Family Reunion

The following poem was written about the gathering of the Linsleys at Zion's Hill in Connecticut on March 18, 1898. The occasion was the 25th wedding anniversary of the Rev. and Mrs. Harvey Linsley, who had 7 grandchildren. Two died before adulthood. There were also 2 sets of twin boys: Ray and Vivian, and Paul and Earle.

Ray Linsley went into business in Hartford. Vivian studied for the ministry in Boston and later moved to California for his health. Edna attended Mount Holyoke College for 3 years, then graduated from U.C. Berkeley. She later went to Japan as a missionary. Paul Linsley (my paternal grandfather) helped his parents at their ranch in Yucaipa, California, studied nursing and worked as an overseer of construction crews working on the Boulder Dam. His twin, Earle, finished at Colgate and moved to California where he began his teaching career at California Baptist College. Earle later became the Director of Chabot Observatory and Science Center in Oakland.

It was with much joy that the grandparents were surrounded by their granchildren for their silver wedding anniversary. Miss Edna Linsley wrote the following poem to mark the celebration.

A fourth of a century blended,
Their paths have run together;
From snowy Maine they trended
To fair Colorado weather.

To the lonely ranch on the prairie
Where the great Pike's Peak looks down,
And the stubby sage shrubs vary
The vista of changeless brown.

To the foothills closely lying
By the mighty rocky chain;
To the town of miners trying
Their luck in the silver vein.

But back to our loved New England
Led in the good Father's will,
This stage of their pilgrimage endeth
This evening on Zion's Hill.

And the friends and children gathered
Express their gladness and love,
And pray of them Heaven's rich blessing
Till the pilgrimage endeth above.

For the Lord hath given in mercy
He hath given health and strength,
And surely His promise is true,
He'll give Heavenly wealth at length.

The dearest gifts are the children seven -
The number of completeness -
Two now are safe above in Heaven
Their tender memory sweetness.

While years have come and sped their ways,
These two have shared joys and sorrow,
But have ever hopes, as this silvery day,
For the brighter, golden tomorrow.