Picture(s) of Jos. & Mary Harper Campbell's monument to be added.
On Thursday, October 5" 1922 The Annual Gathering of the Joseph Campbell Cousins1 was held at the home2 of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Owlett. The day was fine and the guests began to arrive early.
The tables were beautifully arranged with the "Scottish Thistle" napkins and Owl-ette place cards.
The chicken dinner was served by Caterer Ford Owlett. with his assistants Mr. and Mrs. Mark Owlett, Mrs. Faye Whitney and Mrs. Jessie Leonard. While we were all busily engaged with our dinners, a car arrived from Addison3 with Cousins Will Selph and Chas. Congdon. They were given a hearty welcome and speedily found their places at the table. After the dinner was over while we were still seated at the table, a large dish of chocolates was passed, the "treat" of Cousin Will Selph. A Poem was then read by Mrs. Owlett. "A Wedding Journey" which was heartily enjoyed, being a story of the double wedding of Uncle Ben and Aunt Sally and Uncle Mack and Aunt Eleanor.
We soon adjourned to the pleasant lawn where the business meeting was held, with E. C. Blackwell presiding. Minutes of last meeting were read and approved. A committee was appointed to take care of the funds to be raised for a monument for our Great-Grandfather and Grandmother Campbell. C. H. Congdon, T. C. Campbell and Wm E. Selph were named. Kate Horton was chosen to send message of sympathy to the family of Cousin Dell Campbell.
T. C. Campbell invited us to come to St. Petersburg next year. But we thought it too far from home, and accepted the invitation of Mr. and Mrs. L. B. Shaw for our next meeting. It was suggested that Mrs. Shaw write a song expressly for the Cousins. Cousin Will Selph gave us a splendid talk, and took our pictures. Mrs. Owlett then gave us each a Family Record that she had prepared for this day, which will be prized by everyone.4 It was just another grand meeting. We regret that several were absent. Each year some one of our number is called to that Greater Reunion, but it only binds us closer.
Stella Wilbur, Secy.
Those present:
1. The 30 first cousins - grandchildren of Joseph and Ann Clinch Campbell - were all born in or near Nelson, Tioga Co., PA and had all at least laid eyes on each other before some moved to other parts of the country. Most stayed in touch and those in Tioga Co. and adjacent Steuben and Chemung Counties were close emotionally, as well as geographically.
2. The hill, Oregon Hill, on which the community of that name is located, straddles the line between Lycoming County's Pine Township and Tioga Co.'s Morris Twp.It is one the few fertile areas in the more than 10,000 acres our Blackwell cousins purchased in 1804 as part of the English Company. See Pine Twp.
3. Addison was on the main line of the Erie RR which Charley and Will could have boarded in NYC where they both worked..
4. Does anyone have a copy? Please let us know.