Booher - 1900 - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

The Booher Family Reunion A big reunion of the Booher family was held yesterday at the Lutheran church, four miles east of Darlington. In 1832 John and Jacob Booher and forty others came overland from Tennessee and settled in this state, and of this number ten of the original party were present yesterday and had their photographs taken. Jacob Booher has 713 descendants and the other side of the family has something more than that number, and of the relationship about three hundred yesterday participated in the reunion. Enough dinner was spread to feed a regiment and it was of the fat of the land, everything imaginable good to eat being spread at the feast. There were speeches by a number of those present and Rev. Vail offered prayer before the exercises began. A. H. Booher, was elected president of the reunion association, and Val Riggin secretary, and another reunion will be held next year at the same time and place. A number of visiting relations were present and taken all in all it was an occasion that will live long in the memory of those present for its many pleasant features and the old friendships renewed, Before the meeting adjourned a group picture was taken of the gathering. - kz

Darlington Items -- Almost with the formation of Franklin township came the Boohers from Tennessee. They came single and in pairs for years when we wanted to impress a number on the mind of any ode we referred to it as equal to the Boohers around Darlington. Coming as they did in an early day the older ones were unlearned in book that honestly of purpose and the moral courage to stand by it that today we look back and can safely say the Boohers were among our best citizens. On Wednesday they held their first reunion at the Lutheran church, east of town. Eleven of the original Tennesseans were left and took part in the exercises of the day with some of their connection. The day, aside from the excessive heat, was all that could be wished for, and many were the greetings as friend met friend that they had not seen for years. The day was spent in a social way. A few interesting reminiscences were given by the older ones, and perhaps the most interesting was from Grandpa Ben, of Lebanon, as he so graphically described the trip from Tennessee consisting of some thirty people, five teams, a few cows and full assortments of dogs. He said he could yet today call the name of each person, horse, cow, and dog that made the trip. The day's festivities were so pleasant that officers were elected and these Booher reunions will occur yearly and we trust all that were there at the first reunion may live to attend many more such. B.S. martin went out in the evening and photographed the original eleven and then the original three hundred. While the majority of this large family have spent their lives on the farm, some fifty of them now reside in Darlington and we have room for more. - kz