Hide Article Text (OCR)
Plank Road Pupil Descendants Gather for Sandstone ReunionBy LOIS McCLOSKEY T-M Staff MemberTIDIOUTE — Descendants of the first students attending Plank Road School in Watson Township gathered Sunday at Sandstone Springs for their annual picnic, with approximately 75 present.The first annual reunion, planned by the late Mrs. Amiel (Emma) Anderson and Tena Dye Boyette for students who had attended Plank Road School since its erection in 1875, was held at Sandstone with 98 returning for the get-together the first year. There were 198 the second year and over 200 the third year.SINCE the first secretary’s minutes have been lost, it is impossible to ascertain the exact year of the first gathering, and recollections of early at-tenders vary from a first picnic date of 1922 to 1935. However, a clipping from The Warren Times-Mirror dated 1938, states the first gathering was on Aug. 21, 1935.An Aug. 16, 1953, item states “80 persons arrived with well-filled baskets. Joe McCloskey, the oldest one present, gave a short talk about the present location. He stated a shingle mill formerly occupied the site, that he helped to take the logs from the grounds with a team of oxen, and that he had attended a picnic across the road in 1893 attended by the Mickelson, Mouris, Rapp, Arp. Snavley, McCain and Gillis families.”PERUSING the minutes of the last 10 years, 1954-1964, we find there were 72 births, 29 deaths and 23 weddings; with one or two exceptions, due to rain, the picnic has been held at Sandstone Springs, and the third Sunday in August has always been the meeting date.Mrs. Helen Hicks of NorthYounqsviileWarren, president, conducted a short business meeting following the usual bountiful basket picnic dinner. In the absence of the secretary-treasurer, Mrs. Ray Mickelson, Mrs. Ruth Bills-borough acted as secretary. She reported expenses of $9.05 for the picnic and a balance of $19.12 in the treasury.MRS. GORDON Spencer, Tidioute RD 1, displayed the new commemorative plates of Plank Road School, which bear the inscription, “Built 1875, Remodeled 1937, grades 7 and 8 to Warren schools in 1949, last 1-room school to be used in Warren Co. 1963.” The plates and hanger are available from her at a cost of $1.45 each.THE FOLLOWING births during the past year were announced and recorded: Malcolm and Llewellyn, to Clare and Malcolm Strachn; Peter, to Ann and Peter Lawrence; Clare and Ann, daughters of Llewellyn and Christine Anderson, Pittsburgh; Robert Glenn 2nd., to Robert and Caroline Miller, Russell; William James, to William and Donna Alberth, Cleveland, Ohio.Also Everett Martin, to Ellsworth and Esther Snavley Reynolds; Scott, to Henry Lee and Carol Hollabaugh; Christine Yvonne, to Henry and Marge Sullivan; a daughter to Sally and Ronald Rooney, Union City, and a daughter to Raymond and Jeanne McCloskey, Jamestown, N. Y.MARRIAGES during the year included: Elsie May Rapp to Bernard Spatifor (daughter of Ralph and Mabel Rapp); Nancy Ann King to William Zecken-dorf Jr., (daughter of George and Grace King); Winifred O’Meara to Barton Anderson, son of Emma Anderson; Gail Patricia Andrews to John A. McCloskey, son of J. Tracy McCloskey; Bette Jo Pitcavage to Roger Sheehan (daughter of the late Dorothy McCloskey Follett and John Follett). No deaths were reported during the year.OFFICERS elected for 1965 are Archie Hollabaugh, president; James P. King, vicepresident; and Lois McCloskey, secretary-treasurer. The chair appointed Myron Rapp to provide coffee and ice cream and Ray Michelson to arrange for Watson Grange tables and benches for the 1965 picnic.Joseph McCloskey was the oldest one present, having reached his 95th birthday in June. Robert Glenn Miller 2nd, bom May 22, was the youngest. The largest number from one family was 17 of the McClos-keys, 16 of the Nelle and late ; Rue Mickelson family and 8 of \ the family of the late Emma Anderson.FOR THE first time this year, a group of the musically inclined Mickelson descendants remained for an hour of music and song and a picnic supper. lt;Llewellyn Anderson, Pitts- 1 burgh, tuned up his violin for the old familiar airs played by his late father and those the late 1 Rue Mickelson taught to his : daughters and sons. ]GATHERED around him to ] give voice were his brothers, Kenneth and Barton, all three of which were part of a quartet 1 that sang in the Bradford Methodist Church for many years; the three wives, Christine, Lillian and Winnie; the Mickelson sisters, Mrs. Helen Hicks, Mrs. Marion Hollabaugh and her husband, Archie, Mrs. Theron (Doris) Esterbrook and her ! twin sister, Mrs. Robert (Dor- 1 othy) Anderson, the sisters’ : eight children and Miss Lois 1 McCloskey. 'The Anderson brothers are ' sons of the late Emma Mickle- ' son Anderson; the Mickelson 1 sisters, the daughters of Nelle ' and the late Rue Mickelson; ] and Lois McCloskey, jthe daughter of the late Carrie Mickelson McCloskey. The grandfathers of these cousins were the late James and Peter Mickelson, ! whose children were among the i first students at the Plank Road 1School. ]
Newspaper Details
Warren Times Mirror
Warren, Pennsylvania, US
Tue, Aug 18, 1964
Page 7
Full Page
Clipped by
Familysearch
UT, USA 06 Nov 2018
Other Publications Near Warren, Pennsylvania
Warren Morning Mirror
Warren County Observer
Warren Evening Times
Warren Evening Press
Warren Evening Mirror
