The Forksville Fairgrounds in Forksville, PA was once again the venue on July 26, 2003 for the second Great Reunion of several related families that helped found and build Sullivan County 175 years ago. This Reunion was not the first
for these or other Sullivan County families (see Old Reunions of Yesteryear). Nevertheless, about 75 descendants of Peter McDonald and Catherine Waters, Michael Sweeney and Catherine Sweeney, and Patrick
McDonald and Catherine Burns, all related by blood and/or marriage, sat down together to exchange stories, pictures, and family history information. Shirley Pardoe and her talented team of country chefs provided two excellent meals and lots of hot coffee, while Ray and Linda McDonald made all the arrangements with the Fairgrounds, and organized and helped direct tours of the old family homesteads. The maps they designed for finding these foundations and rebuilt homes are attached below to this page. Bob Sweeney also led a car caravan up Irish Ridge and then across Ringer Hill, where the 1872 historical map provided by the Sullivan County Historical Society shows the addresses of many of the old settlers. Music was provided by the Phil Sweeney Band. The highlight of the afternoon was a Chinese Auction conducted by Mary Scott and her daughter Kris to raise money for the Reunion fund. Prizes great and small were won by young and old, to the applause and taunts of the audience. The hero of the Auction was little Jimmy Cialfi, grandson of Tom McDonald of Buffalo, who won the game set prize. Jimmy and his granddad also got a personal tour from Bob Sweeney the next morning of the Covenhaven schoolgrounds at Cherry Mills, where his ancestors learned their basics over 125 years ago.
The next Reunion will be scheduled for 2006 somewhere in Sullivan County. Bob Sweeney also plans to hold annual genealogical meetings with serious family historians in or near Laporte between 2003 and 2006.
Here are some fresh pictures from the Reunion. Additional pictures and memories are invited and will be posted as submitted. The families are indebted to Lynn Franklin, Tom McDonald and Kathy Chassin for picture contributions. A special note of thanks is in order for three individuals who have done so much to help preserve our family histories: Bettyann Sick Goodyear, the Reverend James Ruddick, S.J., and Violet Thomas Frawley.
THE REUNION 2003 PICTURE GALLERY
Descendants of Peter McDonald and Catherine Waters
L to r: Mike McDonald; Amber McDonald; Gene McDonald; Joe Long; Sean Drummond (grandson of Harry and Rose McDonald Drummond); Margie McDonald Long; Rose McDonald Drummond; Harry Drummond; Kimmy Hayes (daughter of Denise Drummond Hayes); Denise Drummond Hayes; Mary Denise McDonald Yonkin; Tom McDonald; Jimmy Cialfi; Ray McDonald; and Linda Karge McDonald
Note: Kathy Chassin and John Litzelman in Background
Fairgrounds, Forksville, July 26, 2003
Photo Contributed by Tom McDonald
Bob Sweeney, Kathy Chassin, and Paul Dumansky
Fairgrounds, Forksville, July 26, 2003
Photo Contributed by Kathy Chassin
Six Descendants of the Sick Family
Related to the Sweeney and McDonald Families by Marriage
L to r: Gerry Sick Rohe; Eileen Dumansky; Paul Dumansky;
Bettyann Sick Goodyear; Kathy Chassin; Reverend James Ruddick, S.J.
Photo Contributed by Kathy Chassin
Assorted Sweeneys
L to r: Robert "Gibbie" Giblin (member of the Phil Sweeney band); Jerry Lewis (husband of Patti Sweeney); Robert Emmett "Bob" Sweeney (partly obscured); Lynn Ann Franklin (Bob Sweeney's wife); Becca Ariella Sweeney; Phillip Peter Sweeney; and David Metzger (Becca's fiance)
Photo Contributed by Lynn Franklin
The Buffalo McDonalds
L to r: Joe Long (husband of Margie McDonald Long); Thomas McDonald; Jimmy Cialfi (Tom's grandson); Margaret "Margie" McDonald Long; and Michael McDonald
Photo Contributed by Lynn Franklin
Jimmy Cialfi and Joe Long
After Jimmy Won the Game Prize in the Chinese Auction
Fairgrounds, Forksville, July 26, 2003
Photo Contributed by Tom McDonald
Leo McDonald and John Litzelman
Photo Contributed by Lynn Franklin
McGoverns and Sweeneys
L t r: Patricia Laughlin McGovern; Ed McGovern; Bob Sweeney; Debbie McGovern (Ed's wife); Patti Sweeney; and Phil Sweeney
Note: These families are related by an over fifty-year bond of friendship between Robert G. Sweeney, father of the Sweeneys in this picture, and Thomas "Tommie" McGovern, deceased husband and father of the Pat and Ed Mcgovern. Tommie and Bob "Senior" served together in the US Marine Corps in World War Two.
