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This page is intended for use by all VT's! Do you have a special event you would like listed? - a birthday, wedding, anniversary, or a VT family reunion announcement? If you'd like, pass an e-mail address along with it and that person can receive some e-mail on their special day from their VT cousins!
Blue Mountain Arts Electronic Greeting Cards - If you'd like to build your own e-card greeting.
-By the way, there's been an idea put forth to convene a VT mega-reunion at some point in time. I think it'd be great, but we need enough interest (and some volunteers - hint, hint). Let me know your thoughts!
Hey, don't be shy! Ok, I'll start us off with a family reunion announcement from The (Bowling Green, Ohio) Daily Sentinel, Saturday Evening, August 17, 1895:
VAN TASSELL FAMILY,
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Annual Reunion at Tontogany
on August 16th.
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Interesting History of a Well Known
Family--An Excellent Program and
a Sumptuous Dinner Were Feat-
ures of the Occasion--Offi-
cers Elected--Report of
the Day's Doings.
------------
The thirteenth annual reunion of the Van Tassell family was held at Skinner's grove, Tontogany, Friday, August 16. It was a day long to be remembered by every one present. The weather was fine, though a little too tropical to be a strictly model product of old Prob.
Early in the day busy hands had brought every detail into shipshape for the pleasant entertainment of the company. Each train brought its share of guests, and by noon nearly a hundred persons were assembled in the beautiful grove ready to enter heartily into the day's festivities. The grove is one of the finest plots in the whole domain of grand old Wood county. The trees were planted over a quarter of a century ago by the hand of Roswell Skinner, one of the county's noblemen, who has an eye for beauty. This one act would stamp him as a public benefactor.
The Van Tassells are descendants of the Hollanders, who more than two centuries ago, settled upon the banks of the noble old Hudson river, where they were celebrated for feats of daring and bravery in the colonial spats that were a prominent feature of the times. They were hospitable, thrifty farmers and traders, and gave the stamp of progress upon the region that has been its marked feature to the present time. The Dutch housewives were celebrated for their skill in model housekeeping, and their dwellings fairly shone with brightness and good care. They were the sworn enemies of untidiness, and are to this day pointed to as models in the art of housekeeping. For 150 miles from the mouth of the great beautiful river its banks were dotted with quiet restful homes. Irving, with a masterly hand, has immortalized their achievements, and has brought out the comical as well as the more somber and substantial traits of their characters. The greater number of the descendants of these early settlers yet cling to their native heath, though some of them may be found in every part of the country.
The first representatives of the family settled in the valley of the Maumee about 1830 and played a very prominent part in the educational and religious development of the region. The first of the number to settle here were Luke and a brother, the Rev. Isaac Van Tassell. The former was the parent of the greater number of the family in this county. The latter came to the Maumee to take charge of the station established by the missionary society. The immediate descendants of Luke now living in the valley are Silas, Lyman, Leroy, Sidney, Luman and Reuben, Mrs. A. H. Plant and Mrs Anne Kuder. The missionary left no children. He met death by falling from his horse while returning from Gilead, now Grand Rapids, about 1845, where he had been to preach. His dust now reposes in the old cemetery, Bowling Green, the resting place marked by a plain marble slab, bearing the inscription, " Rev. Isaac Van Tassell, State Missionary to the Ottawa Indians."
Isaac Van Tassell, jr., represented another branch of the family. He came to the station as a school teacher about 1830, then being a young man about 20 years of age. His descendants are Emerson H., Isaac N., Charles S., Mrs Robert Dunn and Mrs J. P. Barton. The society here is composed of the descendants of Luke and Isaac Van Tassell, jr., with all other members of the family within reach or who may be able to attend these reunions.
The meeting Friday was one of the most pleasant of the thirteen held. The following program was carried out in the main:
9:00 a. m. -- Meet at grounds.
Called to order by President L. T. Van Tassell.
Welcome Address by S. B. Van Tassel
Response by Rev. J. C. Carns.
Dinner
1:30 p. m. --Called to order by President.
Report of Committees and Officers.
Talk by I. N. Van Tassell
Social good time is general.
Short speeches
Election of Officers.
Adjournment.
A sumptuous dinner was served upon a 50' table that fairly groaned with good things, demonstrating the fact that the descendants of the noble housewives of yore had not lost the precious art of skillful cookery.
Social good cheer prevailed throughout the day, and many new faces were welcomed into the happy circle. Too much credit--cannot be given the various committees for their splendid work and thorough attention to every detail to have all well cared for and handsomely entertained. Thanks are also due to Mr. Skinner for the kindness he showed in opening his beautiful grove for the grateful company.
After dinner officers for the coming year were selected as follows:
President - Silas Van Tassell
Vice President - L. T. Van Tassell
Secretary - I. N. Van Tassell
Treasurer - Leroy Van Tassell
Committees of Arrangements--H. F. Gill, L. R. Van Tassel--John Croll, Reuben
Van Tassell, W. W. Harriman, J. F. McWilliams, Effie Harriman, Bertha Van Tassell.
Reception Committee--Mrs. Florence Gill, Mrs. Jennie Van Tassell, Mrs Kate Harmon, Mrs. L. T. Van Tassell, Miss Stella Niles, Genevra Van Tassell, Will Van Tassell.
Table Committee--Bertha Van Tassel, Ettie Barns, Myrtie Croll, Laura Van Tassell, H. P. Gill, Arthur Van Tassell.
President L. T. Van Tassell did his work nobly and made a model officer.
Among the new members added to the society were Mrs. H. M. Van Tassell Niles, of Clyde, whose people settled at Tarrytown in an early day.
Mrs. Anne Kuder came all the way from Florida to be present, arriving on the 3 p. m. train. All were delighted to see her.
After the election of officers, Secretary I. N. Van Tassell gave a brief address, followed by Rev. Carns. Both speeches were well received.
After a royal day's recreation all returned to their homes, taking with them the one thought that it was one of the pleasantest days of their lives.
Events at George Van Tassel's Integratron
Events in the Historic Hudson Valley
Folks, help me fill in the 2005 calendar! Any VT reunions, etc. out there? (If it's past, give us a short recap of the event).
January:
February:
March:
April:
May:
June:
July:
August:
September:
October:
November:
December:
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