The Winne Family Reunion.
Feb 28th, 1883
Last Friday night one of the largest and certainly one of the liveliest family gatherings ever known to this county was held at the Eagle Hotel, Kingston, says the Freeman. It was a reunion of the Winne family.
Mr. B. J. Winne had issued invitations to all the Winnes far and near to become his guests during that night, and there were present some sixty members who had responded to the invitation. This family can trace its ancestry far back of the Revolution. They were Hollanders, pure and simple.
The great grandfather of Benjamin J. Winne came to this country from Holland nearly two centuries ago, and settled in the town of Esopus. From thence he moved to Shandaken, and was one of the first settlers of that part of the county. His name was John Winne, and he was a hardy pioneer of sterling honesty. His first house was a fort that had been built by the Indians. It stood near the present dwelling house of Davis Winne, one of his grandchildren. In this beautiful country, breathing the purest of mountain air and quaffing the clearest of water, the Winne family were reared. Here lived Christian Winne, the father of Benjamin J. Winne, and here lived the mother, Annie Longyear. Christian Winne died at the good ripe age of 74, and the mother died at the age of 70. They had ten children, and these children are all living, and with the exception of two were all present at the Winne party last night.
As the oldest, and standing at the head, was Cornelius C. Winne, of Shokan, who is sixty years of age, and one of the liveliest and jolliest men in the county. Next came Davis Winne, of Shandaken, and the others named according to their ages, as follows: William Winne, Henry W. Winne and Benjamin J. Winne, of Kingston; Christopher J. Winne, of Shandaken, Calvin Winne, of Kingston, Mrs. Eliza A. Hill, of Kingston. There were absent two of the sisters, Mrs. Fairchild, of Kansas, and Mrs. Elmendorf, of Beaverkill. All the brothers had their wives with them, and nearly all their descendants were also present.
Wherever the Winne family are known, they are noted for their bounteous hospitality. As the poet has said:
“View them near
At home, where all their worth and pride is placed;
And where their hospitable fires burn clear.”
And Mr. B. J. Winne showed himself a pure scion of the blood, for his tables fairly bent beneath the weight of good cheer placed before his guests, and himself and wife did the honors of the house with such a cordial welcome that the guests couldn’t have helped but be in the highest spirits, and consider this was the time to make merry and be merry. After supper there was dancing, music being furnished by Burger’s Orchestra. The Winnes all danced. They were led by the oldest, C. C. Winne, and he did ample justice to all the movements, disporting himself as supple and lively as a boy of sixteen. The party broke up after midnight and was declared by one and all to have been the jolliest, heartiest and most pleasant reunion ever held in the city.
