A reunion of an Appling pioneer family was that of the O'Quinns, descendants of Silas O'Quinn at Friendship Baptist Church, Saturday July 24, the annual reunion day of the O'Quinns.

The family formed the O'Quinn Memorial Association a decade and a half ago and have met every year together.

The association is composed of the descendants of Silas O'Quinn who was born in 1762, and was one of the pioneer settlers of this section of Georgia, even before Appling County was formed in 1818.

Silas O'Quinn died in 1858 at the age of ninety-seven years, having spent the majority of his life in the section of his adoption. He was a leader of the Baptist faith in his section and was one of the founders of the Baptist church near the spot where his descendants gather each year. He was influential in establishing the Baptist faith in Appling county and his descendants number nearly a thousand his grandsons who are travelling the western side of _____were in the large assembly of O'Quinns attending this very unusual annual associational meeting of the Appling county O'Quinns.

Among the grand-children of Silas O'Quinn, children of Jackson O'Quinn were S. A. O'Quinn, Mrs Mary YOumans, A. H. O'Quinn, S. P. O'Quinn, Mrs. Nancy Surrency, Elias O'Quinn Dent, W. J. O'Quinn, Dr. J. H. O'Quinn. Several hundred grandchildren, Great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren, and great-great-great-grandchildren gathered in family reunion to discuss family tradition, ideals and characteristics and to commemorate the anniversary of a forebear who had left the heritage of an exemplary life that is being perpetuated in generations and generations, of people, of pioneer spirit.

A great dinner was spread and the families broke bread together and feasted on the good things largely produced in the soil of Appling County. Barrels of lemonade refreshed the gathering throughout the day.

The two Alex O'Quinns who are well known in this county, were present at the reunion, and enjoy the distinction of having held respectfully for twenty years since the beginning of the organization, the offices of president and secretary of the association.

Baxley News Banner 29 July 1926

Submitted by Shraon Broward Davis