Huntley Reunions—The 1970s

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.

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.

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).

For the first time ever, Huntleys travelled wst 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 modelling 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.

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 ato 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!

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.