Announcing the Guest Family
Reunion 2000
Announcing the Guest family reunion. The time has finally come to expand the Guest family reunion to encompass all the descendants of James Guest 1818-1888 and Susan Robinson 1826-1903. The event is scheduled for Saturday August 5, 2000 at 1:30 P.M. The location is Centennial Park in the Town of Innisfil, Ontario.
Note: This is a potluck event please bring quantities equivalent to family consumption.
The Guest Family in Canada
Excerpted in part from The Guests of Innisfil
It is believed that James Guest came to Canada from Manchester district (Oldham) of Lancashire County, England in 1842 to live with his Uncle Robert Fitten, a soldier of England who had been given a grant of land by the Crown for Con. 12 north half lot 26 Innisfil. Around 1846 James Guest married Susan Robinson who had arrived in Innisfil from County Armagh, Ireland in 1843 with her family.
The story is told that Susan Robinson and her mother lost their way in the woods one day as they were travelling from their farm home on Con. 11 to Big Bay Point. This news spread through the community and the men of the neighborhood began to search for the two women. Two young men were said to have wagered that whichever one of them found the women would marry the daughter, Susan. James Guest was one of these young men. The fact is that James Guest did later marry Susan Robinson and together they raised a large family.
All the children in the Guest family were born in the log house on the farm of Robert Fitten, to which James Guest had come in 1842.
Children:
-Thomas Guest 1847-1875 (m. Sarah Jane Armstrong 1853-1915).
-Francis (Frank) Guest 1850-1928 (m. Elizabeth Graves (Greaves) (1855-1933).
-James Guest 1852-1912 (m. Hannah Graves (Greaves) (1857-1921).
-Joshua Robinson Guest 1853-1922 (m. Margaret Sproule 1861-1949).
-Martha Guest 1855-1931 (m. Thomas Graves (Greaves) (18521932)
-William Guest 1857-1932 (m. Elizabeth Nightingale 1863-1931).
-George Guest 1860-1923 (m. Janet Ralston 1865-1924).
-John (Jack) Guest 1861-1928 (m. Elizabeth Jobbittt 1866-1941).
-Annie (Susannah) Guest 1863-1934 (m. John W. Soules 1855-1937).
-Edward (Alfred) Guest 1865-1945 (m. (Nancy) Henrietta Jobbitt 18691934).
-Evlyn Guest 1869-1935.
The Reunion Event
Who What When Where and Why
This Guest Family reunion is the first of what is hoped to be a regular event. All descendants of James Guest and Susan Robinson are encouraged and invited to attend what promises to be a wonderful opportunity to renew/create family acquaintances. Remember All are invited to attend whether your last name is Guest or not. This family line contains such families as the following:
Piekney, Wamica, Soules, Law, McNabb, Kerruish, Hare, Kohler, Williams, Clute, Mallett Hart, Brewster, Wright, Steadman, Hodgson, Lewis, Russell, Thompson, Kinsey, Prince, Taylor, Harris, Ellerton, McLeary, Dickson, Jobbitt, Meridith, Young, Greeley, Neely, Webb, Bond, McColman, Irwin,
Martin, Strong, Cole, LaSota, Wallace, Smith and many others.
We will have games to entertain all ages, Show and Tell Events, History Books, Local History Video Display, Bus tour of Guest historical sites and local graveyards
Reunion Registration Fee: $5 per family.
Register for the bus tour by contacting Wayne Wright at 705-436-3707 or via address located below. The bus tour pricing will be based on registration numbers involved.
Note: The City of Barrie is staging a major event called Kempenfest the same weekend as the Guest reunion, in years past local accommodations are booked early so do not delay making accommodation reservations.
Essay Contest
Calling all aspiring writers, here is your chance to win a prize! This contest is really intended for an individual under 18 but everybody is encouraged to join in. Write a short family history story for recital and you could win a prize.
Pre-Reunion Information Request
Family Group Sheets - return by March 30, 2000
We are attempting to compile an up to date Guest family tree. To achieve this we require your help. The last Guest Family tree was compiled in 1960 by Ross Wallace, many additions and changes have been made to this family in 40 years. Aftached you will find a family information sheet, feel free to copy this as required. The idea is that one of these sheets would encompass Mother/Father and children. It would be appreciated if a mini family tree could be drawn so those mistakes on our part could be minimized when we compile the complete Guest family tree chart.
Please return this information to Wayne Wright by Mar. 31, 2000 to enable us plenty of time to organize information in time for the re-union.
Bus Tour Registration June 15, 2000 The last day to reserve your space on the Guest Historical Bus Tour.
If we have enough interest the tour will encompass local Guest points of interest and the local cemetery.
Time 9:00 am- Noon August 5, 2000. Cost: To be determined based on registration numbers.
Contact: Contact Wayne Wright at 705-436-3707.
Unreserved space the day of tour will be on an availability basis only.
Where to send information Sheets:
Wayne Wright
R.R.# l. Thornton, Ontario LOL 2NO
Phone: 705-436-3707
Email: tana.wayne@sympatico.ca
Show and Tell
We are requesting that each individual family bring an item to the reunion for a show and tell event such as a picture of living or deceased ancestor, letter, object, etc that has something to do with the Guest family. The idea being we would like to set up an area to display such artifacts for others to appreciate and possibly identify, and open the floor to those who wish to give a brief account of the item in the afternoon.
