The Bolender-Shinkle Reunion of 1912
by Merrill Bolender, Brownsburg, Ind.
The thirty-first Bolender-Shinkle Reunion was held Saturday, August 26, 1912, in Bolenders Grove, Clermont County, Ohio, according to a Cincinnati, Ohio, newspaper article sent recently by Merrill Bolender, Brownsburg, Ind. The first reunion of the two prominent Brown and Clermont Counties families had been called by Darius Bolender in October, 1861. Henry Bolender was first president of the family organization. Henry was born on March 13, 1821. He resided near Felicity, Clermont County, Ohio, and was a member of the State Board of Equalization in 1890. He married Anna Turner in May, 1847; and died August 30, 1904. Joseph Bolender held the office of the first secretary and resided near Feesburg, Lewis Township, Brown Co., Ohio. Joseph was born April 8, 1822, and died July 29, 1909. His wife was Lydia A. Martin.
The Bolender-Shinkle Reunion grew
in popularity and attendance swelled to include hundreds of families who gathered in
Clermont County during the month of August each year. Quite a few attendees were
simply friends and neighbors of the two families. Many a "good haus-frau" spent
hours in the kitchen before the reunion preparing dishes for which they were justly
renown. Most Brown and Clermont Countians looked forward with the greatest pleasure to
greeting relatives who came from far and wide to attend the large reunion.
The origins of the two families has been published by several Brown and Clermont County histories beginning in 1898. The Shinkle family came from the Rhine Valley of Germany to America seeking religious & political freedom. Phillip Carl Schenkel was born in Edenkoben, Bavaria, Germany, and came with his wife to America on the ship, "Snow Kelty," in 1752. The Shinkles settled in Lancaster Co, Penn. Phillip Schenkel's daughter, Margreta Schenkel, married Stephen Bolender of Berks Co., Pa., cementing the alliance of the two families for many generations. The Bolenders migrated to Ohio settling near Boude's Ferry along the Ohio River. Stephen Bolender purchased 1300 acres of land near Benton Christian Church, and by occupation was a blacksmith and Dunkard minister.
In 1909, Stephen Willis Shinkle was elected president of the family association. He was born in 1838, and became a member of the Franklin Twp. Board of Education. He married Octavia Dobbins who died Nov. 14, 1883; he married secondly, Isabel Wisbey in March, 1885.
Shinkle and Bolender families spread throughout southwestern Ohio, into Indiana and Illinois; some moving to the far West. Even though living far from their roots, many family members made the effort to return to Ohio for the August reunion. The good folk comprising the Bolender-Shinkle family were known throught the region for their generosity and hospitality. They held positions of trust in their communities which brought credit not only to themselves, but also to their families.
Note: The content of this article was taken from an article in a 1912 Cincinnati, Ohio, newspaper sent to the webmistress by Merrill Bolender of Brownsburg, Indiana. For further information, look under "Family Researchers" topic for Merrill's e-mail address.
Photos: Barn on Bolender Road, Brown Co, Ohio (left) and Monument of Henry & Anna Bolender, Mt. Zion Cemetery, Brown Co, Ohio (right)
