In honor of my father, Richard A. James, I want to continue his legacy by sharing his “House of James Newsletter” articles via this web blog each month. My goal is for family and friends to learn more about our family history, genealogy, traditions, and historical knowledge – something that my father was greatly invested in and enjoyed. Days before my father passed away, he asked me to continue his research, and I promised him that I would. When he passed away in 2002, I was newly married and juggling a new house, a new job, and an infant. I always knew in my heart that I would fulfill my promise to him, but life got in the way.
I am so blessed to be a part of the James family, as it is very unique and exceptional. I grew up attending annual family reunions, receiving monthly family newsletters as well as ever-changing family address lists, and a family slush fund. None of this could have been organized without the help of the committee members from the exclusive sibling Summit Meeting. Back in the day, the only members of the Summit Meeting included my grandmother, lovingly named Mama D, and her eight children. Each member had their own specific role (e.g. secretary, treasurer, historian), and would meet to plan the upcoming family reunion, which each of the 8 would rotate hosting each year. The host of the year was responsible for choosing the theme, location, activities, golf tournament, Saturday night program and dinner. The James Family Reunion is an event that everyone in the family looks forward to each year.
After my dad passed away, the committee was in agreement that I should take my father’s position as the family historian, and I was granted permission to attend the annual James Family Summit Meeting. I was both honored and nervous, knowing the large shoes of my father that I had to fill. The first Summit Meeting was one of the most gratifying and fulfilling things I have ever experienced. I attended a few more Summit Meetings before my relocation to another country, where I lived for 5 years. During those years, the committee decided to start inviting a second generation representative from each sibling to get involved.
This year’s Summit Meeting was held at Sebastian Lakes on March 11, 2017. About an hour into our meeting, my Aunt Suzy exclaimed, “Everyone look! It’s Richard in the pool!” Everyone looked outside the clubhouse windows to see a man that looked exactly like my dad – enjoying the refreshing pool, wearing a bucket hat, and holding a large cup just like my dad always did at our reunions. I have not been one to cry in front of others, but the feelings I experienced in that very moment were so overwhelming, that I began to sob. My Aunt Peggy gave me a warm embrace, and comforted me. The next day, I could not stop thinking about that moment and felt as if my dad was stirring something in my soul. I knew I needed to work on fulfilling my promise, but where would I start?
This morning (March 13, 2017), I woke up and knew that I needed to share the information my father had left with me before he passed. I have in my possession every “House of James Newsletter” that was ever printed, delicately saved in binders and organized by year, thanks to my Aunt Betty. I have never had a blog, and had to read extensively online just to figure out how to set this up. However, I think that this is the best way to share my dad’s work, and I hope that everyone enjoys reading pieces from our family’s history as much as my father enjoyed putting it together for all of us.