Grim Family Reunion in 1897

This picture was taken at the reunion reported in Allentown Daily Call. The photo is not captioned. Clearly Peter and Elizabeth Grim are at the center. Please leave comments if you can identify others in the photo. Peter and Elizabeth were my great, great grandparents.

"Allentown Chronicle and News, Friday, September 10, 1897

THE GRIM FAMILY REUNION.
        ------
A Large Gathering of This Representative Family at Hancock Station Yesterday -- Officers Elected

    The first reunion of the Grim family, held yesterday at Hancock, was a big success. The weather was perfect and over 600 persons were present and fraternized in the most joyous manner, and many a one succeeded in tracing up a relative or renewing old-time friendships.
    The forenoon was most happily spent and when the noon hour arrived huge baskets were unpacked and soon every table in the park was laden with choice delicacies and everybody’s hunger was appeased.
    The afternoon teams brought large additions to the crowd already there and many others who were not in the “freundschaft” also made it a point to be there and participate in the enjoyment of the occasion, and when the hour for departure was at hand everybody declared that it had been good to be there, and that they would be present at the next reunion.
    The reception committee consisted of Dr. E. M. Herbst, W.T. Breinig and Jacob P. Grim. The collection committee was composed of Katie S. Grim and Stanley Grim. The refreshment stand was in charge of R.A. Fenstermacher, of Topton and Ben. Christman, of Macungie.
    Dr. E.M. Herbst was charman of the afternnon meeting. Rev. Edgar Grim Miller delivered an address in English and the Rev. A.J. Herman in German.
    The following officers were elected for the ensuing year: President, William Grim, of Boyertown; Vice President, Geroge Grim, of Reading; Secretary, Emma Grim, of Kutztown; Treasurer, William Breinig, of Breinigsville. Rev. Edgar G. Miller, of Easton, was elected historian.
    Music was furnished by the Alburtis Band. Persons were present from this city, Reading, New York, Pihiladelphia, Huston, Texas: Easton, Bethlehem, Catasauqua, Kutztown and neighboring towns. W.K. Grim and wife, of Boyertown, were the oldest couple on the grounds, both being 72 years old. Peter K. Grim, together with four generations of his descendents, were also present. Among those present from this city were:
    Peter K. Grim, W.J. Frederick and family, John S. Hartzell and family, Jaob W. Grim and daugther Annie, Albert Grim and wife, Charles Apple and wife, Miss Kate S. Grim, J. Peter Grim and wife, Walter Grim and wife, Chief Charles D. Grim, Harry Hunsicker and wife, A. D. Dresher, wife and daughter, Fred Kuhl, Mrs. Henrietta Parton, A. S. Grim and wife, Henry J. Grim, Miss Lizzie Grim, Dr. C.J. Otto,wife and daughter, Bessie, Mr. and Mrs. L.O. Shankweiler and children, Claude and Edwin, and Geroge Daeufer,of this city; David Grim and family, Oliver Otto and wife, Daniel Otto and wife, Harry E. Grim, wife and daughter, Jerry Focht and wife, of Cetronia.
    The ancestors of the present Grim family were among the earliest settlers in Eastern Pensylvania. The first came over about 1730. His name was Egidius Grim, and he landed with other German immigrants in Philadelphia and was followed by others. Egidius or Gideon settled near the old historic Ziegel Church, where he acquired over 750 acres of land, and where a village bears his name. He came from Wurtemberg. His house, strongly built, was a rallying point for his neighbors whenever the Indians became troublesome."

  "THE TRIBE OF GRIM
______

It is Exceedingly Numerous in This
Goodly Land of Ours

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EXTRACTS FROM THE FAMILY HISTORY

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Its American Progenitor Would Doubtless be
Astonished Could He See the Multitude
for Which He is Responsible--
They Are a Good People.

    Rev. Edgar Grim Miller, of Ashland, who was to have read a history of the Grim family at the reunion of that family at Hancock on Thursday, was unable to be present but sent a letter instead, in which he said:
    Johann Egedius (sic) Grim, who is the ancestor of all who have reported, came to this country in 1728, having sailed from Rotterdam, on September 11, of that year on the ship “Goodwill,” David Crocket, master. His wife came with him. For several years they had lived in Deal, England, but were natives of Wurtemberg, Germany. The Grim family seems to have been f noble French Hugenot extraction, one tradition based on a “tree,” known to have been in the possession of Colonel Daniel B. Grim as lately as 20 years ago, but now lost or mislaid, tracing the family back to a Norman Knight in the time of William the Conqueror.
    Egedius Grim purchased a tract of between 700 and 800 acres of land from the Penus, in what is now Weisenburg township, the deed of the original purchase being extant to this day.
    His son Henry retained the homestead while Henry’s son, Jacob served in the Revolutionary war as first lieutenant of Capt. Casper Smeeks’s 5th Co., 2d Batallion, Berks county Militia of 1777, fighting in the battles of Brandywine and Germantown and staying with Washinton’s army till the militia was dismissed, when the army went into winter quarters at Valley Forge. Several other Grims appeared in the Revolutionary rebords (sic)--one a Capt. Grim, whose christian name is not given, and another a private whom I have not been able to place. Jacob’s brother, Henry, a wealthy bachelor of Philadelphia, and a great traveler, served in the war of 1812 with what has since been know as the “State Fencibles.”
    Dr. Henry A. Grim, of Allentown, served in the civil war from ‘62 to ‘65 as surgeon, while our honored vice president, George Grim, served as first lieutentan, Co. A, 1st Regiment, N. G. P., during the riots of ‘77.
    How many of the family made heroes of themselves in the Spanish war is unknown. No doubt there have been many of the family in the various wars of the nations, and many more who have held positions of trust and honor, and each one of us should make it our business to note the facts connected with any such and send them to the historian. Any data concering any of the family should be sent to the same source.
    James S. Grim, of Revere, Bucks county, delivered an address in the course of which he said: “If that pioneer Grim, who first landed on our shores many years ago, now long since mustered out of service on this life here below, could be made to breathe once more and ramble through electric lighted cites, he would be amazed at the remarkable progress made since his days, but, if he should be privileged to sit on this platform and look into the intelligent faces of his sons and daughters and be informed of their heroic struggles and their great work in this life, he would be still greater amazed.
    “We have met here under a great desire. We have met to attempt to rescue from oblivion those few facts about our ancestors which must soon fall into forgetfulness, and to gather these up into our minds as precious heirlooms.
    “You should soon forget these events if it were not that, while under the sweet strains of music we have met together, the Grims of one sections talking with Grims of another section, forming new acquaintances and renewing old ones.”
    In closing he read a brief history of the Grim family of Bucks county."

Comments

[Kenneth Ogden Pace Jr]

To Whom it may concern;My grandfather was Reverend Harry P Grim .He was the firstMethodist minister in Wildwood New Jersey .Starting the church there in 1901 his name appears there on a plaque at the rear of the church .My mother is his last surviving child she will be 96 this May 29th 2010.We are looking for any information on him to put together a brief history or to possibly a more detailed story on my mothers long life and family history .