Westfield, Pa., Sept 26th 1918
The Eleventh Annual gathering of the Campbell was held at the home Cousins Elisha & Kate Horton, Thursday, Sept 26". After a rainy week a beautiful day dawned for cousins to meet and greet our most our most gracious host and hostess1 and each other, and renew our loving ties of friendship. Soon a most welcome summons came from the East. for us to hasten to the banquet board. where a most sumptuous repast was served to 35 hungry descendants of Joseph and Ann Campbell, and a few specially invited guests. after doing full justice to the tempting viands set before us. came next the business meeting.
The minutes of the last reunion was [sic] read and approved. Then
followed he election of the following officers for the ensuing year:
Mr. Jud Seely, President,
Mrs. Ann Vandusen, Secretary,
Mrs. Minnie Clark,2
Assistant Secy.
A rising vote of thanks was extended to our host and hostess for their hospitality. response by Cousin Kate Horton. a few fine appropriate remarks by Cousin Emma Buck. which we all enjoyed. she came from Quakertown, Pa.3 especially for this reunion. also E. S. Pratt and wife from Scranton, Pa. The other specially invited guests were nephews and nieces of the hostess as follows. Mrs. Pearl Wise4 Mr. and Mrs. F. D. Owlett5 Mr. and Mrs. O. C. Shewman. Mr. and Mrs. Merritt Mitchell, Mr. and Mrs. L. B. Shaw and Mrs. Effie Horton6. The remainder of the day was spent in happy and pleasant reminiscences of past days.
An invitation from Cousins Jud Seely, seconded by his good wife for the Cousins to meet with them in Osceola for our next annual gathering was most heartily accepted with thanks. When another time of parting came & with best wishes to our hoste [sic] and hostess for a happy & prosperous year, out last "Au Revoir" was said ∧ each departed for our several homes, with regrets for such short days,and slow trains,7 and belated chickens. regrets were read from Clarence Peaslee,8 Williamsport, Pa & Ed Congdon Tacoma, Washington & a telegram of congratulations and best wishes from Will Campbell, Marinette, Wis.
And a last farewell from Your Secretary
Mrs. T. C. Campbell, Secy.
1. "Our most gracious ... hostess" was a sister of the secretary's husband.
2. Sister of the secretary elect.
3. Emma lived in Schuyler Co., NY, but she's been visiting her daughter, who was living in Quakertown at the time.
4. Pearl wasn't Kate's niece; Pearl was the daughter of Kate's 1st cousin, Grace CAMPBELL Mowrey Buck Carey.
5. Fordyce "Ford" Owlett wasn't Kate's nephew; he was a son of Kate's 1st cousin, Anna BOSARD Owlett.
6. Nor was Effie SEYMORE Horton (1854 - 1920) a niece. She was the wife of John Colvin Horton (1843 - 1924), who also attended, and was a brother of the host.
7. Outside of cities, paved roads were almost non-existent. And cars were rare. So almost all travel except for what a horse could cover in an hour or two was by train. Trains were almost everywhere. They could exceed 40 mph, but made so many stops that most probably averaged no more than 25 mph. (But better than a 1 horsepower buggy could do.)
8. Presumably Williamsport lawyer, Clarence Loomis Peaslee (1871 - 1935), who probably was somehow related to Kate's mother, Helen PEASLEY Campbell (1826- 1876).