Huntley Reunions - the 1970s

1970 Reunion

Location: Hudson Falls, NY

President: Alton Huntley

Hosts: Laura and Seward Hartman

Special notes:

The Historian’s Report by Virgil this year was dedicated to Miss Gertrude M. Huntley of Hudson Falls, who completed a great deal of genealogical research on the descendants of Moses Huntley (son of the original John Huntley of Lyme). Moses’ son Jabez Huntley (1760-1816) settled in Cutler, Maine, and built the first frame house in the town. He fought in the Revolutionary War, 1777-79. Jabez and his wife, Betsey, became sick and died within 2 months of each other in 1816.

1971 Reunion

Location: Kalamazoo, MI

President: Alton Huntley

Hosts: Virginia and Dr. Dee and Mary Allen

Special notes:

The Silver Anniversary Reunion was held by the family of one of our most beloved Huntleys, Dr. Dee Allen, pictured with his wife, Mary.

He was revered in his community as a dentist with a heart, who could cajole and “gentle” children in his care. He attended many reunions, including the Mystic, Ct reunion in 1993. He died at age 96 on June 13, 1995. Amendments to the by-laws concerning election of officers (Article IV, Section 1) and payment of dues (Article VI, Section 1), were voted in at this reunion.

Memories

by Jim Huntley

Memories do serve us best as we forward go
They lend meaning to our lives as the seasons flow.
In our Youth and busy years, we might care the less,
But at last, there comes the day when we must confess
That in Memory’s Book the thoughts re-appear so strong,
And we revel in the fact—life has not been wrong.
True, the disappointments may have had their place,
Yet, encouragements outweighed all the trials we faced
As we stay on even keel in this Living Quest,
Let’s remember Memories that can serve us best.

March 12, 1971
White River Jct., VT

1972 Reunion

Location: Midland, MI

President: Virginia Allen

Hosts: Bernice and Donovan Kime

Special notes:

One of the early pioneer settlers in Michigan was John Huntley #283 (1805-1883) of Romulus. Pictured (Romulus, c. 1905) is a log cabin owned by his son, Daniel Sylvester Huntley (1842-1934).

1973 Reunion

Location: Fresno, CA

President: Virginia Allen

Hosts: Marjorie and Carl Cardell

Special notes:

For the first time ever, Huntleys travelled west for their reunion! A bus tour to Yosemite National Park was enjoyed, and a Hawaiian theme was selected so that Saturday night supper became a luau, served on tables around a pool. (One guest fell into the pool - no names!) The Huntleys “dressed Hawaiian” if they could! Talent Night also included Hawaiian songs, and a modeling by the Cardell ladies of three generations (a fourth generation was shown) of wedding gowns. This reunion took place during the oil embargo, but hosts Carl and Marjorie Cardell assured all that gas would be available: Regular, 41 cents; Ethyl, 43.9 cents; 2 cents off for servicing your own car. At that time, HNA had about 700 active members.

Marjorie and Carl Cardell

1974 Reunion

Location: Clinton, PA

President: Donovan Kime

Hosts: Rev. and Mrs. Herbert W. Hartman

Special notes:

This year’s historian, Richard M. Huntley of Phoenix, New York, wrote of Huntleys other than John who immigrated to our country: Job Huntley, of England, whose wife Caroline Salisbury died in 1909 in Lowell, MA; Arthur Samuel Huntley (1848-1910) of Cardiff, Wales, who became a US citizen in 1900; Harry Robert Huntley of England, who may have descendants in North Dakota and the state of Washington; and William G. and James Huntley, who settled in Erie County, Ohio and were the children of Richard and Elizabeth Huntley of West Benard/West Penard, near Glastonbury, Somerset, England. Richard reports of a servant girl named Huntley who came to a Virginia plantation, but her history before and after “has been dissolved in the mists of years.” What a good reminder for us to keep our family history alive!

1975 Reunion

Location: San Diego, CA

President: Donovan Kime

Hosts: Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Z. Huntley, Jr.

Special notes:

107 Huntleys registered for this reunion. Sightseeing trips were planned to Tijuana, Mexico and the San Diego Zoo, and other attractions. At Talent Night, a poem written by Doris Walsh, Mother of the Year 1973 of Syracuse, NY, was read by Larry Huntley. The title of the poem is “The Intoxicated Rat.”

1976 Reunion

Location: Centerbrook, CT

President: Gordon Arnold

Hosts: Mr. and Mrs. Robert Herel

Special notes:

The reunion “came home” this year and was hosted by the Herel family: Robert Herel’s Grandmother, Bessie Huntley Gear, and Great Aunts, Ellen Huntley Sawyer and Ethlynn Huntley Holman, worked with Royce Huntley in 1947 to make the first reunion a reality. Since this was the bicentennial year, many reunion go-ers dressed in 1776-type costumes.

1977 Reunion

Location: Flemingsburg, KY

President: Gordon Arnold

Hosts: Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Russell

Special notes:

Early Bird Reunion go-ers were treated to a Burgoo Supper, a Kentucky recipe that goes back to the Civil War, when a stew would be made of whatever animals could be found. This rather tame burgoo consisted of beef, pork, and chicken cooked in a large iron kettle over an open fire, served with corn pone. During the supper, guests were entertained by Mr. Alfred Bailey, Kentucky State Fiddle Champion and friends who accompanied him on guitar and banjo.

1978 Reunion

Location: Muskegon, MI

President: Orma Altland

Hosts: Rev. and Mrs. Herbert Hartman

Special notes:

One historical Huntley from Michigan is Ephraim Huntley, who settled in Hamburg, NY in 1816, but moved to Michigan in 1833 to purchase land. He narrowly escaped death when the steamer “George Washington” ran ashore at Lake Point, Canada. Ephraim settled on a farm in Howard Twp., Cass County, MI in the Fall of 1834. He bought 80 acres, and built a home in Niles.

Ephraim’s home in Niles

1979 Reunion

Location: Waterloo, IA

President: Orma Altland, Edith Ridley

Hosts: Paul and Mary Huntley, & Walter and Dorothea Huntley

Special notes:

This reunion was dedicated to Mr. Frank Huntley, father of the hosts, “grand old man of the Iowa Huntleys,” who lived to be 102. Both Frand and his sister, Libby H. Wilson, died in 1975. Libby was 108! Their ancestor, Martin (1750-1834), was a private in Capt. James Huntley’s Connecticut Regiment during the Revolutionary War.