79th Ingalls Family Reunion meeting minutes
The 79th Ingalls Family Reunion was held on Saturday, October 13, 2007, at the United Methodist Church of Greenville and Norton Hill. It was 38 degrees in the morning, warming up to around 55 degrees by mid-afternoon. It was mostly sunny and breezy. There were ninety people present for the Reunion, one of the largest groups ever!
The Betty Mc Aneny Family hosted, and the room and tables were nicely decorated for fall. Krista Ingalls Haushalter, Historian, displayed albums of old family photographs and the autograph quilt she is making for the family. Copies of the 2003 Genealogy and History of the Jacob Ingalls Family were available at a cost of twelve dollars each. Kathleen and Philip Carhart of New Jersey brought photograph albums from the Henry Ingalls Branch, which included old pictures of the Jacob Ingalls Homestead in Lambs Corners.
At noon, Jack Ver Planck, President, rang the cowbell, and everyone gathered for a group photograph. Following this, Walter Ingalls said grace, and everyone helped him/herself to the bountiful buffet of delicious food.
Once everyone was finished eating, Jack called the meeting to order by ringing the cowbell a second time. He thanked Reverend Carney for the use of the church hall, Janet Lockwood for helping out in the kitchen for the twenty-ninth year, and the many members of Betty’s family for hosting.
Mention was made of the previous weekend’s 75thAnniversary Celebration of the centralization of the Greenville Central School District. It was noted that Walter Ingalls and his grandson Walter Sutton rode in the car at the head of the parade with Burdette Griffin, who is almost 102 years old and probably the oldest person still alive who attended the school “way back when.” Young Walter was dressed like a schoolboy from the early part of the twentieth century in clothes made for him by his Aunt Krista. Around twenty-five people in attendance identified themselves as having graduated from GCS. Some of the children attending the Reunion currently attend the school, as well.
The individual who traveled the farthest to attend the Reunion was Edna Ingalls Huffman, from Kapolei, Hawaii. The youngest person present was baby Kimber Marcello, Betty’s great granddaughter. The oldest person present was Shirley Spad, 84. There were several individuals who attended an Ingalls Family Reunion for the first time: Kathleen and Philip Carhart, Christian and Julie Fawkes, Curt and Charlene Ellis, and Timothy Meade, Becca Haushalter’s fiancé.
The Secretary, Paige Ingalls, read the minutes from last year’s Reunion, which were approved as written. She shared correspondence received during the past year, which included notes from Betty Hale and Jean Gardner. Greg Hotaling, Gail Ingalls Hotaling’s son, recently was sent to Iraq for a second tour of duty, and a card was passed around for all present to sign, to let him know he is in their prayers. Paige also sent around a folder with “Ingallsiana” and the book for everyone to sign. She then read a brief exerpt from the book Oak Hill [NY]: Voices from an American Hamlet—An Oral History, by Michael Hayes (published in 2007 by Author House, Bloomington, IN). The passage was a letter written on April 6, 1964, by Curt Ellis when he was thirteen years old. He was upset about so many trees being cut when roads were being built in the area. Lastly, she passed around a book from Greene County, NY, with listings from the Greenville Presbyterian Church, 1790-1850. One marriage entry was dated “1818 Nov. 26 Henry Ingalls and Huldah Gordon, both of Westerlo.”
Before delivering his report, the Treasurer, Kevin Ingalls, noted that he has served in this position since 1987, which resulted in everyone giving him a round of applause! His report included the following:
Today’s income--
Collection $473.00
Genealogies sold $ 36.00
$509.00
Dispersals for--
Food and supplies bought by the host family generously donated
Printing and mailing of the invitations $147.76
Janet Lockwood’s services $ 50.00
Rental of the church hall $ 75.00
$ 272.76
It was noted that today’s attendance helped a great deal to “shore up” the savings account, which had started to become depleted. When the day’s income minus the dispersals was added to the savings account, it left a grand total of $ 867.79. It was moved and seconded to accept the treasurer’s report.
Jack asked that “old business” be addressed. Krista informed the group that she had gotten copies made of the three Ingalls archival type legal documents pertaining to land indentures from the late 1700s, and that Harriet Rasmussen had transcribed them. It was agreed the copies of the indentures and their transcriptions will be available for purchase by interested family members for twenty dollars and that the proceeds will go to the Reunion fund. Thank you, Krista and Harriet!
Krista and Walt also shared information they had gotten pertaining to restoring Jacob Ingalls’ gravestone. To recut the stone would cost around $300. To place a freestanding bronze plaque or new stone would cost approximately $500. It was agreed to leave the original stone as is and look into placing a new stone (a replica of the original) nearby. Krista and Walt agreed to pursue this and, if a new stone is within the $500 allotted by those present, it will be ordered. The new stone will be dedicated at next year’s Reunion, if all goes as planned.
Jack then asked those present to address “new business.” Marjorie Dedie volunteered her family to host next year’s Reunion, which will be held on Saturday, October 18, 2008.
Officers were elected for next year:
President-- Flora Ingalls Holderbaum
Vice President-- Gary Elliott
Secretary-- Paige Ingalls
Treasurer-- Kevin Ingalls
Historian-- Krista Ingalls Haushalter
Krista gave the report of births, deaths, and marriages. It was with a heavy heart that Marjorie Ingalls’ passing was noted. For many years, Marjorie served as Historian.
Krista also led the Roll Call of Families, and these were the results:
Enoch Ingalls Branch 0
Henry Ingalls Branch 6
John Ingalls Branch 10
Lucinda Ingalls Hunt Branch 4
Eleanor Ingalls Winegard Branch 8
Diantha Ingalls Smith Branch 0
Joseph Truman Ingalls Branch 23
Ransom Benjamin Ingalls Branch 50
William Henry Harrison Ingalls Branch 2
Thaddeus Warsaw Ingalls Branch 0
Cyrus Ingalls (Westerlo) Branch 0
Gary Elliott asked for donations for an upcoming ALS Walk in Canajoharie in which his brother Ted and he will be participating. They will be walking to raise money for the ALS Society in honor of their sister Carol Ann, who has the condition. Those present asked him to send Carol Ann the family’s warmest wishes.
Krista reminded those who have not yet signed the autograph quilt to please do so.
For the “entertainment,” Flora referenced a letter sent from her grandfather, Henry Rockefeller Ingalls, to Alfred Partridge in December 1958. Henry died not long after, on March 20, 1959. Alfred’s wife, Frances, sent the letter to Stephanie and Paige Ingalls in July of 2007, to be shared at the Reunion, as part of the family’s archives. Unfortunately, time ran short and Flora was unable to read it to the group. However, it will be available at next year’s Reunion for people to read.
Jack closed the meeting by thanking all present for coming. He also invited everyone to come back for next year’s 80th Ingalls Family Reunion.