The 23^rd Cloud Family Gathering
Huntsville, AL, 14-16 July 2000

To those who made presentations: Really BIG THANKS!!!

To those who didn't make it: Sorry you didn't!

• Words of welcome by the presiding officer (VP Jane Ellison) and meeting host (Cecil Stokes) were followed by a discussion of local resources by Annewhite Fuller, Manager of the Heritage Room of the Huntsville - Madison County Public Library.
• This was followed by the traditional self-introduction lead by Historian Jan Cloud. All attendees told who they are, where they live, which Cloud is their early ancestor, and what puzzle they are trying to solve.
• Then, CFA member Ray Shirley of Knoxville told us about his research into the records compiled by WPA crews in Tennessee during the 1930s. Ray is a retired professor and administrator (Assist VP) at the University of Tennessee. He has mapped an ambitious undertaking for retirement.
• Kenny Cloud provided a display of the Cloud Family Journal CD. This was the grand unveiling of the product of a year's work, which is recognized by many as a terrific resource for Cloud researchers. Kenny wants to be sure that everyone knows that he did this as a service to fellow members of the Cloud Family Association and is not making him any money.
• Meetings of the Executive Committee and the Nominating Committee followed this evening session to coordinate plans for the Saturday morning business meeting. These were finalized at a breakfast meeting.

Start Slide Show with this Session -

• Jane Ellison, 1998-2000 VP, presided over the annual business meeting. She called the meeting to order, asked for reports, and took old business and new business in order.
• Linda Boose read the minutes of the previous meeting (Atlanta in 1999) and these were approved. She then gave the financial report and the report of the Nominating Committee elected in Atlanta last year. Nominees were Jane Ellison for President and Cecil Stokes (2nd VP for 1999-2000) for 1st VP. The nominees were elected by acclimation. 
• Jane announced that plans for the 25th annual meeting in Austin in 2002 were already being made by Pat Cloud (appointed as 2nd VP). 
• Jane talked about changes occurring worldwide, and about challenges and opportunities for CFA. One possible change that has been discussed over the past several years is alternating national meeting with regional meetings. Jane said that we will attempt to develop a slate of regional meetings for 2001, with the consideration that these can be teleconferenced together as a nationwide meeting.
• Jane said that a proposal had been made to expand the leadership base of the Association by adding a Board of Directors to conduct business between annual meetings and to consider corporate status. A motion to that effect was made, seconded, and passed. Officers (through July 2002), who will be members of the Board,  will be: President: Jane Ellison - Atlanta, GA; Vice President: Cecil Stokes - Huntsville, AL; Second Vice President: Pat Cloud - Austin, TX; Secretary-Treasurer: Linda Boose - Eastland, TX; and Historian: Janice G. Cloud - Santa Barbara, CA.
• A slate of nominees for Director were offered by the Nominating Committee and elected by acclimation. Those elected were Harold "Dusty" Cloud (NH), Harold "Hal" Cloud (CA), Kennard Cloud (GA), Taylor Cloud (DE), Harry Hogan (VA), James Jones (TX), Carol Cloud Holian (MO), Beverly Malazzo (TX), Glenda Manis (FL), Kris Moore (TX), Geraldine Talley (TX).
  (Two Director terms expire in July 2001, and three terms expire in
  each of the following three years -- drawing for terms later in year).
  
  

Tom King presented migration patterns that brought Clouds into the Tennessee Valley and other areas west of the original thirteen states. Tom also presented "family group sheets" for his ancestor William Cloud, who migrated from SC to Madison County in the 1820s, and also Jeremiah Huddleston Cloud, who beat him here by a few years but did not stay. William Cloud settled in the southeast part of the county where Cloud's Cove, Cloud Mountain, and Cloud Town (subsequently renamed Vienna and then New Hope) were named for him.

Kenny Cloud provided a second display of the Cloud Family Journal CD for those who did not attend on Friday evening.

Time between the morning session and the Luncheon provided time for visiting and exchanging information, particularly for those who caught the Kenny Cloud's Friday presentation of the CD. Arrival of luncheon speaker Robert Scott Davis, Jr., enhanced the opportunities for information interchange and autographing of Davis' books Kris brought to the meeting.

Jimmy Jones said grace, and 52 folks enjoyed a lunch of Chicken Maximillian, salad, vegetables, bread, tea, and key lime pie or carrot cake. The tables were set for 56 based on our reservations for 54. 

Our speaker, Robert Scott Davis Jr., discussed resources available for the Revolutionary War period. Researchers in the audience were awed by his seemingly total command of the subject.  

He was introduced by Jan Cloud, who noted that the speaker was the author of 20 books and over 600 published articles.

| Start Slide Show with Luncheon |

Saturday Afternoon Seminar:

Robert Scott Davis Jr. continued his discussion of the use of military records for the years between the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. There is still hope when there appear to be no information available.

Saturday Evening Workshop:

Jan Cloud picked up on the luncheon speaker's topics by providing guidelines to where to find Cloud records, many of which have been published in the Cloud Family Journal.

The Sunday morning tour started with a drive-by of The Cloud and Parker law offices, the courthouse, Bubba's, Old Town, Echol's Hill, other streets in Twickingnham, Maple Hill Cemetery, Adams Avenue, Huntsville Hospital, and the overlook where Governor's Drive crosses between Monte Sano and Huntsvlle Mountain, and then over into the Big Cove area east of Huntsville.

Detour by Hampton Cove:

We took a quick look at the Hampton Cove development that has transformed the Big Cove area of Madison County into an upscale part of the City of Huntsville. We didn't learn until later that there is a Cloud connection here; Kerry Hayes, husband of Laura Cloud Hayes, is building homes here. The community is built around the two 18-hole championship golf courses that are a part of the statewide Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. The leftmost map below show this part of the county in 1886, with William Cloud's land on the river. The next map shows paved roads leading from Huntsville to Big Cove, New Hope, and Cloud's Cove.

The highway from Huntsville to Guntersville runs through New Hope. A popular restaurant on that highway is Wayne's Restaurant, operated by Wayne Cloud. Wayne, a descendant of William Cloud who first settled here, had planned to attend the Saturday luncheon, but a death in the family prevented that.

Highway 431 once ran through downtown New Hope, but neither the highway nor much business remains there today. But, New Hope has a fine new high school and a lot of residents working elsewhere in the county. 

Visiting a cemetery in the middle of a field in Alabama in mid-July is not everyone's idea of a pleasant outing. But, C.A. Cloud, his wife Bonnie, his daughter Laura Cloud Hayes, his granddaughter Stephanie, his son-in-law Kerry Hayes, and Cloud neighbors Ann Cloud and Fannie Mae Cloud greeted the visitors warmly; and, a cool breeze kept the group comfortable as they got acquainted and declared it to be a treasured moment. This informal meeting under the big tree on a knoll within sight of the Tennessee River was said by some to have been a highlight of the weekend. Genealogists do tend to get excited over meeting friendly cousins and visiting cemeteries containing familiar names on the tombstones. 

Sunday Lunch:

The extended visit in Cloud's Cove aborted the schedule, and a vote was taken to accept tour guide Jerry's offer to stop at Burger King before going much further.

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center:

We didn't leave time to see much of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, but we did make the tour of the Space Station mock-ups and learn a lot about "the Station" from our expert tour guide, Jerry.

U. S. Space and Rocker Center:

"Destiny in Space" was the IMAX movie we saw immediately on arrival at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. A few, like Bill and Sandy, made arrangements to extend their visit to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, which really deserves at least a full day. But, most were needing to head home.