Huntley Reunions—The 1950s

This reunion booklet included a financial report, minutes of meetings, and described the events of the weekend. Officers were elected at this reunion. A singalong, led by James Huntley of Norwich, VT, was enjoyed by all and became a tradition looked forward to each year.

Other talent night acts included ballet dances, accordion selections, a polka, and home movies and slides. MC Clarence Miller wrote, “Guests that wish to offer talent see the MC. He isn’t the least bit hard to get along with.” The Huntley Song by Fern Huntley Kalar was adopted.

This reunion returned HNA members to their geographical roots. The Herel family has hosted many reunions. Virgil, our historian, had been injured in a car accident and wrote “Gertrude Huntley of Hudson Falls, NY offered the use of historical data on Columbus W. Huntley, her great grandfather.” An excellent genealogy of Henry Huntley of Lyme, CT is included. For the first time, a bulletin announcing information was mailed preceding the reunion. Also distributed was a booklet of “The songs We Sang at the Fifth Reunion.”

A separate New York State Huntley Association was organized in March and began meeting the second Sunday in July in West Winfield, near the geographical center of the state. The purpose of the group was “to create an expression of fellowship and friendliness among the present generations; preserve landmarks, graves, and records of all those Huntleys born or residing in New York State.” The Association tried to encourage other states to begin similar organizations.

At this reunion each family brought its own picnic supper to the Fairgrounds Community Park Saturday night. The official, catered banquet was held Sunday at 1:00pm in the high school cafeteria. Huntley newsletters, written, printed, and mailed by Royce Huntley, kept members up-to-date on family events. An example: “Julia and Gertrude Huntley of Hudson Falls, New York, tolerated the Royce E. Huntleys at Phoenix over Memorial Day. We were all expecting and hoping to meet Fred and LaVeta of Glenbeulah, Wisconsin, but their car caused them to change their plans when it developed motor trouble in Lancaster, NY.”

In his historian’s report for this reunion, Virgil listed the names of more than 100 Huntleys who fought on both sides of the Civil War. At that time, one Union and 5 Confederate veterans, all over 100 years old, were still living. Virgil believed many more Huntleys had served than he had listed, and asked for help in identifying and adding them to his list. Ted Huntley, of Washington, DC, had travelled the farthest to this reunion.

Harry and Margaret Huntley, the hosts of this reunion, started the first “Feed the Kitty” or “Hungry Kitty” picnic for Saturday night. The food was provided, and each member contributed to the “kitty” to cover costs. Tourist homes could be rented for $4.50-$6.00 for doubles, $5-$7 for twins. These were private homes where rooms were made available to travellers. Motels were $10 and up for 2 persons. Many tourist sites were recommended, including the Baseball Hall of Fame, the Farmer’s Museum, and the home of James Fenimore Cooper.

During those years, an Executive Committee of officers met the first Sunday in February. The meeting at 2:30pm on February 5, 1955 in Springfield, MA included interesting topics for discussion: the idea of owning a place where items of interest owned and donated by Huntleys to the Association could be kept for all to see and enjoy, and the selection of a permanent place for the annual reunion which was rejected because it was felt that the association was too young and that membership could be lost. How far sighted the group was! Secretary Gertrude Huntley closed the minutes stating “No other business was at hand, and as some had to catch trains and others had long distances to drive, meeting was closed at 4:30pm.”

“The Songs We Sang at Norwich” were sometimes familiar: “Tipperary,” “Roamin’ in the Gloamin’,” “Pack Up Your Troubles,” and “I Want a Girl,” and “Auld Lang Syne.” But have you ever heard of “The Old Family Toothbrush”?

Royce wrote a beautiful tribute to his Dad and printed it in the booklet for this reunion:

“Dear Dad:

I guess that this page will have to be a page of memories, —fond memories, all. Dad, I remember at one time when I had been irksome to mother, you told me that some day I would not have a mother, but there would never be a day that I would not recall her to my mind. You said that there was never a day that you did not think of your mother. It was all true, Dad; but you did not tell me that I would think of you every day, too.

Humble Dad...You had plenty of time to stop to see a big turtle slide off a log in the murky waters of Six Mile Creek; or watch the Blue Heron wading in Old Peter Scott’s swamp...I guess what I remember best was how you enjoyed just visitin’ and relating your experiences...It was your love of people that was one of the finest reasons I had for starting the Huntley National Association in 1947. How you would have loved to meet these people; wonderful people, just like you Dad...”

This reunion was dedicated to Moses Huntley, the oldest known son of John the Immigrant. He was born in Boston, MA, but moved to Saybrook, CT and finally across the Connecticut River to Lyme. He and his brother Aaron grew up and raised their families here. They were farmers, but soon Huntleys joined the sailing crews of clipper ships or whaling ships. In the reunion booklet, Virgil, the Historian, listed 45 Huntleys who had lived to be 90 or older. Many had lived in the 1800s, and died in every state as far west as California. The Saturday night picnic supper cost $1.25 for adults and $.65 for children under 12; the Sunday Turkey Dinner, with all the “fixins’” cost $2.25 for adults, $1.25 for children under 12, and included the gratuity for the waitress.

This reunion tells the history of Daniel Huntley, the great-grandson of the immigrant John, who, in 1760-61, moved his family from Lyme, CT to Nova Scotia, Canada, and settled in the township of Cornwallis. He sailed on the schooner “Hope” from New London, CT with his wife, Susannah Beckwith, and their son Daniel, Jr. His farm was laid out in 1761 and encompassed approximately 44 acres.

This Historian’s report tells about Huntleys who moved west, beyond the Mississippi, in the 1800s. One of the first white settlers in Looking Glass Valley, Oregon was Daniel Huntley. He travelled the Oregon Trail, reaching his destination in 1851. Joseph Huntley, who was born in New York State in 1803, sailed around Cape Horn. He anchored near the Columbia River for water, and found gold near the present site of Port Orford. Joseph moved his family several times, finally leaving Oregon for Wyoming. On a trip back to Wyoming from Oregon to pick up money from the sale of property, he was found shot and robbed somewhere along the Snake River, and was buried by the road. His wife, Ester, died at age 93-11-0 in Placerville, CA, in 1915.