Stokes Family, Stokes Family Obituaries

First Stokes Reunion, September, 1898
at residence of George E. Riley near Ridgeville, Warren County, Ohio

FIRST STOKES REUNION SEPT. 1898 Warren Co., Ohio near Ridgeville
Report written by Secretary William Worth Stokes of Dayton

"The morning hours were profitably spent in renewing acquaintances recalling olden times and general conversation. About 64 relatives were present. Those coming the furtherest distances were the Rockfields from Chattanooga, Tn., the Lucas' from Tere Haute, Indiana, James Middleton and Maria Stokes from Jacksonborough in Butler Co., Ohio, and Worth and Alice Stokes from Dayton, Ohio.

At the noon hour the fair ladies of the different branches of the family had spread under the trees the good of the land in epicurian form on parallel tables to which all were invited to partake, which invitation was freely and unanimously responded to at the capitulation of the last slice of bread.

William Worth Stokes arose and suggested the propriety of organizing a permanent Reunion and called upon James Middleton Stokes to act as Chairman with a view of such organization. James age 3 of the Samuel Stokes Family line accepted and spoke eloquently and with feeling.

After  a short recess, a permanent organization was effected by the election of James M. STokes for Pres., William Worth Stokes for Secretary, B. Frank Stokes for Vice-Pres., and Horace Benjamin Stokes for treasurer. They selected an Executive Committee composed of Jeff F. Stokes, Stella Stokes Frost, Lafayette Graham, Benjamin F. Stokes, and Myrtle Wills (all of Warren Co. Ohio).

They voted to hold the annual meeting on the last Saturday of Sept. of each year. They passed a motion that at the next meeting, a historical sketch of the Stokes from the Rancocas Creek, Burlington Co., New Jersey, be given by William Worth Stokes.

Benjamin A. Stokes, age 86, electrified those in attendance by agreeing to pay all necessary expenses of the organization for its next meeting (it turned out to be $30.10)."

The oldest members at the Reunion were: B. A. Stokes age 86, James Middleton Stokes age 83, Maria (Cox) Stokes age 81, widow Susanna (Throckmorton) Stokes age 70, William S. Wills age 69, Martin L. Rockfield age 65, Adaline (Stokes) Rockfield age 54, Alfred B. Ivins age 62, and Euphrasia (Graham) Ivins age 60.

There were quite a variety of the Stokes families present. The following numbers indicate how many of each Stokes family were represented:
Benjamin A. Stokes Family 19 members
William Hatcher Stokes Family 7 members
Samuel Stokes family 2 members
Granville Woolman Stokes family 6 members
Jarvis Stokes family 2 members
Caroline (Stokes) Graham family 17 members
Hannah (Stokes) Simonton family 1 member
Unity (Stokes) Wills family 6 members

Related surnames present were: Stokes, Wills, Eulass, Rockfield, Tibbals, Riley, Ivins, Lucas, Earnhart, Graham, Frost, Smith, Simonton, Rogers, Silver, and Drake

Stokes Annual Family Reunions were still being held in 1929 (31 years later)

Second Annual Stokes Family Reunion, September 30, 1899
home of Benjamin A. Stokes Homestead, Ridgeville, Warren County, Ohio
77 relatives present.