Family reunion turns 100
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MINERAL RIDGE -- While everyone didn't share the same last name at the 100th Keeling Family Reunion on Saturday, they were still connected through a bloodline that began centuries ago.
The event brought together more than 60 attendees from various locales in Ohio and some who traveled from Florida, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.
"There were family members I haven't seen in a long time," said Greg Keeling of Mineral Ridge. "My brothers and I were really interested in making sure we got to 100. We made sure that between me and my siblings and my niece and nephew that we were going to continue doing this until it got to 100.
"The conversation right now is whether or not to continue because it is a burden for whoever takes it on. It can be a pain, and it’s a hot day and so on, but it was important to get to 100 because it’s a milestone. We had to get there. We were going to do whatever it took to do it and everybody kicked in."
Those at the reunion enjoyed dozens of homemade dishes that included eggplant lasagna, penne pasta, pierogies, meatballs, sausage with peppers and onions, summer corn salad, fruit salad as well as desserts, and continued tradition by playing the classic outdoor games Water Balloon Toss and Pass the Water.
Traveling three-and-a-half hours from State College, Pa., Karen Zwigart felt it was worth it just to "see all of my cousins and thinking about all the fun we had at our grandparents."
She noted that Saturday's reunion reminded her of the ones during her childhood.
"I often wondered how grandma could stand all of us. We had 35 first cousins," Zwigart said.
Rich Keeling of Warren continued those thoughts of the past.
"We used to have a hundred-plus people come to our reunion," he said.
He recalled that as a child, the reunions took place in a barn in Canfield.
"In the upstairs, there was a dance floor. So, all the kids would go upstairs and run around and play and have a good time," Rich Keeling said.
The number of attendees may be smaller now but the enthusiasm for getting together remains the same as well as keeping the family history alive. A large tri-fold board contained old photos and a square-shaped banner emblazoned with a tree and the words "Family Roots Run Deep, Our Love Runs Deeper, Family Reunion," displayed photos of ancestors and notecards listing families named Keeling and other surnames.
A separate binder related the family's history, which goes back to 1739 in Snelston, Derbyshire, England. When work in the steel mills declined, several Keelings traveled across the Atlantic and settled in Niles, where they got factory jobs.
Those present on Saturday use Henry "Harry" Keeling (1889-1954) as the main source of their family tree.
For the second year, Krista Mannion organized and hosted the event. Previously, her dad, Brian, did that when the reunion was at Geneva-On-the-Lake. With his passing, as well as his brothers, George and Greg, she took over and hosted it at her home.
"Last year was a bit much because it was the first year and I didn’t know what to expect. It’s hard to get a head count for something like this. You have people from all over. Some can make it, some get sick. It was stressful at first, but I think doing it last year prepared me for this year. And this year was a breeze. We knew where everything had to go. We knew who to get everything off of. Thankfully, we know a lot of people. Cousins have a tent. Other friends have chairs. You just come together and make it happen," Mannion said.
While the Keeling clan celebrated a century of reunions, a family meeting left the possibility of the 101st gathering uncertain. Still, while the initial feeling was "maybe," the passing of time will more than likely rekindle the desire to be together once again.