The Searles family, distant cousins on my paternal grandmother's side, have been having these reunions since 1900. This was the 115th Annual. I attended the 100th annual in 2000 but that one was interrupted by the tornado sirens going off. This time I was prepared with my laptop and a scanner to capture their photographs.

There were only about 40 people at this reunion. The 100th one apparently was a big attraction, bringing out about 70 - 75 people. Only a few real old photos on display worth scanning. But I got them.

I was absolutely amazed that two people remembered me being at the 100th. Both remembered me because of genealogy. At the 100th I had brought a large poster with the family tree on it. One lady remembered me for that and said she had copied that idea to make her own poster. Another lady had taken over as the family historian and remembered me from that aspect.

I also brought along the Searls family history book that I had publshed in early 2000. Several people went through it. One guy would point to a name then point to a person that was either that person or was descended from the one in the book. He also talked quite a bit about military heroes upon learning that I have an interest in history.

The reunion was in Lorain county. All of the family members there are mostly descended from bothers William or Solomon whereas I am descended from their brother Gilbert. So that makes many at the reunion my fourth cousins (or third once removed). One guy came up to me as I was getting ready to leave saying he wanted the link to my family tree website.

The GPS was really having issues today. I was surprised at how many Amish are in Lorain county. Those horse-driven buggies are really dangerous on the highways with fast moving cars. Pop over a hill and come upon one of them and........oops! There also were many farm animals all around. they belong to the Amish.aybe