FAMILY REUNION HISTORY

  The History of the Moreland Family Reunion

Ethel Benford, one of Pete and Nanny's 11 children, would get together with her daughter and son-in-law, Virginia and Marshall Hyson on Saturday to visit her sister Orene and her husband Frank Hall  in Clifton Texas. They would alternate weekends and had so much fun, that Ethel thought it would be good to include others in the family to get together. The request was welcomed and the gatherings started on the 19th of June 1962. Word has it that some family members did not like to associate the reunion with Juneteenth, so Ethel helped to solve the problem by asking everyone if it was ok to move the reunion to the Saturday before Mother's Day. They all agreed and started to spread the word to as many family members as possible.

The reunion started to be held at Lover's Leap in Cameron Park in Waco, Texas. The reunion were held there in Waco until the 1999. In the year 2000, the reunion was held in Temple, TX for the first time.  A rotation was started to help make it easier for family members who live in other parts of Texas to attend. Now we have the reunion in Waco every other year to commemorate where it started, and in different cities in Texas on the even numbered years. We started the rotation in Temple because that is where Pete and Nanny lived and also because that is where the oldest living relative at that time lived, Arthur Moreland.

For many years the reunion was know as the Benford reunion since Ethel Benford (Big momma) started it. However, over the years even though Ethel started it, all of the descendants of Pete and Nanny Moreland began to attend the reunion. Since Ethel was a Moreland first, and all of the folks that attend are from Pete and Nanny Moreland, then the reunion has been called the Moreland reunion to reflect that. All friends and family are welcome at our reunions. There is always plenty to eat and the pot luck style has never failed us.  We hope to see you at the next reunion.

Reunion Location History *After 2000 on odd numbered years the reunion is    held in Waco, TX.
Year	Location
1960	Clifton, TX
1962-1999	Waco, TX
2000	Temple, TX
2002	San Antonio, TX
2004	Dallas, TX
2006	Austin, TX
2008	Houston, TX