Welcome to our Family Reunion Website
Invitation to the generations of blanche and josephine family reunion
Please join our many family members for a celebratory Family Reunion July 27-28, 2024 in New Jersey. We will be honoring our family connections to two amazing women,
Blanche Morgan Simmons and Josephine Davis Lindsey.
As we gather to honor our ancestors, their religious faith, and overcoming adversity, let us celebrate our future and share with each other our family stories and build family cohesiveness for generations to come.
our family connections
What binds the Blanche and Josephine families is our DNA. Some share the genetic code from Blanche. Some share the genetic code from Josephine. In addition, some share the genetic codes from both of these amazing women! Their genetic codes is what has help shaped who we are and where we came from. There’s so much to learn about our DNA connections. We’re hoping you’ll join us at this year’s family reunion and make connections whether through your relatives you’re just meeting for the first time and/or those who share a common interest with you.
Our generational connections to the Historic Saint Peter Claver R.C. Church. It sits on the SW corner of 12th & Lombard Streets in Philadelphia, PA. The homes of both families were on Rodman Street, around the corner, just a few steps from the church and school (1200 Lombard Street). The walk from our family homes to the church and school took about 3 minutes: The Simmons Morgan Family lived at 1111 Rodman Street. The Davis Lindsey family lived at 1240 Rodman Street.
The church is a unique and historic site. St. Peter Claver was a Presbyterian church before it became a Catholic church. It was built in 1841-1842 designed by Thomas Ustick Walter, an architect born in Philadelphia. He became the 4th Architect of the U.S. Capital Building in Washington, D.C. (1851-1855) which was built in large part by enslaved African Americans, as detailed in a press release by the National Archives, December 29, 2000. He is credited with designing both the House and Senate Wings and the Dome on top of the Capital Building.
In the 1960's, gentrification came to the neighborhood. Property values soared. What had been mostly poor Black neighborhoods, became mostly rich tenants. Many Black tenants were forced out. Today, the church is locked and there are no more services held. The Archdiocese leadership continues trying to force the remaining Black Catholic parishioners to give up their fight to preserve the church. A group of Black Catholics some with St. Peter Claver roots are maintaining the fight to reopen the church. They have appealed to Catholic Leadership in Rome and are awaiting a response.
In honor of our ancestors, let us never forget their support of St. Peter Claver, the school and their community. More importantly their dedication to our families and the community.
Family Reunion Information
**LOCATIONS**
DAY ONE - MEET & GREET RECEPTION
JULY 27, 2024
6:00-9:00 P.M.
Hilton Garden Inn Camden Waterfront Philadelphia
1 Penn Street
Camden, New Jersey 08102
856-756-0070
DAY TWO - DINNER, ACTIVITIES, GAMES & DANCING
JULY 28, 2024
2:00 - 5:30 P.M.
Collingswood Community Center
30 W. Collings Avenue
Collingswood, New Jersey 08108
856-854-4440
Lets Tour Philadelphia and Surrounding Areas!
As we embark on events during this family reunion weekend, let your interests be you guide. Explore our many family historical and local interests in Philadelphia and surrounding areas. You may want to consider visiting Saint Peter Claver Church, take a stroll down Rodman Street, visit Holy Cross Cemetery (Josephine's burial location) and the historical Eden Cemetery (Blanche's burial location), enjoy and savor the many delicious East Coast cuisines.
Click here for Local Attractions.
visit and share your photos on our family's Instagram page...please remember to include who you are and your relationship to our family. thank you in advance!
Registration, Cost and Suggested Hotel Accommodations
Here are several ways to register ** Deadline is June 15, 2024 **
Please click on the following link and complete your Registration Online.
Please click to open the following link Google Form to print the registration and email or scan to tafiew1@gmail.com.
To receive your Registration form by mail, please send an email request to Velvet at tafiew1@gmail.com
Cost per person ** $25 per adult, $10 per Child under 18 **
suggested hotel accommodations
Hilton Garden Inn Camden Waterfront Philadelphia
1 Penn, Street, Camden, NJ 08102
10 ROOM BLOCKS AVAILABLE
DoubleTree by Hilton Cherry Hill Philadelphia
2349 Marlton Pike W, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002
Best Western Plus Philadelphia-Pennsauken Hotel
7050 Kaighns Ave, Pennsauken Township, NJ 08109
Holiday Inn Philadelphia-Cherry Hill
2175 Marlton Pike Rd West, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002
Family Footprints and our Family DNA
Our family footprints
let's get our DNA tested
let's get our DNA tested
As we walk through our life's journey, let us leave footprints for our future generations, not to tell them what to do, but to share our journey. It is important to continue to share and show what our family represents:
- love, hope, forgiving, healing and be good stewards in all that we do.
- who we are and never forgetting where we came from
As we walk through our life's journey, let us leave footprints for our future generations, not to tell them what to do, but to share our journey. It is important to continue to share and show what our family represents:
- love, hope, forgiving, healing and be good stewards in all that we do.
- who we are and never forgetting where we came from and to become who we are today.
- togetherness and dedication to continue our family legacy.
let's get our DNA tested
let's get our DNA tested
let's get our DNA tested
- Having a DNA test through 23andMe or Ancestry.com will open a whole new world! You're able to view your relatives you didn't know existed.
- You'll be amazed with your matches and wonder how you are connected. With 23andMe, it's easy to connect and communicate with your DNA matches via 23andMe's app without any extra costs.