McMullen - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Members of the McMullen family celebrated their fourth annual reunion at the Crawfordsville fair grounds on Saturday, September 19, 1908. The morning was spent in handshaking and renewing relationship, after which a sumptuous dinner was served. The afternoon session was called to order by the President, J.E. McMullen. W.J. Miles gave an interesting talk on the McMullen ancestors, after which there was music and recitations. In all, about one hundred and thirty people were present. The old officers were re-elected for the year as follows: President - J.E. McMullen; Secretary-treasurer - Mattie Johnson. The reunion committee consisted of J.F. Allen, William McMullen, Henry Brown, Henry Douglass, Mrs. Ed Conner, and Miss Hattie McMullen. The reunion will be held at the same time and place next year, the date being the third Saturday in September. James McMullen and Martha Vancleave are the ancestors of the McMullens in this county. James McMullen was born in Shelby County, Kentucky, April 12, 1792. Martha Vancleave was born in Shelby County, Kentucky, November 28, 1796. They were married October 3, 1811. To this union were born fourteen children. Anna, Emily, John, Benjamin, Joseph, William, Lindsey, Jane and Madison were all born in Kentucky, while Jefferson, Edward, Francis, Lemuel, and Sarah were born in Indiana the parents having moved to Indiana in 1829. They settled near New Market. All the children lived to be married except Madison, who was a soldier in the Mexican war. He was taken sick and sent home. He reached Indianapolis and died there. In those days there were no railroads and no way of traveling except in a wagon. William served in the civil war two years, leaving his wife and family to go and fight for his country. He was taken sick and sent home. James William McMullen, son of John McMullen, enlisted and served through the civil war. James and Martha McMullen were the parents and grandparents of four hundred and sixty children, including the children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. Anna and Jesse Vancleave's family and Emily and Benjamin Brown's families mark the sixth generation. LeRoy Armentrout, son of Mrs. Ethel Armentrout, is the only child living of the sixth generation. Mrs. Ed Lawrence is the grandmother of this son. Mrs. Mary Hardesty, great granddaughter of Mrs. Sarah Rush and daughter of Mrs. Ivy Fruits, was the mother of one child which marked the sixth generation. James McMullen died September 29, 1846, and Martha McMullen, his wife, departed this life March 1, 1864. The children have passed away one by one across the river of death, until all have gone except two, Jefferson McMullen of Kansas and Francis McMullen of Indiana. Francis McMullen was the only one present at the reunion Saturday. He was the twelfth child and will be 74 years old October 12 of this year. The committee has planned and had a beautiful family tree drawn bearing the names of each and every member of the different families. This family tree or record was drawn by J.A. Parks, and is a record that can be handed down from generation to generation in years to come.