Save the Date for the Next Reunion

The next Reunion will be Sunday, July 17, 2016 at the Sabino's home in New Albany.

Baker/Kennedy 2015 Reunion

               About 25 people attended the Baker/Kennedy Family Reunion July 19, 2015. Guests came from Colorado, Atlanta, Georgia, Illinois, Athens, Ohio, Ashtabula County, Ohio and Central Ohio. The family met at Charles and Charlotte Sabino’s home in New Albany. Special Kennedy family guests were invited this year also. All enjoyed a wonderful meal on the outside patio. The rain held off until the end of the reunion. Members gathered and told fond memories and stories of past family members.

                Some favorite memories were of Vernon Baker and his wife Sadie. They lived in Marion in later life and his grandchildren remembered going to the house and always felling welcome. He would make bacon and large pancakes for breakfast and serve them with orange drink. Vernon worked for the railroad all his life and only came back to Marion occasionally. He would bring boxes of fruit and bananas when he came, a new treat. Sadie and the boys lived and worked on the farm when Vernie was gone. They remembered being on the farm and having reunions  when the apple orchard was ready for harvest in the fall.

             Descendants of Thomas and Rose Baker shared that Rose Schell Baker was raised by William Kerr and Mary Lance Kennedy. The story passed down was that this is how Thomas and Rose met, when she was being raised by his grandparents. Rose’s parents were divorced and the children were given to others to raise. Documents were found this year that Rose attended the one room school, Maple Grove, the closest school to the Kennedy farm.

                Sandra Kalas updated us on genealogy and the efforts of Dwight Kennedy who recently joined the Kennedy/Baker family research. They have found the Kennedy’s came from Scotland and possibly are connected to the Culzean Castle in Ary, Scotland. Several members are the family are still researching this and will be traveling to Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania for more evidence. Sandra shared a story of her research in Crawford County. She has stopped at the document center to request a copy of Lydia Baker’s will. The clerk looked in disbelief because women at that time never were allowed to file a will. Lydia’s actual will was found in the records and this meant that Lydia was an important person to have been able to file a will. Sandra also discussed the quilt that Beulah Baker finished for her and how she cherished the quilt.

Several others members discussed memories of their childhood and of great family memories.

               The group decided to meet again next year on the 3^rd Sunday of July 2016. This will be July 17, 2016. Charlotte offered to host the gathering at her home next year again and would send invitations in the spring. Sharon is posting the day on the Baker Family website.