Thursday, August 31, 1978

Austin American-Statesman/Neighbor 3

Cloud family discovers its roots

It was back to "Roots" for approximately 148 persons attending the recent Cloud family reunion in Austin. Participants found relatives they had never met or even heard of as they shared family tales and histories.

Hosted by Austinites Bob and Pat Cloud and Bill and Gayle Cloud of Memphis, Tenn., the idea for the first annual reunion was generated by family research done by the two couples who had gone to Kentucky in April in search of old records and cemeteries. They found, much to their surprise, living relatives.

According to Pat Cloud, the family wanted to find the descendants of Bob and Bill’s great-grandfather, William Taswell Cloud, a nephew of Daniel William Cloud, who died at the Alamo, and his seven brothers and sisters. The search brought to the reunion relatives and friends from throughout 31 points in Texas and six different states, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Missouri and Arkansas.

Descendents of seven of the brothers and sisters were located, only two of them known when the project was started, Mrs. Cloud noted. But finding how many children had been born to each of the descendants lead to writing every Cloud in Texas, knowing that some would be kin and some would not.

An equal number of the crowd were related, but all were interested in the idea of finding where their family originated and the stories connected with their migration. Family trees; family histories, old photographs, bits and pieces of information brought by each family and then lots of talking, sharing and comparing of data mixed with the excitement of meeting new friends at the reunion held this month at the American Legion Hall in Austin.

Recognition was given to Henry Cloud of Ennis for being the oldest descendant at 79; Earl Cloud of Huntsville for displaying a family trait.— the.

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most representative Cloud ears; Dona Cloud, Southwest City, Mo., for traveling the furthest; the Hulse Family of Brownfield, for most members of one family present; and Matthew Brown for being the newest member of Cloud family at 20 months

Plans for an annual event to compile further research. are in the making due to the success and fun of the recent reunion, Mrs. Cloud said, noting that Arkansas has been mentioned as a site for next year.

"It was a very rewarding experience for anyone else that might be interested in doing the same," she said. "There is a lot of work involved, but lots
of fun too."