I believe all will agree that the reunion was a great success and we look forward to next time. We all had a great time becoming acquainted or reacquainted, eating and sharing family history; I gained a real sense of belonging.

Susan and I left the Tuesday night prior to the reunion and headed to Macon to interview an elderly member of my fathers family and planned to head to the campground on Thursday to set up tent (it never was to be). We arrived at Terry and Lindas house about 11:30pm Tues. night and after a brief visit settled down to a nap.

Wed morn Terry played hooky and we went through W D Days bible. Then off to Byron to meet with Barbara Grizzle, a distant cousin on my fathers side whose Aunt Grace, (88), knew something of my grandfathers family. After that Susan and I trekked about Macon looking at the old family sites. We found Aunt Louise and Uncle Carls grave by chance along with my fathers. We drove right to them without knowing where to go and thats really eerie if you know the vast size of Riverside Cemetery in Macon. I got some missing information there and discovered I had a half brother from my fathers first marriage.

We got a chance to visit inside the old Yates home on Stanislaw Cir. (Did I spell that correctly?). Its been redone and is beautiful inside (I will share pictures later). The new owners are doing a history on the old place and would like to hear from any of you wishing to share memories. Let me know and Ill send the contact info to you and you may want to stop by when youre in town. Next we went by the 2150 Old Holton Rd address, currently the residence of Donna-Day and Jessica then off to meet Rob for Dinner and a visit. During my journey through downtown Macon, I stopped at a phone to call Rob, (he lives downtown), and found and interesting add for a something or other . Paradise service which offers escort dates for men or women in the Macon area for a reasonable $140.00 an hour; I snagged the add right up knowing this would be a creative way to raise money for our next reunion. I was certainly interested. Just imagine, dinner, a nice movie and maybe a little dancing and go home with eight or nine hundred dollars in your pocket. Those of you who complained you could not make it because money was a little tight might consider going into business (LOL)

Anyway, back at Robs apt I was blown away by his files and picture album of all our relatives like WD Day and John Gordon etc.. He is really to be commended for all that work in preserving our history.

Thursday I went with Terry, (again playing hooky for my benefit), to Perry to see the old Day home and find what we could in the Evergreen Cemetery where the Days and Blounts and Gordons are buried. We also went down town to see the old Day and Gordon storefront where W D Day and the Gordons were in business on the corner of Ball and Carroll St. The storefront still owned by the family does not appear to be the same one where Day and Gordon was located but may be another one they owned and rented out. As usual we took lots of pictures and Rob met us there to give his perspective.

After a brief trip to the airport to interview someone who remembered the Days in Perry, I went with Rob to the Washington Memorial Library. They have a genealogical section with over 25,000 volumes and it was truly amazing to see such a vast amount of material on family history.

Those of you who have been following the search know that William Daniel Day (W D Day) is our oldest known Day ancestor and we have been in a search for the name of his father for some time. W D Day erected in 1892, a monument in the Ever Green Cemetery in Perry to his mother, Sarah; his brother, J H Day; and his father, M G Day. We believe this to be a memorial only but did discover three foot markers as well in the cemetery which could indicate the actual burial place for W Ds parents and brother. Still we have not known nor been able to find the names associated with the letters M G nor J H Day.

W D Day was born in Martin County N C in 1832 and it is believed that he traveled to Ga. in the 1850s and entered the War from Houston County in 1861. Perhaps the answer to W Ds parents would be located in Martin County, so after regaining my equilibrium and coming to my senses, (this library can do that to you), I began to hunt for the elusive M G Day. I began with the 1830 census records of Martin Co., N C, (can you believe they have that in little ole Macon); I found nothing. Next the 1840 census and BINGO, there he was; I pulled out the microfiche and found in the census a M C Gilberry Day, (probably Mac Gilberry), (40-50) with a wife (30-40). Unfortunately, the 1840 census only lists the name of the head of household and general age groups of the other members. W D would be 8yrs old in 1840 and there was a male child 5-10 and one 0-5, (probably the J H Day listed on the memorial as his brother). There is a female child also 5-10, which we presumed at first to be Drupiney who married Edward Jackson in 1859. Needless to say, I went back to Terrys with my head in the clouds and decided not to go to McRae early but use the time at the Library on Friday.

