Shurn Family Reunion History (1951-2021)
The Shurn family reunion has a rich heritage. Descendants of the Shurn family have been traced back as early as the 1840's to Drew Shurn and Emmaline Taylor. The Shurn Family Reunion began in Benton Harbor, Michigan in 1951. The celebration started on Labor Day and has been unchanged through the present.
The first gathering was small with only a few relatives and their families. Attending relatives at the first gathering included B.B. Shurn, Eles Shurn, Robert Shurn, Fred Douglas Shurn, Vinnie Shurn Crenshaw, Annie Shurn Greer, Lula Shurn Bogan, Louise Shurn and Sammie Shurn.
During the first five years, the reunion celebration alternated between South Bend, Indiana and Benton Harbor, Michigan. The reunion continued to grow and expanded its membership. Around the sixth year, the reunion took the show on the road and began rotating among several cities as it continues to do today. The current rotation includes South Bend, Indiana; Benton Harbor, Michigan; Chicago, Illinois; St. Louis, Missouri; Colt, Arkansas; Detroit, Michigan; Springfield, Massachusetts; Nashville, Tennessee; Washington D.C.; and Atlanta, Georgia.
In September, 1992 the Shurn Family Reunion drafted and adopted a constitution and was legally incorporated as The Shurn Family. Thirteen officers were elected to serve on the National Board of Directors. The first meeting was held in Nashville, Tennessee during the reunion. The first officers of the National-at-Large board were:
The first gathering was small with only a few relatives and their families. Attending relatives at the first gathering included B.B. Shurn, Eles Shurn, Robert Shurn, Fred Douglas Shurn, Vinnie Shurn Crenshaw, Annie Shurn Greer, Lula Shurn Bogan, Louise Shurn and Sammie Shurn.
During the first five years, the reunion celebration alternated between South Bend, Indiana and Benton Harbor, Michigan. The reunion continued to grow and expanded its membership. Around the sixth year, the reunion took the show on the road and began rotating among several cities as it continues to do today. The current rotation includes South Bend, Indiana; Benton Harbor, Michigan; Chicago, Illinois; St. Louis, Missouri; Colt, Arkansas; Detroit, Michigan; Springfield, Massachusetts; Nashville, Tennessee; Washington D.C.; and Atlanta, Georgia.
In September, 1992 the Shurn Family Reunion drafted and adopted a constitution and was legally incorporated as The Shurn Family. Thirteen officers were elected to serve on the National Board of Directors. The first meeting was held in Nashville, Tennessee during the reunion. The first officers of the National-at-Large board were:
The goal of the board is to oversee the interest of each participating city, and to develop an organizational structure for governance. In 1993, the Shurn Family Reunion reached a new milestone and was featured in the spring issue of Reunion Magazine. The featured article stated our commitment to ensure a youthful perspective in the future by increasing the participation of youth in local chapters and the National Board of Directors, re-gentrification, education, conflict resolution, peace, love and unity.
In 1999, the Shurn Family Website (www.shurn.com) debuted. This initiative was made possible through the efforts of Barron Shurn, Arthur Shurn, and Fred D. Shurn, all of whom agreed to take the lead in developing the Shurn Family home page. A general agreement was made in which Fred D. Shurn would finance the project; Barron Shurn would serve as the senior technician; and Arthur Shurn would act as the Shurn Family Internet Committee project manager. Noricka Greyer, Eric Crenshaw, Rick Shurn, and Gwen Humphries all agreed to serve as members of the Shurn Family Internet Committee.
After 57 years, the Shurn Family tradition is alive and well and expected to grow and glow in the new millennium. To uphold our mission, it will take the love and support of the total family unit. As the old adages go: "If not us, then who; If not now, then when?" and "If we continue to do as we have always done, we'll continue to get what we have always gotten.” The sky is not our limit, it is our beginning. With love and family being the two main elements that keeps us tightly knit and woven together, we look forward to a bright and prosperous future..
The Reunions Magazine (reunionsmag.com) featured an article of the family in the Spring 1994 Vol 4 No 3 edition. The article was submitted by Dr. Joseph A Shurn.
In 1999, the Shurn Family Website (www.shurn.com) debuted. This initiative was made possible through the efforts of Barron Shurn, Arthur Shurn, and Fred D. Shurn, all of whom agreed to take the lead in developing the Shurn Family home page. A general agreement was made in which Fred D. Shurn would finance the project; Barron Shurn would serve as the senior technician; and Arthur Shurn would act as the Shurn Family Internet Committee project manager. Noricka Greyer, Eric Crenshaw, Rick Shurn, and Gwen Humphries all agreed to serve as members of the Shurn Family Internet Committee.
After 57 years, the Shurn Family tradition is alive and well and expected to grow and glow in the new millennium. To uphold our mission, it will take the love and support of the total family unit. As the old adages go: "If not us, then who; If not now, then when?" and "If we continue to do as we have always done, we'll continue to get what we have always gotten.” The sky is not our limit, it is our beginning. With love and family being the two main elements that keeps us tightly knit and woven together, we look forward to a bright and prosperous future..
The Reunions Magazine (reunionsmag.com) featured an article of the family in the Spring 1994 Vol 4 No 3 edition. The article was submitted by Dr. Joseph A Shurn.