Wow! What a great day Saturday! I am still reeling from this weekend’s events.

The Barmes Family Reunion to celebrate 171 years in America was held Saturday, August 6, 2005, in Hope, Indiana where the family originally settled.

From all I can gather, we had the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th generations of Barmes family gathered. That is impressive for the first reunion.

The children of Jesse Barmes held reunions in the 1950’s and 1960’s, the last held in 1962 – but it did not extend to other lines.

THE SERVICE
Rev. Terry Krauss of the Hope Moravian Church led the family in a brief service of Thanksgiving. Rev. Krauss compared the journey of John Philip & Mary Margaret, and their family, to that of Abraham & Sarah. I am attaching the words he spoke about the Barmes family’s journey from Bavaria to Hope, Indiana. Rev. Krauss stated that he hoped in another 171 years, the following generations would be gathered to celebrate what we did, as well as John Philip & Mary Margaret.

THE GRAVESITES
The family gathered around the grave of John Philip Barmes and Norma Barmes Abbott, by luck of being the eldest Barmes in attendance, laid a bouquet of flowers on John Philip’s headstone. I believe this was the most touching moment for me – approximately 80 people – the descendants of John Philip Barmes gathered around his grave, holding hands. Rev. Krauss asked that we join hands and create a circle around JPBarmes’ grave and he provided a moving prayer of thanksgiving. Virginia Houser (granddaughter of Elsie Barmes) and Emerson Barmes, Jr. laid flowers on the graves of Frederick Barmes and Jesse Barmes.

THE REUNION
OK – the Barmes family can COOK! If anyone left hungry, it was not for lack of food prepared for this reunion. With over 80 individuals eating there was still a ton of food remaining! Emerson Barmes, Jr. offered grace prior to the meal. I hope every one was listening to his words, as they were so appropriate and so moving. He is right – though we came from different lines of Barmes lineage, that day, we were all one family.


Mary & Max Barmes brought items with the signature of Clint Barmes, a relative who plays for the Colorado Rockies, to be auctioned off. Those gathered voted that we should hold the Barmes reunions every other year – so the next one will be in 2007. To close the shelter house event, everyone gathered for a family photograph. I will send photos out once I have mine developed. A long line of cars drove south of town to visit the original Barmes farm where Mary Margaret Barmes planted her Bavarian forest.

I cannot help but think that all our family members – the ones we knew and the ones long before us – were celebrating right along with us, thankful that all the love they expressed for their own family is continuing. The circle is unbroken.