What are some of your family traditions?
by Jim Stamp on March 01, 2022.
A family tradition that continues, at least for my generation, is
our attendance at family reunions. When I was a child, we
attended the Andre-Miller Reunion (Grandpa Andre’s family),
the Buck-Yates Reunion (Great Grandma Stamp was a Buck),
the Humphrey Reunion (Grandma Andre was a Humphrey, the
Hawkins Reunion (Great-Great Grandma Stamp was a Hawkins)
and the Stamp Reunion (we are Stamps).
The Andre-Miller Reunion kind of fell by the wayside when my
Grandpa’s generation died off. There is still a remnant of the
Buck Reunion. In the 1940s – 50s the Humphrey Reunion was
held at our farm and the attendance was huge. Today, my
brothers and our first cousins from Leetonia attend, my
Mother’sonly living first cousin attends, and if we are lucky
we even get a few Humphrey’s to attend. Last year, 2021,
we had a pre-reunion get together at the Spread Eagle Tavern
in Hanoverton which was popular and we will plan again for
2022. Twenty-eightcousins attended that dinner and everyone
enjoyed it immensely.
We (my brothers and I, several first cousins, our Uncle and some
of his first cousins) attend the annual Hawkins reunion at Firestone Park in Columbiana.
September 1954
August 27, 1931
The annual Stamp Reunion is primarily the descendants of Levi
Marshall Stamp and Ruth Hawkins Stamp. From time to time,
descendants of Levi’s brother John will join us. This reunion
is held at Sevakeen Lake Country Club pavilion. Last year (2021)
there were 72 “cousins” in attendance at the Stamp Reunion.
Levi and Ruth Stamp and family
August 7, 2021 – Stamp Reunion, Sevakeen Lake
Stamp-Andre celebrating October birthdays – 1955
Father-Son Banquets:
February 24, 2016
February 27, 2018
February 22. 2022
At the home of Bob and Linda Sebo –
FAIRS! Below is a fair poster from September 1900 when our
Great-Great Grandfather, Joshua W Hoopes was Fairboard President.
Fairs were where farmers took their livestock for competition
and judging. They took grain, corn and pumpkins. Granges
were formally known as the Patrons of Husbandry, an
organization created to assist farmers with the various problems
that they faced. Most rural communities across the United States
had a Grange. In Ohio there were 900 chapters. The Grange
Halls provided a place for farmers to meet and conduct social
activities. They had dances, quilting bees, youth activities and
they set up booths at the fair to display pies, vegetables, quilts,
and other craft items. In some cases, Grange members pooled
their resources to purchase machinery that might be too
expensive for individuals to buy, so, they could put their name
on a list and share the machinery. Within a few miles of our
farm there was Butler Grange, Guilford Grange, Willow Grove
Grange, Salem Grange, etc.
Print illustrating a granger’s procession and mass meeting,
in “History of the Grange Movement” (National Publishing
Co., 1874). The Grange, also known as the Patrons of
Husbandry, was organized in 1867 to assist farmers with
purchasing machinery, building grain elevators, lobbying
for government regulation of railroad shipping fees and
providing a support network for farm families. By the
early 1870s there were more than one million members
Many people from the Winona area belonged to at least one of
the Grange Halls. Grandpa and Grandma Andre belonged to the
Guilford Grange. Grandpa and Grandma Stamp belonged to the
Butler Grange.
Grandpa Stamp (Richard) was Treasurer of the Columbiana
County Fair for several decades so we always attended the fair.
When I was 15 – 16 I was on the Junior Fair Board. We sponsored
square dances at Grange Halls for fund raisers, we provided
“security” for the animal barns, and we planned the 4-H Day
parades in front of the Grandstand. Harness racing was a
really big event at all of the fairs and I sold racing programs
in the Grandstand and around the horse barns
We attend the Columbiana County Fair in Lisbon, Ohio
and for many years Lee, Jay, and I attend the Canfield Fair.
Alex, Heather and Dad (Grandpa Elmer) at the Columbiana County Fair
In addition to the Granges, there were many 4-H Clubs.
Grandma Stamp was a very active 4-H advisor and her club
won many awards. Aunt Jane was 4-H queen in 1945. She
was winner of County and State Achievement Awards and
competed at the National 4-H Club Congress in Chicago, 11-23-1946
My Dad, Elmer Stamp, was a member of 4-H for ten years
participating in flower gardening, wood working, rope work,
dairy, pigs and electrical engineering. At the Ohio Club
Congress in Columbus he demonstrated electrical switches
and their uses. He was also advisor for 5 years to the Winona
Boosters Boys. At the Ohio 4-H Club Congress he was selected
to represent Ohio at the National 4-H Club Congress in Chicago, 11-28-1940.
Uncle Willard was a member of the Just-Rite 4-H Club, the club
that I and my brothers belonged to when we were old enough.
In September 1950 Willard attended the Ohio 4-H Club Congress
in Columbus, Ohio. He was a delegate again in September 1953.