Photo Contributed by Lynn Franklin
Harry Drummond; Rose McDonald Drummond; and Becca Sweeney.
Photo Contributed by Lynn Franklin
Two Flavors of McDonald
Ray and Linda McDonald; Mick McDonald; Leo McDonald; Eugene McDonald; and Amber McDonald (Gene's daughter)
Note: All except Leo are descendants of Peter McDonald. Leo descends from Patrick McDonald.
Photo Contributed by Lynn Franklin
Violet Thomas Frawley
Widow of Ed Frawley, a Descendant of Owen Sweeney
Photo Contributed by Lynn Franklin
Reverend James J. Ruddick, S.J.
Historian of the Sick and Litzelman Families
Photo Contributed by Lynn Franklin
Helen Reis and Carole Litzelman
Note: Helen is a Cavanaugh Descendant,
and Thereby Related to the Sweeneys and McDonalds by Marriage
Photo Contributed by Lynn Franklin
Eileen Dumansky and Bettyann Sick Goodyear
Photo Contributed by Lynn Franklin
Raymond and Linda Karge McDonald
Onsite Organizers of the 2000 and 2003 Reunions
Photo Contributed by Lynn Franklin
Linda Karge McDonald
Wife of Ray McDonald
Note: Linda won three prizes in the Chinese Auction, which may explain why she is thanking Father Ruddick
for interceding with higher powers in this picture!
Photo Contributed by Tom McDonald
Eugene Francis McDonald and His Daughter, Amber McDonald
Photo Contributed by Lynn Franklin
Margaret Philbin Redfield and Sharon Philbin Pearte
Related by Marriage to the Sweeneys
Photo Contributed by Lynn Franklin
John Litzelman and Gerry Rohe Sick
Cousins
Photo Contributed by Lynn Franklin
Kristin Scott and Her Mother, Mary Scott
Descendants of Patrick McDonald
Organizers of the Chinese Auction at the 2003 Reunion
Photo Contributed by Lynn Franklin
Kristin and Mary Scott Flank Father Ruddick
Fairgrounds, Forksville, July 26, 2003
Photo Contributed by Tom McDonald
Leo McDonald and Catherine "Kitty" Maximiak
Cousins and Descendants of Patrick McDonald
Photo Contributed by Lynn Franklin
Thomas McDonald and Mary Denise McDonald Yonkin
Great-grandchildren of Peter and Catherine Waters McDonald
Fairgrounds, Forksville, July 26, 2003
Photo Contributed by Tom McDonald
Raymond and Michael McDonald
Great-grandchildren of Peter and Catherine Waters McDonald
Fairgrounds, Forksville, July 26, 2003
Photo Contributed by Tom McDonald
McDonald Descendants at the McDonald Homestead Ruins
Jacks Road, Cherry Mills, PA July 26, 2003
L to r: Ray McDonald, Jimmy Cialfi, Margie McDonald Long, Joe Long and Michael McDonald
Photo Contributed by Tom McDonald
Jimmy Cialfi with his Great-Aunt Margie McDonald Long
At the Homestead Ruins of Peter and Catherine Waters McDonald
Jacks Road, Cherry Mills, PA July 26, 2003
Note: Jimmy is the great-great-great grandson of the founding Peter McDonald family in Sullivan County.
Photo Contributed by Tom McDonald
Becca Ariella Sweeney and William "David" Metzger
Gr-gr-granddaughter of Michael and Catherine Sweeney
Note: Becca and David were engaged in September 2003. Becca is fourth cousin to Denise Drummond Hayes.
Photo Contributed by John Litzelman
John and Carole Litzelman
Husband and Wife
Photo Contributed by John Litzelman
Reunion Montage
Top: Robert E. "Bob" Sweeney and Lynn Ann Franklin
Husband and Wife
Middle: Kate (Murphy) and John Sperduti
Husband and Wife
Bottom: Father Jim Ruddick, John Litzelman, Teresa Dorner, Helen Reis and Geraldine "Gerry" Rohe Sick
Photo Contributed by John Litzelman
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