BLADEN COUNTY, NC - MISC - National Streety Family Reunion ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Allen & Betty Johannes abelj@htcomp.net ==================================================================== THE FIRST EVER NATIONAL STREETY REUNION MERIDIAN, TEXAS JULY 24, 1999 The time was 1763 in colonial Bladen County, North Carolina. There was unrest. The colonists were becoming upset with what they felt were injustices visited upon them. Particularly in North Carolina was a group of people called the Regulators. They were justifiably upset because they owned land, but had little or no money. When they could not pay their taxes, their land was taken away, and therefore, their livelihood. William T. Streety and his wife Lucy had a son, James, born that December. The lad was too young to fight in the revolution that followed. One wonders how the family fared during that time. Move forward 18 years to 1781. The Battle of Elizabethtown, seat of Bladen County, took place in August between the Whigs (Patriots) and the Tories. The battle broke the Tory power in Bladen County. As the Tories were routed, a large number of the Tories leaped into a deep ravine by the Cape Fear River and it has been called Tory Hole ever since. Joseph Richard Kemp, Jr, wrote in his memoirs, "Old Mr. Issac Jones told me that my father Joseph Kemp was the man that routed the first Tory guard in the beginning of the battle." This Joseph Kemp was the brother of my fourth great grandmother, Jane Kemp Poynter. In December of 1781, a second Streety son, William T., Jr. was born. A sister, Margaret, was born to the family, but her birthdate is unknown. William T. went on to become the high sheriff of Bladen County from 1810 until he died in office in 1820 at the age of 40 . This Streety son was my third great grandfather. James married Sarah Plummer and William T. married Anna Jane Poynter. It is not known who were the parents of Sarah, but Anna Jane's parents were Argulas and Mary Kemp Poynter. Mary was the daughter of Joseph and Jane White Kemp. Jane was the daughter of John and Mary Jones White. Mary was the daughter of Griffith Jones. Argulus Poynter was the son of John Turville and Mary Russ Poynter. It is believed that all the Streetys in the USA are descendants of William T. and Lucy. We hope that if anyone knows of others, they will let us know. We have not been able to discover where in the UK the Streetys were from. That is a goal we hope to reach. Fast forward to July 24, 1999. It was a scene to be savored like a delicious dinner, a favorite book, a beautiful piece of music, or inspiring scenery. One hundred plus Streety kin gathered together for a first ever reunion. It was a dream come true. Ever since Allen and I had begun researching the Streety family 6 years ago, we had wanted to bring folks together who had never met, or even heard of each other until the research was started. Over the years starting in the 1800s the families had drifted apart as they scattered and new cousins didn't know great aunts and uncles. Time marched on and whole families lost touch with other. Even here in Texas, contacts were lost. It is amazing what genealogy will accomplish other than names, dates, marriages, etc. We didn't know of "the other Streety family" until Rick Manning of Harrah, OK wrote us and said that we thought we must be kin because he had a distant ancestor named Robert Plummer Streety. A bolt out of the blue! There were more Streetys than we ever dreamed of. As many have said to us, "We didn't know that there were any other Streetys in the world except our own families." Over 200 years passed. Wars were fought, especially the War Between the States. Now, Streety kin were brought back together in Meridian, TX in the last year of the 20th century. Fitting, isn't it? Imagine the smiles, hugs, handshakes that went on. Sisters, brothers, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, grandparents, grandchildren, nephews, nieces, and cousins greeting each other, and then meeting the "new cousins". It was just glorious. Allen and I were so overjoyed. I was hardly coherent. Everyone introduced him/herself and gave a little history. Special people were introduced-- people who had been instrumental in our beginning search for the roots: Uncle Joe Streety, cousin Rick Manning, cousin Henry Streety and children, Penny and Tom, and Mary Cooper, cousin of Frieda Streety Reed. We owe them a thousand thanks. The oldest person attending was Mrs. Ora Streety from Lleveland. The oldest Streety attending was Roma Streety Scott. The one wha had traveled the farthest was Billy Wayne Streety from the state of Wasington. Kin had come from Virginia, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Louisiana, plus those from all over Texas. People from all walks of life with that one common denominator--the ancestors William T. and Lucy Streety. Regrets were given from those who couldn't attend. We shared pictures, old letters, genealogy charts, family research books, Bibles, treasured items so dear that it brings tears to the eyes. Stories were told amid laughter, tears, and "I never knew that", or "I wonder how they ever did that". A family's history over two hundred plus years is hard to comprehend in just one day, but we did a very good job of trying. We enjoyed great Jesse and Nancy Wiese barbeque, and cookies brought by cousins far and wide. Cameras were in constant use--candid and posed. Like all good things--the day had to come to an end--much too soon. We hope that this can happen again. And the Streety family--the surname that most people have never heard of--we are alive and well in the USA . DREAMS DO COME TRUE. Betty Johannes--daughter of a Streety daughter Betty and Allen Johannes Box 956 Meridian, TX 76665 254-435-2606