Marion County, West Virginia - SWISHER Family Reunion Records - 1917-1924 ********************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ********************************************************************** Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by Floa Swisher SWISHER Reunions It was my good fortune to have received the records from some of the first SWISHER family reunions held in Catawba, Marion Co, WV. I am numbering the pages in the order they are numbered in the book to match. You'll notice they go from 2 then to 9. There seems to be no pages missing in between so I assume they must've torn them out from the beginning. ***NOTE: As of 9/98 I have transcribed the registers of all of the reunions! If you have ANY questions about who may have been in what family, PLEASE feel free to contact me and I'll try to locate the information for you, if I don't know, I'll try to hook you up with someone who does. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ......Page 1... Swisher Reunion was organized February 10th 1917 at Catawba. The following officers were elected. President ....Mr. N.G. Swisher. Vice President ....Mr. M. M. Harris. Secretary + Treasurer. ....Alsie Swisher Place of Reunion selected for year of 1917 at the M. P. Church Catawba. Date for Reunion Sept 2, 1917. Aug 1. met at Levi Swisher's and appointed The following committee .....Nathan Swisher .....Grant Swisher .....J. O. Swisher .....Ettie Swisher .....Frank Swisher Aug 9. Committe met + made out program. The first Reunion of the Swisher family was held at Catawba Sept 2, 1917. The following program was rendered ........Page 2... 1st Reunion Program for Sept 2.1917. 10:30. Call to order by President Song.. America Devotional.. Rev J J Harris Reading of Program. Sec. Reading of family History. J O Swisher Song. Away with needless sorrow. Address. T N. Swisher Song. Home Sweet Home Appointment of committee. Song. Not one Missing Adjournment for dinner. 1:45 Song. Only a Dream of the Old Home. Report of Committee. Address. Rev. J J Harris Song. Old School Days. Address. M. W. Harris Recitation. Jettie Swisher. Address. Rev S L Bennet. Short Family Reminescence. Song. Beautiful Isle of Somewhere. Recitations. Edna Swisher Clara Swisher. Song. Help Somebody To day. Recitation. Bee Harr. Song. When the Roll is called up Yonder. Duet by the Misses Fairy + Willa Vangilder Adjournment Attendance about three hundred. Expenses. . $1.59cts. Collection received / $7.56. ((The next 4 lines have a giant parenthesis next to them on the left)) Appointed for Committee on Resolutions J O Swisher M W Harris N E Swisher. .......Page 9... The following officers were elected for The coming year 1918. J O Swisher.. President M W Harris.. Vice President. Alsie Swisher.. Sec & Treas. Committee appointed for arrangement U G Swisher. B F Swisher. N E Swisher. Place selected for Reunion. Mt Harmony. Time. Sept 1.1918. . . . . . . . .Expenses for 1917. 1 book 50 cards letters $1 09 $1.59 . . . Alcie Swisher sec'y ........Page 10... Resolutions 1917. Whereas We the Swisher family now in Reunion assembled for The first time in the history of the family. And whereas we have been so kindly + prosperously dealt with by our Heavenly Father. Therefore be it resolved First that we as a great and pioneer family meet anually hereafter in a social Reunion. Second that we as a family deplore the hostilities of nations of the world toward each other. Third that we do all we can to bring world peace. Forth that these resolutions be made a part of the minutes of this association. . J O Swisher. . M W Harris. . N E Swisher, The Second annual Reunion of the Swisher family was held at Catawba Sun Sept 1. 1918. The following program was carried out. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Program for the THIRD annual Reunion of the Swisher family Sept 7, 1919 .......Page 13... 10:00 Song. Star Spangled Banner Devotional- Song-All hail the power of Jesus name. Welcome Address._ M W Harris. Song_Keep the heart singing. Address._ Rev Chas. Swisher. Appointment of Committees Song_ Will the gates of heaven be open for me Afternoon 2:00 p.m. Song_Only a dream of the old home. Recitation_Miss Edna Swisher. Address Rev Davis Recitation_ Miss Ruth Clingan Address. Rorke Song_Beautiful river. Recitations_Miss Georgie Slonaker. " _Miss Clara Swisher. Address_ T.N. Swisher. Recitation Miss Oleta Harr. Song_ My mother's bible. Address_ Rev J J Jackson. Song_ I will not forget thee. Recitation_ Miss Jettie Swisher. Address_D E Williams Song _ I know he's mine. Report of Committee. Election of officers. Song _ God be with you till we Expenses for 1919. meet again. Left of hands. Sept 1. 1918.$14.44 Invitations cards $5.00 Envelopes mailing expenses $7.32 Incidental 15 Total amount. $12.47 Left on hands. $ 1.97 (over) ......Page 14... Collection rec'd Sept 7. 1919. $.1015 The following officers were elected for the coming year. 1920. President - M. W. Harris, Vice Pres. S. S. Swisher, Sec & Treas Alsie Swisher, Assist Sec, Emma Swisher, Committee on arrangement U. G. Swisher, Nim Swisher, S. S. Swisher, Ida Swisher, Jessie Hall, Jettie Swisher, The vote was taken and carried that the next Reunion be held at Mr. Zion Sept 5. 1920. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ((The first death reported in this notebook was Thos. N. Swisher.)) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Page 16 Collection rec'd Sept. 5 1920. .......Page 17... ...... ...... 