Ernst August Brueggeman brought a Deposit Journal to the 5th reunion. He was the first to sign in to the reunion that year, or ever. He wrote his name, birthdate and address. A total of 82 people signed the book, most for themselves, but some for their children. For 95 years we've followed their lead (though we no longer sign our birthdates, we've added the clan, phone numbers, email addresses.
When I was a child, one of my favorite things about the reunion was that book, which my family always called "the Big Book," because, well, it's BIG. I felt so grown when I wrote my own name in the book. I loved looking back at other years to see who was there.
Now that I am secretary for our family, I get to REALLY study the big book. I've wanted to get the pages on ancestry and have a spreadsheet of all who have signed our book. I started yesterday. The 5th reunion covered 2 1/2 pages. The third page also had notes on the meeting. I took photos of each page and uploaded them to Ernst August's gallery on ancestry, tagging each person on the page. I started a spreadsheet and have the name and birthdate in alphabetical order (I didn't add addresses, which I may regret later).
Seven of the nine original branches were represented. As I type this, the very last name entered, Eugene Victor Brueggeman, is still with us. He is the only cousin still with us who attended that reunion.
As I was typing in the names, I couldn't help but be struck by who signed with whom, the birthdates, and which ones wrote for their families rather than having each sign their own names. Clearly, a 2 year old wouldn't write their own names. I don't see my grandmother's name, but my grandfather was there with three of his children. His name and my aunt Lois' name (she would have been the youngest at the time) are in the same handwriting as Emma Louise. My grandfather and aunt don't have their birthdates or addresses, so I'm assuming ing Emma signed them in.Two pages later, my uncle Eddie and Aunt Margie are signed in, with Uncle Eddie's birthdate (no year, just the city and state for the address and Aunt Margie's birthdate and address blank. They are in the same handwriting, which matches Emma's on the other page. The only other names on that page are Rudolph Brueggemann, his wife Ruth, and their two boys: Clifford and Eugene. Those are in the same penmanship as the meeting notes, signed by R.F. Brueggemann (I assume Rudolph).
Throughout the pages, there are some immediate family signing together, and cousins, etc who were signing together. I can only assume it was much like our current reunions. . . you see a cousin, talk to them and sign the book. Names were added because, well, we get distracted and we knew they were there. You write all the information you can for you brother, your nieces, your parents. . . but the bulk of your time is not making sure paperwork is done, it's enjoying relatives you don't see nearly often enough.
No one came from Sophie or Martin's line. That makes sense, though, because Sophie's family would have been in Pensacola while Martin's family was in Memphis. In 1928 it would be hard, on a pastor's salary, to bring your family to Ohio for a one day event.
As I find time, I'll be photographing, tagging and adding to my spreadsheet. I can't wait to see our family grown and change!
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