While Susan slept in I went back to the library Friday in hopes of finding more treasure. Rob and I found nothing as great as the day before. We found a number of Days in Martin County that interacted with a Jesse Cooper who is likely related to the Jesse and Elmira Cooper who are named as Uncle and Aunt of W D Day in Houston County. Though not as exciting, Rob and I felt we were well on the track to proving many of the relationships. Rob plans to visit Martin County this fall where much of the PROOF is likely waiting in the courthouse.

That afternoon I headed back to Terrys house to pick up Susan and blew the transmission out in the car. Oh well, I dont suppose everything could go my way. Instead of leaving at 5:00 it was 9:30 waiting on the tow truck. We dumped the camping gear and loaded up with Terry and Linda for the hour and a half journey to the long awaited reunion.

Heading into McRae we stopped at the local Winn Dixie, Susan and I blew a cool $65.00 on food we were sure we couldnt do without, (we barely touched it !!!). After registration, (yes they let us in at 11:30), we unloaded at Danny Days cabin and I met Aunt Dot, one of the most pleasant people Ive ever known, full of life and ever so excited about the whole event. While Susan unloaded the necessary vitals into the frig, I ambled over to cabin # 8. I cant tell you what it was like in words opening the door and seeing all those faces but I will say I was overwhelmed more than a bit and tears came to my eyes as I walked back to my cabin to retrieve my wife.

We spent some time sharing and catching up; almost every one of the first cousins was there. And when the time came for the old ladies of cabin 8 to retire (Marlys and DD), we went to Dannys cabin and continued in our revelry till way in the morning.

Saturday Aunt Dot and Danny took charge and got our meeting room open and ready for the meal that Marlys had arranged with a local caterer. Some of the folks wed expected did not make it. R L Day, Terrys kids and mine, Bill and Chris Crane, Liz and her boys, Jessica McDaniel and the Rutledge Klan, all who we had hoped to see were unable to be with us.

We ate, after Rob blessed the food, then passed out the T-Shirts, had a short meeting and paid for the meal. Wow, 30 Day Family members eating, talking and exchanging money without the first cross word or fist fight . Can you believe it? Afterwards, you would not believe the family history that came through that door AND THE PICTURES !?!! I imagined that we would have a few things to look at and spend the rest of the time talking. Donna Day and Marlys and Ann brought in boxes of things, crates of old letters and the PICTURES WOW. Everyone brought family albums. It was amazing.

Marlys brought a copier and we spent the evening looking, coping and talking . It was wonderful but too short. There was no way to see it all. We found several scraps of paper with information and many really neat pictures. One ancient scrap of paper listed the siblings of W D Day and their birth dates. W D Day born 10/21/1832; Nancy Elizabeth born 11/8/1835; and John Henry born 6/1/1838; Nancy died 1/1/1842. These are likely the children mentioned in the 1840 census for M C Gilberry Day. This does leave us with the unanswered question of the identity of Drupiney, long thought to be W D Days sister. She may still be a sister born after 1840 or perhaps some other relation. (With every answer come more questions).

We closed down shop and went to the cabins to continue the party, (Madlyn went home). Again I was up till about 5:00 am with the pictures and Marlys copier.

Sunday Morning came early and I did not make it to the Lodge Restaurant for the farewell breakfast but got my hugs in to most everybody before we left. Terry took us through Eastman to see Aunt Tees house and then through Bonaire to see the Old McConnell place where Mickey and Pat and families now live.

Monday Morning I got the bad news that the Car was without a transmission and the news only got worse as we looked at repair costs. Susan and I remained at Terry and Lindas and enjoyed their hospitality till Shannon, our daughter, came to pick us up Tuesday night. Linda and Terry made a great visit even better and we felt so at home there.

Its been a week since it was all over and still its the topic we talk about most. Day before yesterday I drove home a 96 Sentra and ended all hopes Susan had of a bicycle built for two. The problem now becomes how to pay for all this and I have to say that escort service is looking better all the time.

LOL Clayton and Susan