3rd. We the members of this association do deeply feel the loss of our highly esteemed member Thos. N. Swisher. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ .......Page 18... Fifth Annual Reunion of Swisher Family Sept 4 1921 .......Page 19... We your committee on Necrology make the following report Since our last meeting of the association has suffered a loss of two of its members, Mr James Powell, who came to a sudden death while working in the mines. Also the loss of Uncle Levi Swisher. our oldest member at whose home this family reunion had its begining This association very much regret ........Page 20... the loss of these two members. but our loss is their gain. We admonish each living member to so live that when they are called away, our loss will be their gain. ..Committee ..accepted by association. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6th Reunion ........ Page 21... Program for the Sixth annual Reunion of the Swisher family Sept 3, 1922. . . . . .Collection rec'd Sept 4, 1921 $16.79 paid debt of $2.94 leaving on hands. $13.85 expenses for this year. Invitations cards $3.25 Invelopes and mailing expenses 6.29 programs 3.00 Total expenses $12.54 left on hands. $1.31 Collections rec'd Sept 3. 1922. 18.25 ..........Pg 22... The following officers were re elected for the coming year 1923. President . . M.W. Harris.. Vice ' ' ' ' S. S. Swisher.. Sec. & Treas. Alsie D. Swisher. .. Committee on arrangement. . Rev. C. E. Hawkins. . Ida Swisher. . French Malone. . Will C. Harris. . Mrs. Bee Harr. . U. G. Swisher. . B. F. Swisher . C. E. Swisher . Harley Harris . Guy Swisher. . R. E. Kerns. . Music Leaders. Miss Willa Vangilder. . Miss Jettie Swisher. Seventh Annual Reunion to be held first Sunday in September 1923. . at Catawba. . . Report of Commitee on Necrology We learn with regret that death has removed from the ranks of the Swisher family within the last year. two of our highly esteemed members and friends. The first was Elizabeth Margaret. Swisher who died Feb 5th at the advanced age of 90 years, She was the daughter of Jacob and Barsheba . ........Page 23... . Swisher and had lived in this county all her life, the last few years, at the home of W. E. Hawkins on Prickett Cr. other was Mrs. Clara Jolliffe Swisher, daughter of Jonithan Jolliffe and wife of Laurence Swisher of Catawba. She passed away on Aug 28 at the age of thirty one. While it is with sorrow that we note the passing of these two, we recognize the Divine Hand is in all, and rejoice in the Mercy that has spared so many of us to meet here in another annual reunion, and trust in Him to bring us together with them in te Great Runion of all believers at that- day. . Respectfully Submitted. Fully excepted by Reunion. . . . ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Pg 26 . . Vote was taken on place for next reunion. Kerns Park and Catawba being the two places named. Kerns' Park receiving the . majority. The date being set for the first Sunday in September 1924 at Kerns Park Fairmont. . Report of Common Necrology. are handed in . an excepted . We your Comm''on Necrology. beg leaf to submit the following report. As far as we are able to learn, there has been no deaths_ in the past year, for which we are truly thankful and hope that we may experience many simular aniversarys, And that God in his infinite mercy may extend to us many years of the same health and prosperity.. . J. O. Swisher . Geo Summers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Page 28 July 28, 1924, the Comm' ' on arrangment met at the Church at Catawba, the meeting was opened with prayer and singing The following program was arranged and carried out sucessful. Sept 7, 1924, eighth annual Reunion Morning Session........ Adjournment 330 registired many were there who did not register. ---------Pg 29... Collection rec'd 19.16.cts left on hands 10.06.cts. last year. Expenses for this year Envelopes $4.40cts Programs 3.00 invitation cards. 3.00 Paid Orchestra 10.00 Total Expenses $ 20.45 cts. left on hands $10.12. . 19 16 Total $29.28cts All the old officers were re relected. for the coming year. 1925. and the following Committee on arrangement was appointed. . 1. Mrs. Bee Harr. Fairmont R. . 2. Grant Swisher Catawba WVa. . 3. Harley Harris Fairmont . 4. C. E. Swisher ' ' ' ' . 5. George H. Swisher ' ' ' ' . 6. Guy Swisher ' ' ' ' . 7. H. C. Malone Catawba . 8. U. M. Swisher Stillwater Okla. . 9. Rev Char Hawkins Fairmont . 10. Mrs Jerry Powell Haywood WVa. Vote was taken on place for next reunion Kerns Park, Mt. Zion, Catawba Rosstown Kerns Park receiving the majority. The date being set for the first Sunday in Sept 1925. .......Page 30... Report of Common Necrology. as handed in, which was excepted by Association. We your Committee on Necrology. report as follow. David Slonaker, son of Geo. Slonaker departed this life Feb 5, 1924. having been killed in a mine at the age of 19 years. He was a good boy, a son of Mother and home. Mrs. Lulu Roach Harris, departed this life at the age of 38. leaving a husband and five children, and a host of friends to mourn their loss. She was a member of the M.P. Church a devout Christian, and we feel that our loss is her eternal gain. We deplore the untimely takeing away of these two members of the Swisher family, but feel that our loss is their gain. We extend to the near relatives our deepest sympathy and express our gratitude to God that so few of us has been called away, since our last meeting. ------------------------------------------------------------------------