Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, July 08, 2004

Smiles, laughter and hugs, the seventh SBFR giving family members a chance to say hello, get reacquainted with those not seen since the last reunion held two years ago, and become acquainted with those not having seen one another for years, or finally having the opportunity to meet family from various areas.

This describes the Solomon BEAR Family Reunion (SBFR), which was held the weekend of June 12, 2004 in southern Iowa.

The reunion started Friday evening with a delicious meal at the Windrow Restaurant in Creston. On Saturday morning more of the BEAR relatives gathered at the Community Center in Ellston, with adults enjoying the air-conditioned building, the young members haveing great fun playing outdoor ball games and the children enjoying the playground equipment.

As in the past, the Hy-Vee grocery store catered a delicious lunch. A portion of the day consisted of updating the family genealogy. The family tree and ancestor pictures are now available to everyone on the Internet at: http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/b/e/a/Ramon-L-Bear-MO/index.html.

One item discussed during the meeting was the status of the BEAR Cemetery located near Oliver Cemetery. The U.S. government has provided, without cost, two stones for our two Civil War Veterans. One of the veterans, Adam BEAR, has his name on the wall at the Mount Ayr Courthouse. The new communal stone, which completes the listing of all those buried in the BEAR Cemetery, has been engraved. Since the cemetery is located about a quarter mile off a gravel road, it has been difficult to erect the three stone markers but hopefully that will be accomplished shortly and definitely by the next reunion. [They were.]

Also discussed during the reunion was the status of the heritage search for Amanda Elvina DULY BEAR, who was the second wife of Solomon BEAR. Amanda had the facial features of a Native American and some verbal history indicates she was of the Fox Tribe. The only written record was her obituary dated 1922, which said nothing about her heritage.

One of our SBFR historians summarized the family link to Swiss Mennonites as far back as 1558. The family name was shown to transition from BAR to BARE to BAER, and finally to BEAR. Many other interesting facts were also summarzied.

Another family was inducted by vote into the SBFR Hall of Fame for actively and effectively promoting this reunion. They are Deloris and Ray BEAR of Lake Saint Louis, MO who are secretaries/historians of the SBFR.

Get well cards were signed for Charles PETERMAN and Bruce SCHRIEVER who were in accidents and unable to attend.

On Sunday, lunch was again served at the Ellston Community Center. After much fun visiting and lots of picture taking, it was time to say good-bye for another two years.

Of the 71 BEAR family members from nine states who attended the reunion, all were descendants, related by marriage, or friends of Solomon and Amanda BEAR who farmed in Ringgold county for years. Listed below are the attendees who are descendants of three of their children:

William Franklin BEAR - Shirley and Lawrence CHASE, Kenneth and Justin CHASE, and Donna RUBY all of Drexel, MO; Sarah CHASE, John CORDELL, Jr., Andrea CORDELL and Jonathan CORDELL of Creighton, MO; Darlene and Don BEAR of Redding; Jacque and Art DAVIS of Weeping Water, NE; Jodi, Lucas, Jennier, and Austin ANGUS of Mount Ayr; Beverly PETERMAN of Nevada, MO; Jane and Mark PETERMAN of Gautier, MS; Mary Ellen and Ian SCHEIB, Bryan SCHEIB, Amy and Stephen HUBER and Catherine PETERMAN and friend Tara EETEN of Grandview, MO; Karen and Lisa BAKER of Roland; Lorrie, Eric, Abby and Sam HANSON of Nevada; Betty LONG, Valerie HARDY, Mike LONG, Andy HARDY, and Christina LONG of Tingley; Bryce and Ted BEAR of Ellston; Angie, Randy, Alex and Nixie POTTORFF of Des Moines; Betty and Roger WILSON, and Vicki HAEFELE of Broken Arrow, OK; Andrea SCHAFER of Salina, KS; Nadine BALES of Pittsburg, CA; Shannon and Doug ESCH of Vida, OR; Deloris and Ray BEAR of Lake Saint Louis, MO; Marilyn and Gary BEAR of Diagonal; Glee TONEY and Gene TRULLINGER of Union Star, MO; Janet and Ron STACY of Florissant, MO; Anna Mae ROLSTON and Gladys REYNA of Redding, CA; Carmen VELLA and John BEAR of Half Moon Bay, CA; Aaron BEAR and Shannn WIANECKI of Kihei, HI; Doris CAMPBELL of Indianola; and Janet PROUDFOOT of New Virginia.

During the brief meeting it was decided to hold the next reunion at the same place on the second Saturday of June in 2006. The officers who are continuing for another term are: presidents Bryce and Ted BEAR; vice presidents Beverly and Charles PETERMAN; treasurers Marilyn and Gary BEAR; secretaries/historians Deloris and Ray BEAR; and historians Janet and Ron STACY.

Photographs courtesy of the BEAR Family

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, August of 2012

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