The first annual reunion of the Outman family ends today, with the returning to their homes of many of the out of town members of the family. Several of those who came from abroad to attend the gathering, left for their homes Saturday, others went yesterday and today all but two or three took their departure. Mr. Outman's sister is staying on for a few days visit, and there are one or two others staying over.

The reunion, practically opened on Friday, which was the big day. On that day an association was formed and officers elected to carry on these reunions. The officers elected are: President, W. H. Outman, Marseilles, Vice President, W. H. Outman, Bonne Terre, MO., Secretary, Mrs. W. H. Outman, of Marseilles.

The next year's reunion will be held in Chicago, Ill September or October.

There were altogether about thirty five in attendance at this year's reunion. All of these are descendants of three Outman brothers - one of whom was the grandfather of Mr. Outman of this city. At the dinner on Friday, letters were read from absent members of the Outman family and among these letters was one from a granddaughter of a fourth Outman brother, who until then had not been heard of. It is probable that at next year's reunion this branch of the family will be represented.

Yesterday the members of the Outman family came in a body to the Methodist church to attend the morning service.

The three days that the Outmans have spent together here have been full of great enjoyment for them all. Most of those who were here had never met before and the time was spent in getting acquainted, visiting and relating little stories of family history interesting to all. Not a little enjoyment was also derived from the feasting which was an important part of each day's pleasure.

Mr. Editor, having promised you to give you a little write up in regard to the Outman family reunion, I will endeavor to get my jottings into manuscript and hope to see it in the columns of your valuable paper this week.

First I will say that we left Bonne Terre on the morning of October 5th at 5:25 a.m. and arrived in St. Louis at 9:00 a.m. and left there at 9:10 a.m. on the limited express via the Chicago & Alton for Joliet, arriving at Joliet at 6 p.m. and left there at 7:15 p.m. and arrived at Marseilles at about 9 p.m. Met our cousin, W. H. Outman, at the depot and loaded the women folks into an automobile and the men folks brought up the rear on foot and on reaching the home of our esteemed cousin, were ushered into a house full of our relatives none of whom we had ever met before and a few minutes later we were containing a long table fairly graoning with good things to eat of which we all did justice. After satisfying our hunger we repaired to the parlor to talk matters over, but had not proceeded very far when Cousin W. H. was called to the phone and was told that a delegation of seven was at Joliet from DeSoto, MO., and would arrive at Marseilles at 2:30 a.m., and so it was delegation after delegation coming in from ---- point of the ----all spoke a few words of praise of the great meeting and many letters were read from those that could not be present. After this was done we proceeded to organize an Outman Family Association in which W. H. Outman of Marseilles was elected president and W. H. Outman of Bonne Terre vice president and Mrs. Alzoea Outman of Marseilles, secretary and treasurer. The next order of business was the selection of the meeting place for 1912. Athens, Mich., Chicago, Ill., St. Louis, DeSoto and Bonne Terre, Mo., were nominated and Chicago carried off the prize. On motion of George W. Outman, Jr., of Chicago, it was decided to elect a committee of three to refer all future questions and propositions to, and George W. Outman, Sr., of Athens, Mich., was elected chairman and W. H. Outman of Marseilles, Ill., and W. H. Outman, of Bonne Terre, Mo., committeemen. Thus the organization was completed and "God be with you till we meet again" was sung with a vim and much feeling.

In the afternoon we had our pictures taken in a group of which we are very proud. About this time we were presented with a monstrous cake made by a Mrs. Manning; with the inscription on the top of it reading "Outman Reunion, 1911." Every one of us had to take a slice of it and at the supper table on motion of W. H. Outman of Bonne Terre, it was decided to instruct the secretary to convey a card of thanks to Mrs. Manning for her generosity and to say also that we were to meet at Chicago in 1912.

Saturday morning we received a reply that we would be remembered at our next meeting with a much larger cake.

Saturday was given over to amusements of various kinds, visiting and sight seeing in the towns. One place of interest we visited was the paper mill and saw them making paper, which was very interesting to the writer. Sunday we attended church in a body and heard a splendid sermon which made one union and prayed that we might all live to see many more similar meetings. At the end of services, the preacher requested the congragation to shake hands with us, which was done with such a fraternal spirit that it was a love feast to our very soul. The afternoon was spent with pleasantries and jokings with each other in which W. H., Marseilles and W. H. of Bonne Terre were made the central targets.

This meeting was composed of the descendants of three brothers; Jonah of Michigan, Jacob of Illinois and John of Missouri. Of the Jonah Outman branch there were five brothers that served the entire four years in the Union army except one lost his life while serving the country. Of the Jacob Outman branch, George, the father of our worthy W. H. of Marseilles, fell in battle, wearing the blue, at Stone River, December of 1862, thus making a record that we should and are highly proud of. The ages of those in attendance ran from 6 months to ? years old, but for the time being we were all quite young and each and every minute was spent with great pleasure by all.

On Monday morning we said our good byes and farewells and took our departure for our respective homes and if we shall live until 1913 we will doubt hold our meeting in St. Louis and I want to take this occasional to invite all my friends to our convention and especially you, Mr. Editor, and will guarantee you a free ticket to the banquet and all the armaments that we should attend.

Wishing all my relatives a long and happy life, I am

Respectfully