Growing up, I had lots of cousins - at least on my dad's side. My Springer cousins had two chances each year to get together. My grandparents, Aubrey and Minnie (Ramer) Springer had a reunion for their children and descendants in June every year. Often it was on Sunday, after church, or the Saturday of Father's Day weekend, and it rotated between my dad and his siblings, as to who would host it each year. The host was responsible for choosing a site, notifying everyone and furnishing paper goods, drinks, tables and chairs. Sometimes, we met in a city park, sometimes at someone's home - in the back yard. Other times we met at a Community Center, or church. But, it was always fun, especially since there were lots of cousins near my age and my sister's age. My sister and I were near the end of our generation, being the youngest grandchildren of our grandparents. But the next generation, our first cousins once removed, were right behind us, and there were a bunch of them! Here is one such gathering about 1958.
These cousins met together until 2010. After our last aunt and uncle passed away in 2011, we stopped gathering. Of course, by that time there were several more generations, but they were never as close as we were in the "old days"!
The other opportunity where we got together with Springer cousins - the ones I already mentioned and a whole lot more - was Labor Day weekend. This gathering was the descendants of Aubrey's grandfather and grandmother, Robert and Elizabeth Jane (Kelly) Springer. It was a huge gathering and there were even more "cousins" to play with! Most of the time, we didn't understand how they were related to us, but if they were about our age, it didn't really matter!
For many years we met at the Midlothian Community Center in Midlothian, Ellis County, Texas. These families had lived in Ellis County when they first moved to Texas from Lawrence County, Tennessee in the late 1800's. Here is one of those gatherings from about 1961.
That's me on the far left in the white shirt sitting on the ground in front, legs crossed.
Spending time with these cousins was always a fun time and there was always a LOT of great food to share. Many of the older Springers lived on farms for many years and brought items they had grown themselves. There is nothing like that!!
My mom was an only child, so we had No first cousins on her side. And, her dad had only 1 brother, and he had only 1 son. They did not live close by and the two brothers were not really very close, so there really was not a chance to get to know that side of the family. We did spend some time with my mom's mother's side of the family, but only 1 first cousin of my mom's, Edith, had children anywhere near our ages. And they were closer in age to my older brothers.
There was one other family we visited a few times that we really had fun with and they were actually 2nd cousins, once removed. They were the Chappells. Here is a photo from one of those visits in 1963.
That's me on the front left and my "cousin", Glen on my left. He was about 2 years older than me. Glen's grandfather, Bob Pitts, was the brother of my great grandmother, Maggie Pitts Clark. So, that makes Glen's mother, Mary Ruth Pitts Chappell and my grandfather, Elmer Clark's first cousins. One year, our families spent a week together camping out at Beaver's Bend State Park in Oklahoma! It was great fun!
I hope you have some great memories of cousins that you remember. And, I encourage you to share those stories with the ones you love!
'Til Next Time!
#52Ancestors
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| Uncle Ramer's family - 1958, our house, Personal Collection |
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| Aunt Janella's family - 1958, our house, Personal Collection |
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| Cousins, aunts and uncles - 1958, our house, Personal Collection |
These cousins met together until 2010. After our last aunt and uncle passed away in 2011, we stopped gathering. Of course, by that time there were several more generations, but they were never as close as we were in the "old days"!
The other opportunity where we got together with Springer cousins - the ones I already mentioned and a whole lot more - was Labor Day weekend. This gathering was the descendants of Aubrey's grandfather and grandmother, Robert and Elizabeth Jane (Kelly) Springer. It was a huge gathering and there were even more "cousins" to play with! Most of the time, we didn't understand how they were related to us, but if they were about our age, it didn't really matter!
For many years we met at the Midlothian Community Center in Midlothian, Ellis County, Texas. These families had lived in Ellis County when they first moved to Texas from Lawrence County, Tennessee in the late 1800's. Here is one of those gatherings from about 1961.
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| Robert Springer Reunion, Midlothian, Ellis Co., TX about 1961. Personal Collection |
That's me on the far left in the white shirt sitting on the ground in front, legs crossed.
Spending time with these cousins was always a fun time and there was always a LOT of great food to share. Many of the older Springers lived on farms for many years and brought items they had grown themselves. There is nothing like that!!
My mom was an only child, so we had No first cousins on her side. And, her dad had only 1 brother, and he had only 1 son. They did not live close by and the two brothers were not really very close, so there really was not a chance to get to know that side of the family. We did spend some time with my mom's mother's side of the family, but only 1 first cousin of my mom's, Edith, had children anywhere near our ages. And they were closer in age to my older brothers.
There was one other family we visited a few times that we really had fun with and they were actually 2nd cousins, once removed. They were the Chappells. Here is a photo from one of those visits in 1963.
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| Springers, Elmer Clark and the Chappells, 1963 Personal Collection |
That's me on the front left and my "cousin", Glen on my left. He was about 2 years older than me. Glen's grandfather, Bob Pitts, was the brother of my great grandmother, Maggie Pitts Clark. So, that makes Glen's mother, Mary Ruth Pitts Chappell and my grandfather, Elmer Clark's first cousins. One year, our families spent a week together camping out at Beaver's Bend State Park in Oklahoma! It was great fun!
I hope you have some great memories of cousins that you remember. And, I encourage you to share those stories with the ones you love!
'Til Next Time!
#52Ancestors
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