Anderson Family Holds 100th Reunion Saturday
ONEONTA—Descendents of Burrit L. and Mary Amanda Walling Anderson will convene in the Wilber Park Upper Pavilion on Saturday, August 5. It will be the 100th anniversary of the first Anderson reunion in August 1923, which attracted 103 attendees and was featured in the “Oneonta Herald.” Anderson descendents have held the event every year since except 1945 and 2020, and the event has averaged about 50 people per year. The reunion draws relatives from at least 16 states across the country.
Attendees should bring their family tree information if they have not already sent it, and should bring a recipe to add to the family cookbook. Coffee and brunch will begin at 10 a.m., followed by a group photo and lunch at noon. Participants should bring a dish to pass and drinks. There will be a business meeting and games and activities in the afternoon.
Most of the early generations of the Anderson family lived in the North Franklin and Oneonta areas. Later generations spread to Sidney and eventually around the U.S. One of Burrit and Mary Amanda’s children owned a grocery store on Chestnut Street. Anderson descendents have served in the armed forces in every major conflict since the Civil War. Recent generations include Russ Southard Jr., a former Oneonta alderman.