PRINCE-L REUNION
SEPT. 30, OCT. 1-2, 2005
CHATTANOOGA, TN
The PRINCE genealogy mailing list hosted by rootsweb, first came online in 1997. Over the years the membership has grown, with some leaving and new members arriving. We have become cyber-friends and even cousins, as all members contributed their information on the various PRINCE families around the world. We have members in the United States, Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and have been joined occasionally by PRINCES from Mexico and South Africa.
Late in 2004, a suggestion was made perhaps we should try to get together for a reunion, where we could meet the people that have become our friends and cousins. Early in 2005, we began working toward this.
Discussions and voting led to the reunion taking place in Chattanooga, TN, on Sept. 30, Oct. 1-2, 2005. Our liaison (and host) was Phil Prince, who happens to live in Chattanooga, knows where everything is, where to get that good "Southern cookin' ", and all around great help in putting the final touches together, with an assist from the List "mom", Ethel Taylor.
Planning went great, but Mother Nature decided to take a hand in the affair and cast two hurricanes, Rita and Katrina, into the mix. Some of our members that planned to come, had family in the areas hit, so, of course, family came first. After all, family is what genealogy is all about. Other members had health problems develop. But, we were a persistent bunch and had the reunion anyway!!
Friday, Sept. 30, was arrival day. Members flew or drove in. Most stayed at the Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel, which generously gave us the meeting room for only a small clean up fee. Others stayed at the Holiday Travel Park Campground, about a mile away.
Saturday morning at 10:00, everyone met at the Howard Johnson. There was coffee, tea, sodas, juice and pastry. From 10:00 to 11:30 was the "meet and greet" session, as members became acquainted and talked about research and families.
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About 11:30, we broke for lunch. Phil and Paul guided us to Wally's, short distance away, where they had a marvelous buffet of good Southern food!
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Then about 1:00, back to Howard Johnson's. Paul Vance gave a great talk on land descriptions. He described and showed how to locate your ancestor's lands using the current measuring systems in use of Township, Range and Section. He discussed the principle meridians used in the states as a starting point for ranges east and west. For instance, the Principle Meridian of OK is the Indian Meridian. It is an invisible line that runs north and south basically through the center of Oklahoma City. From that line the ranges are marked east and west. The townships run north and south. Each township consisted of 6 miles square, (six miles on each side) containing 36 sections of one mile square, containing 640 acres. This can then be reduced further into 1/2, 1/4, and smaller.
Phil gave a good interpretation of our DNA Project DNA Project, explaining how it is related to searching our family lines.
Ethel told of how to research Indian Heritage and the various records and locations on the Native Americans that are available to research.
We finished a little after 5:00, took a short break, and met back at the Howard Johnson at 6:00 for dinner. Car pooling, we followed Phil and Paul again, somewhere off across Chattanooga to Hamilton Place Mall, where we had another great buffet at Golden Corral. The only thing about these buffets, there are so many tempting foods, you could eat all night and gain 40 lbs!!!. And boy, can those Chattanoogans drive! Of course, we were in "race car country!"
Sunday Morning about 11:00, we gathered again at Wally's for their breakfast buffet.
Then we were off to visit Chickamauga Battlefield. First stop was the museum, where we made a stop at the book store. Then the fabulous gun collection that is housed there. We attended the docudrama about the Battle of Chickamauga, which was very well done and extremely enlightening. It was presented from the view points of both a Union and Confederate soldier.
Several cannons greet people as they come up the walks. This one is a 6 inch Napoleon. There are also 3" cannons and Parrot Rifle cannons. Barrels of the Parrots are rifled inside, much the same way modern rifles are.
More reunion are photos are HERE
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The list conspired to give our PRINCE "guru", Ron Prince, a token of how much we had appreciated all his help over the years with all the Prince lines. This conspiracy, of course, was known by all members......except our Ron!!
Phil arranged for a beautiful plaque for the gift. The black plaque with gold letters is mounted on beautiful rosewood. The plan was to present it to him at Saturday's meeting. Then, of course, Mother Nature sent in Katrina and Rita to mess things up, so Ron and Barbara were unable to attend. So, we opted to send it by mail. And it was still a good surprise!
The plaque reads:
THE MEMBERS OF THE PRINCE-LIST AT ROOTSWEB,
IN RECOGNITION OF
YOUR MANY YEARS OF RESEARCH AND THE KNOWLEDGE YOU HAVE SHARED WITH US ALL,
DO HEREBY PRESENT TO RON PRINCE THIS TOKEN OF OUR APPRECIATION AND AFFECTION.
OCTOBER 1, 2005
CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE
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It was the general thought that this reunion should be tried again next year. So that will be a later discussion. A great time was had by all. Wish everyone could have been there, but we will try again. Other members that have photos they would like posted, just send them to bandony@yahoo.com and I will put them up.