Huntley Reunions—The 1980s

The host’s ancestors, Bernard Chauncey Huntley and his wife Bessie, came to San Bernardino in 1906, the year of the San Francisco earthquake and fire. Bernard’s great-grandfather, Asher Huntley, began the westward migration of the family in 1804 when he moved from Lyme, CT to Canandaigua, New York. His son, Asher, Jr., moved to Ohio in 1838. The next generation, Asher, Jr.’s son Chauncey Elizur, taught school in Ohio. His son, Bernard, was also teaching school in Ohio when, in 1881, his doctor advised him to move to California for his health.

This was the Huntley’s first trip to Colorado for a reunion, and the first time a reunion had been held on a college campus. The host’s grandfather, William S. Huntley, served in the Civil War, Illinois Infantry of the Union Army from 1861-1863 and was wounded in the neck during the Battle of Corinth, MS in 1863. When William S.’s daughter, Mary, contracted TB, her mother Lucy, brother Fred, and sister Fannie moved with her to Colorado in 1907 for her health. Mary had an infant son, Ellsworth, and when she died soon after the move to Colorado, Fannie adopted the infant boy.

This reunion was held in a stronghold of the Confederate Army of Tennessee. Tullahoma was the headquarters of General Braxton Bragg during the first half of 1863, with troops camped from McMinnville on the east to Shelbyville on the west. Hostess Angela Arnold owns and operates a bookstore of old and antique books in town, with a particular interest in that period of history, and relates that some local residents have still not surrendered to the Union Army.

A group of reunion go-ers went to the top of the Washington Monument at midnight to enjoy the lights of our Nation’s Capitol.

Here is an excerpt from an interview with Edith about her mother, Alice Parker, conducted by then Historian, Herb Hartman.

“For my family, it all began back in the early 40’s with needle-point chair seats. My mother, Alice, decided the Huntley coat-of-arms would be lovely in stitchery. She researched the coat-of-arms all right, but in the process discovered there was no published book of the Huntley family history. We never saw the needlepoint chair covers. Mother launched into a new project—researching the geneology of the Huntley family.

“As her work progressed, she began to correspond with Ivy Horn, in Virginia, and a Royce Huntley in NewYork.... This Royce Huntley began to write about an idea he had, to start a national association of Huntleys. Eventually, his idea bore fruit and the first reunion was held in Old Lyme, Connecticut in 1947. My mother and father, (Robert E. Huntley, of Silver Spring, MD) were there. Father succeeded Royce as President of the new Association in 1949. Mother continued her research and eventually published her work in the journal of the New England Historical and Geneological Society....”

This reunion actually took place both in Heritage USA near Ft. Mill,South Carolina. The Carolina Huntleys trace their lineage to Thomas Huntley, Sr.(1745-1802) and Zilphia(Sarah) Meadows Huntley(1747-1812) who came to North Caroline from Virginia. Thomas and his eldest son Robert S., served in the Revolutionary War. Later on, Carolina Huntleys fought for the Confederacy in the War Between the States. Another famous Huntley, James R.(1916-1985), was chosen to build a scale model of the famous Wright Bi-plane, which made the historic first flight in 1903 at Kitty Hawk, NC. It was used a the centerpiece of the North Carolina Exhibit at the World’s Fair in New York in 1939.

This reunion took place in the beautiful Black Hills. A group of reunion go-ers visited Deadwood, and the graves of Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickock, and viewed beautiful Mt. Rushmore at night. Neil Hall and his wife entertained by dancing a polka!

An excerpt from The Historian’s Report, by then Historian, Myra Hall Mitchell:

This reunion, in the beautiful Rocky Mountains, was held in a YMCA camp. Reunion go-ers stayed in a dormitory—with a spectacular view of the mountains. Many recreation activities were available, from horseback riding to river rafting.

Many reunions have been hosted by descendants of Henry Huntley(1811-1872) and Eliza Ann Brown (1811-1872) which includes the Huntley/Allen line. At this reunion, buffalo meat was served for dinner! Evelyn Simon won a bottle of non-alcoholic wine because her birthday fell closest to the reunion dates.