Shep's Place Family Tree

MERCERVILLE--August in Gallia County history has been the month of fairs, bean dinners, and reunions. Today we feature two reunions that took place in a grove near Mercerville: one in August of 1894 and one in August of 1922.
The 1922 meeting was the first official reunion of the Sheets families of Guyan Township and the upper end of Lawrence County.

Wrote the Gallia Times of the Sheets reunion:
"About a year ago a few members of some of these families had a small gathering at Mercerville for the purpose of transacting some important business, and the idea of a family reunion sprang up. The Rev. Ira J. Sheets was chosen chairman and Mrs. Vesta Sheets, secretary. A lengthy program was prepared for the meeting this year, but on the account of a heavy storm early in the day many were prevented from attending, and the exercises were somewhat modified to suit the occasion."

"About 100 had assembled in the grove before the stormn and during its progress, these found shelter in the schoolhouse and for awhile it looked as though the crowd would be small. However, after a heavy downpour of rain for an hour or so, intermingled with good sized hailstones which feel in abundance upon the leaves and furnished amusement for the kiddies, the sun was soon shining through the tree tops and everybody else began to smile too.

"Scores of automobiles, many of them with huge boxes, wired on the running boards and others containing everyone in the family from grandpa to the baby, holding in their laps the precious packages, soon began to arrive and all signs pointed to the fact that something would be 'didding' about the noon hour.

The Rev. Ira J. Sheets, the chairman, called the meeting to order and after the congregation sang 'Blest Be The Tie That Binds', the Rev. E.L.‎[Edward]‎ Sheets pronounced the invocation.

L.W. ‎[Luther?]‎ Sheets, one of the clan, now residing at Scottown, was called to the platform and made some introductory remarks, touching on the purposes of the meeting and gave a brief history of the early settlements made in Guyan Township by his pioneer relatives. His address was followed by appropriate vocal music and adjournment was made for the dinner hour.

After the dinner hour the chairman endeavored to get the crowd quiet again until other speakers were heard, but confusion reigned paramount. One thing may be said in favor of the Ford. It puts everything else out of busines. The spinning of motor as the machine moved about from place to place was heard above the din of everything else that was movable and it was with difficulty that the remainder of the program was carried out."

This Sheets family traced their origin back to George Sheets who came to Virginia from Germany in the late 1700s. The family drifted through Maryland and Pennyslvania, settled on Rocky Fork in Guyan Township, and by 1922 had expanded into one of the most numerous families of southern Ohio.

Rev. Ira J. Sheets, elderly & beloved Missionary Baptist minister, died suddenly at 7 o'clock last evening at his home between Thivener & Mercerville in Harrison tp. His death was due to a heart weakness of long standing & came about under circumstances such as he had oft foretold.

Mr. Sheets had driven in the cows from the pasture & called to his daughter-in-law, Mrs. I H. ‎(Ike)‎ sheets, to come & help with the milking. When she went out to comply with this summons, she did not see him at first but presently found him lying in a shed, dead.

Native of Guyan
Decedent was born Feb. 22, 1857, on John Creek, in Guyan tp., his age being 81 yrs, 2 Mos., 10 days. He was a son of Brice H. & Samantha Wilcoxen Sheets. Educated in the common schools, he turned to the ministry as a young man. He was a lifelong member of siloam church & had served as a pastor in Gallia & Lawrence Counties & in W. Va., for half a century.

‎[About his family]‎
Mr. Sheets participated in the funeral of James R. Gothard on Sunday. Though frail, he had been about as well as usual; hence his passing will come as a shock to countless friends & brings an irreparable loss to his family & community & church & country. His home in recent years, it may be added, was the home of the late Clint Porter.

Funeral services will be held at the Mercerville Church at 2 o'clock, Thurs., with Rev. Earl Cremeens & Rev. Jennings Cremeens in charge. Interment will be made by Stevers.

Rev. Earl Cremeens
Rev. Jennings Cremeens
Rev. Bennett
Rev. Chester Cremeens
Rev. John Tipton
Rev. Reeves
Rev. George Sagon
Rev. Oma Williams
Rev. E. E. Brewer
Rev. Charles Lusher Wow!