richard, Martha, 
Mary, [unreadable name], and Tabitha. All are dead except Mrs. Mary Head, of 
Brushey, and all left families of children. Hartford and Gilben were twice 
married, leaving to [sp] sets of children each.

Old Uncle Peter Green, so well known around Griffin, was once the property of 
John Green. No doubt Uncle Peter has often heard the screech of the wild cat 
and panther mingled with the primitive howl of the wolf, which were as 
familiar sounds in those days of yore as the song of the English sparrow is 
around our country homes today. All things have changed except the old rock 
with its natural steps descending to the spring, which nature seems to have 
hewn out of the cavity of the rock, where the water still gurgles as pure and 
limpid as it did when Uncle Peter was a little pickaninny playin[g] around his 
father’s cabin door.

The large populars, elms, and water oaks that overshadow the rock and spring, 
afforded comfortable shade for us all, being a large concourse of people. 
After prayer by W.U. Kendrick, we soon repaired to dinner, it being spread on 
the snow white cloths on top the full length of this old big rock. The most 
toothsome repast we ever saw - it was enough to tempt an epicure. After the 
blessing by Rev. Kendrick, all seemed to do it full justice to their hearts 
content - a bountiful repast it was indeed.

Later on we sung “God be with you till we meet again,” which we intend to do 
on the second Tuesday in September, 1903, if nothing providentially hinders. 
All that are related by blood or marriage are cordially invited to come and be 
with us at our next reunion - no other expected. Now, may God be with you all 
till we meet again. - One Who Was Present

[Transcribed 11/14/06 Lynn Cunningham]


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