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Amber Dalakas
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REVIEW OF THE FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD REUNIONS
The first, second and third reunions of our family had many things of interest but no records were made of them. I have combined those features that I could remember and will try to do the meetings justice. Quite a number registered as requested and their names are being recorded here serving as a sort of roster; and if, for any reason, they fail we hope they will send their names on a card for a permanent record.
It is expected that those who had something to say about those who are mentioned below will carefully put their remarks in writing, keep a copy, and send the Secretary a copy to be filed. It is too important for any individual to try to reproduced from memory what was said. Perhaps someone will be interested enough to continue what I have started and in a few years we will have something worthwhile.
I mention a few, but not all, who were spoken of: Wm. DeHart, Sr., Ellen Shearer, Morgan DeHart, Mrs Soleman Truett, Uncle John DeHart, Dr. J. P. DeHart, Mrs Lydia Tabor, Mrs. T. H. Parrish, Dr. James DeHart, Mrs W. M. Breedlove and several others.
Some of us should learn more about our Ramsey and Roberts relatives. There are many prominent people of that name.
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THE FOURTH REUNION
The Fourth Reunion of the DeHart Family was held at Cold Spring Church, near Bryson City, N. C. Sunday, September 2, 1933, and in every respect was a very pleasant meeting. A number of the kin from distant points were in attendance. Among those taking an active part in the speaking were: Sam G. DeHart of Stuart, Va., J. V. A. Moore of Hayesville, N. C., and Robert Ramsey of Tellico, N.C.
Sam DeHart, a salesman, spoke interestingly of the DeHarts of Virginia and emphasized the fact that he could only say �the best things about his customers in several states who bore his name�. He also quoted from a book showing the progenitors of the DeHart family were French protestants of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries and were known as Huguenots and who as a class were considered the most moral, industrious and intelligent part of the French population. During the religious wars of these centuries the Huguenots suffered bloody persecutions. Religious freedom was granted to them for about one hundred years. Upon the revocation of this freedom in 1685 the Huguenots scattered over Europe and about 1770 many came to America among whom were the four DeHart brothers who landed in Charleston, S. C. One of these brothers was killed by Indians while the other brothers drifted to this section and to Virginia. This informing talk was greatly enjoyed.
Mr. J. V. A. Moore recounted what he had learned from his grandmother concerning these pioneer families and at the same time exhibiting a glove that was made by his grandmother�s great aunt who was the wife of General Thomas Sumpter of Revolutionary fame. He showed his great grandmother�s bonnet displaying skillful handwork which has been carefully preserved these many years by loving hands.
Mr. H. C. Moore, a brother of J. V. A. Moore, spoke at length of the frugal honesty of the family. He could say only words of praise for the keen intellect and deeply religious conversations and actions of his grandmother and the good she did during her long life.
These brothers related about their Grandfather DeHart teaching his neighbors to read and write in the pioneer country of Kentucky: that books were so scarce he shaved shingles and printed words and figures on them and thus taught many of the rudiments of reading, writhing and arithmetic. They traced their progenitors back to the South Carolina Huguenot refugees.
Robert Ramsey said he was akin to all the DeHart families in Macon and Swain counties and from what he had heard of them they would bear a comparison with the best families: he was glad to be with them: from year to year would help encourage them to maintain that name.
Mrs. J. T. Allison and her son, R. O. Allison and his wife, of Madisonville, Tennessee, were detained by going the wrong road until most of the exercises were over. Mrs. Allison is the granddaughter of the noted Baptist minister, Jefferson DeHart, who was a regular pastor until he was ninety-seven years old. She stated that she remembered him well and that he died at the age of one hundred and twelve years; that he never walked with a cane or used glasses that she had heard others call him a great man since he was gone. Elijah DeHart stated that his grandfather was an active minister for more than three quarters of a century and that the church seven miles away called him as the pastor when he was ninety-seven years old and that his father (Elijah�s) went to the church and asked them to reconsider the call because he was afraid to have his father ride horseback and that seven miles was too far for a ninety- seven years old man to walk to preach; his grandfather did some preaching until he was one hundred and six but did not remember him preaching later than that age.
Mrs. Allison showed several pictures of members of her family and remarked that some of those she saw looked like some of her near relatives. Many were sorry that more did not see Mrs. Allison and hope the others can see her and her family next year.
The present organization was reelected for the next year, and the date, second Sunday in September at the same place. All are expected to be back.
There was at least seven hundred present and it is estimated that more than four hundred were DeHart kin.
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THE FIFTH REUNION
The meeting date was changed by the program committee to the second Sunday in August so that the young people who were going away to school could be there: the location was also changed to a grove two and one-half miles west from Bryson City, at a sawmill shed on Highway No.19 near the Jack DeHart home.
The program committee had arranged to have a number of memorial papers handed in. A part of them responded and the memorials submitted are made a part of these proceedings.
Carroll Gibson spoke at some length of the life of his grandfather Nathan DeHart; and Sam G. DeHart told of the lives of several members of his family and said he would gladly have had some of his folks write about them but he had been very busy and would have to defer that pleasure to some other time. He wished, however, to make it known that he had relatives with such rich lives that to give them justice would require some thought.
A. J. DeHart spoke of what knowledge he had of his Uncle Martin DeHart who had been so well known as a citizen and public servant for nearly half a century. He also spoke of the life and promise of his Uncle John H. DeHart who lost his life in the Confederate army; also he told of his Aunt Polly DeHart.
These remarks have been reduced to writing and are made part of these proceedings.
It was agreed to hold next meeting on same date and at same place; that the present organization be continued except that Carroll Gibson, Frank DeHart and Mrs. Ruth Burgin be made the program committee.
It was suggested that we have more memorials next time as some had failed to respond today; and it was the wish that someone would attend to this important duty before too long a time elapsed.
Mail to:
Amber Dalakas
Last updated: Friday, 26-Apr-2024 03:31:33 MDT