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Thursday, June 11, 2009 5:54 PM Family reunion catalyst for new Web feature By Janelle Clevinger | Times Staff Writer If you happened to hear music coming from the Wilson County Fairgrounds April 18, it wasn't because a concert was going on. It was from a family reunion -- a very large, musical family reunion. The descendants of James Winfield Allen of Virginia held their first family reunion in more than 20 years this year in Wilson, and apparently it was a huge success. "The Allen family used to do this every year at family members' homes when the brothers were living," said Faye Allen Taylor of Wilson. Taylor was married to Freeman Allen who died 25 years ago. When asked to organize the Wilson reunion by the family, Taylor agreed but told them that she wasn't an Allen anymore. The family responded with, "You're always an Allen." James Winfield Allen of Virginia had 21 children, including Freeman Allen and his brother Nathan, both of whom moved to Wilson many years ago, as did several of Freeman's nephews. The nephews, Hartley, Tommy and Jerry, are the sons of Nellie Allen Adams, who lives in Emporia, Va. Nellie is one of the three children of James Winfield Allen still living. The other two children are Earlene Usury of Lake Gaston, Va., and Maude Braswell of Jarrett, Va. All three sisters attended the reunion. Around 40 Allen descendants still call Wilson home. "The family is already talking about next year's reunion being held in Wilson, and I've been asked to organize it," Taylor said. "I told them I won't organize it every year, but I probably will," she laughed. The reunion started at noon at the fairgrounds and lasted until after 6 p.m., filled with good food and good music, said Taylor. Family members barbecued a pig and cooked chicken muddle, a stew which (according to a little Internet research) is the same thing as Brunswick stew, unless you're not from Brunswick County, Va., which claims this stew as having originated in their county. Folks who disagree call it chicken muddle. The nephews of Freeman Allen, who normally play separately with two different bands, joined together to entertain the 138 people reunion attendees with beach and country music. Taylor said that playing music and singing runs in the blood of the Allen family, along with some other hobbies. "This was a music, hunting, fishing group of people," she said. Now it's your turn So here's what we're asking all of you families out there who have reunions on the calendar: take photos at your family reunion and share some of them with the rest of Wilson (and the world) on our Web site, www.wilsontimes.com . We're not looking for every single snapshot taken at your gathering, but a representative sample showing those on your family tree and some of the fun you had that day. We can take your 4x6 photos and scan them for your gallery entry, but the easiest way will be to upload them directly to our Web site. Go to www.wilsontimes.com and click on "Photos" which will take you to the Photo Gallery page. To upload your photos, you will need to click on the bold letters at the top of the page that read "Click here to register" in order set up an account. Then go to "Reader Submitted Photos" and you'll be able to upload your photos to the "Reunions" subalbum. So don't forget to take your camera to that next family reunion. See you on the Web! ON THE MAP runs on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. If you have a story that you want to share, e-mail jclevinger@wilsontimes.com or call 265-7811. If you have an event that you would like to enter on our community calendar, go to www.wilsontimes.com and click on the link for submitting information to the calendar. |
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