The Barry Co. Boniface Reunion more than lived up to it's tradition
weather-wise.  We had more than our usual shower of rain this year.
(On reunion day it almost always rains at least sometime during the
daylight hours of the day)  Several thunderstorms, with two sighted
funnel clouds, swept through the area Saturday night after 8:00 pm,
with rain lasting through the night and well into the early morning Sunday.
We didn't have to enter our crawl space Saturday night, but we were ready
to! Electricity went out around 10:00 pm, and didn't return until almost
8:30 am.  Luckily we had prepared our "dish to pass" before the power
failed! 

A total of 46 people attended our reunion this year, which was the 13th
reunion since the war.  All my father's children made it for the first
time in a decade or so.  I think the fact that we didn't
have electricity until 8:30 am may have discouraged a  few  of the other
relatives..
We had great food, and a great time, AND we had guests come in all the way
from Ingersoll, Canada!  Polly Wood, nee Pavey, and her husband, Al,  made
it after lunch was over (they'd met some construction traffic), having
driven all morning to get there.  After they left, they still had to drive
all the way back to Ingersoll so that they could get to work the  next day!  

Polly is a descendant of
Harriet, daughter of Thomas Boniface and Harriet Saunders.Thomas was
the one
son of Francis (1793) and Lucy who remained in England. Polly
graciously brought me info, and photos of her ancestors, from Thomas on
down. It was wonderful meeting her and her husband!

Both my sister and I took photos on her digital  camera, and she has
promised to give me a disk
of them.  When she does, I will send some of them on. We did manage to
 gather for a
"reunion Photo", unfortunately after a few  people had already left, and 
just before
Polly and her husband got there!

The day was hot enough that many of us enjoyed a dip in the lake to
cool off.  The children didn't want to leave the lake, even to have their
pictures taken!  The wonderful white sand that blankets the beach has an
interesting story.  Years ago, when the InterUrban train was still running
into Doster (a nearby village) , the owners of the resort had sand brought
in from Chicago in box cars!  No wonder the sand is so wonderful.  It must
have come from Lake Michigan!

The mention was made of this being the 13th reunion since the war.  My
mother said she had heard from her mother-in-law that they used to have a
Boniface Reunion years ago, but that they stopped sometime during of
before WWII.  A cousin, Dorene Woodman, proved it some years ago by 
bringing in a copy of a newsclipping from an old newspaper that spoke
of the 4th Boniface Reunion in 1818.  That reunion was also blessed with
showers, so our "tradition" may be long standing.

Following is the text of the old clipping, dated August 18, from the
Plainwell Enterprise.

Boniface Reunion

   The fourth annual reunion of the Boniface family was held Aug. 16, at
the home of Wm. Boniface at Pine Lake.  All enjoyed the fine picnic dinner
and spent the afternoon with a good time.  The weather being a little bit
showery and a busy time, only 17 were present.  Those present were Mr.
and Mrs David Boniface and daughter Ethel, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Boniface,
Mrs. Ida Warren, Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Wilcox and daughter Glenna, Caleb
Boniface, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Boniface, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Boniface jr. and
three sons, Orson, Orval and Raymond and one visitor, Miss Edna Boulter.
The officers that were appoointed are Frank Boniface jr., president, 
Mrs. Jennie Boniface, secretary, Mrs. Bernice Boniface, treasurer.
It is to be held next year the second Sunday in August at the home
of Wm. Boniface, Pine Lake.


As a matter of clarification, Frank jr. was my grandfather, and Jennie
was my grandmother.  Frank wasn't actually a Jr., as it was his uncle who
was a Frank, as was his grandfather, Francis (1820).
Bernice was the wife of Fred.  Mrs. Ida Warren was also a daughter of
David Boniface.

This year we had maps of Prairieville and Orangeville Townships, to show
where the first Bonifaces in Barry County lived.  We also had a Barry
County Map, and a Michigan map, and invited everyone to fill out a card,
and then attach it with string to the area on the map  where they lived.
We no longer all live within a ten mile radius! ;)

We look forward to meeting again, on the last Sunday of July, 2003.

Respectfully submitted,

Michele T. Boniface Tsuji