Spending an entire weekend with your extended family may seem strange to anyone born after the era of internet, cell phones and Facebook -- causing younger members of our family to ask about the origins of the Owen family reunion. It is told that the reunion tradition was inspired by memories of fun at the 1935 wedding and next day celebration for Leila Eliza Owen and John Lester Newcomb. Leila was the daughter of the Tom Owen clan from the Illinois. After Les and Lelia's wedding celebration Owen family members made plans ...
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Spending an entire weekend with your extended family may seem strange to anyone born after the era of internet, cell phones and Facebook -- causing younger members of our family to ask about the origins of the Owen family reunion. It is told that the reunion tradition was inspired by memories of fun at the 1935 wedding and next day celebration for Leila Eliza Owen and John Lester Newcomb. Leila was the daughter of the Tom Owen clan from the Illinois. After Les and Lelia's wedding celebration Owen family members made plans for another family celebration; 1941 was the first officially recorded "family reunion". Seventy-five years later, the Owen clan is making plans for another family reunion on August 13 and 14, 2016. What are the reasons the annual reunion inspires our extended family members to attend a reunion each year? Well, there's always a big selection of good things to eat, lots of fun things to do and often some homespun entertainment and time to relax and reminisce about childhood memories. This book is a collection of family memories and photos provided by people who planned the reunions and made new memories each year. Come with me now as we journey back for a brief look at life that inspired our ancestors to plan that first Owen Family union: That summer of 1941, just before the start of WWII, the great depression of the 1930s had taken a toll on family income, cash money was in short supply; gas was cheap but cars were not very reliable and long distance travel (beyond 50 miles) was limited to very important family occasions such as weddings and funerals. As a with most families, a majority of the Hiland and Lemuel Owen clan lived within twenty miles of Maquoketa, Iowa; and members of the Tom Owen clan lived within twenty miles of Peoria, Illinois. Some family members living in Kansas, Oklahoma and North Dakota were not able to attend the reunion the reunion every year. Telephone communication was limited to local calls and not everyone had a phone. Postal mail was the backbone of family communication. Postal letters (many are included in family history compiled by David Owen) tell the details of daily life for the Owen family. People were very busy raising a family and paying the bills for food and shelter. But there was always time and no money was needed for free "homemade" entertainment. At reunion time, I recall funny skits, sharing musical talents and water fights that kept everyone wondering who would come up with new antics for the next reunion.
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