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Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, September 23, 2011
Barnhart Reunion
The BARNHART reunion held in Batavia July 15 was in honor of elder Clara Agnes (BARNHART) SWIHART, 92, who resides there.
For 42 years, Clara Agnes and her children in the Batavia area, across the state and out of state made the pilgrimage to
Mount Ayr to either Poe Hollow Park and later to Fife's Grove Park. Each time we all came the night before and camped.
What a treat to be in these beautiful Iowa parks sleeping under the stars. There were a few times when the group had to
place a tarp around the shelter so they were not completely drenched from a summer storm. However, the warm sun always
renewed the new day and the family always had dry weather for our picnics. Of the 42 in attendance for the 33th annual
event coming from Batavia were Clara SWIHART, Larry and Donna WILSON with neighbor Brooklyn. Chris and Tina SHIELDS, Bill
SHIELDS, Tony SHIELDS and Bruce WILSON came from Fairfield,Iowa. Denise BEYER came came from Pella, while nephew Aaron
WILSON and Roxi SHANK came from Oskaloosa. Those from Ottumwa were Paul and Dixie MOONEY, Jerry Lynn HOLS and Ashly, David
and sons, Draven, Skyler, Tristen AMASON and Ashley's siblings Zac and Morgan from Oregon. Ashley WILSON, daughter Shelby
and friend Curtis HARKNESS came from Beacon. Teena ROUSH came from Newton. Attending from Sharpsburg were Elaine (BARNHART)
BOLINGER, Mark CADE and granddaughters Summer and Skye. Patty and Bud BARNHART and Jon RUPP came from Essex while Sarah
(BARNHART) and Josh CARPENTER with sons Preston and Garrett came from Riverton. Evelyn (BARNHART) JACKSON came from Grand
River. Her brother Gary and wife Joy BARNHART came from Garden Grove, home of the first BARNHART reunion. Due to the
flood of 1993 and the passing of Clarence Edward BARNHART, brother to Clara, a family reunion was not held that year.
Clarence and his wife Crystal lived in Garden Grove for most of their life. Released from the hospital that Sunday,
Joyce PERKINS from Batavia briefly stopped by to say "hello" with her husband Bob. Joyce received many get-well wishes.
Although it was another blistering day, the reunion were blessed with good food and a breeze for most of the day.
Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, August of 2012
To submit your Ringgold County items, contact
The County Coordinator.
Please include the word "Ringgold" in the subject line. Thank you.
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