Family Reunion: Toombs Time!

Summertime, especially July, is a popular time for family reunions. It coincides with the shared memories of young people who had the privilege of regular interactions with grandparents while providing the same opportunity for their children and grandchildren. It is an opportunity to socialize, reconnect with extended family, and remember those who are not sharing this living space anymore.

The 1977 televised adaptation of the Alex Haley book Roots, written about the history of his family going back to the time of slavery, is seen as a catalyst for the expansion of the idea of a family reunion.

My position of genealogy and local history specialist with the public library for twenty-one years allows me a firsthand view of the variety and expectation of family plans to gather and celebrate family. The emotion of library patrons who come into the Research Room at the Roberts Library to confirm and discover family details is satisfying to see.

I began my journey of documenting my family history with the Little Rock public library. The exit of my grandmother from this space is when my mother’s youngest sister stated her doubt that her mother knew her family history or had rather simply made it up. The library helped me confirm details I’d retained while living in this world with her. Documentation of facts shared by my grandmother convinced that aunt to encourage me to apply for the position of assistant genealogist when it was published in the local newspaper.

Last week we gathered to participate in our family reunion. It was held in Little Rock, the city my grandfather’s father, Knoxie Toombs, called home in the 1890s. My grandfather’s grandfather is Richard Toombs, a Civil War veteran who moved from Memphis to Solgohachia, Arkansas, in the 1860s. The focus was on those of us connected to Willie Toombs and the three women he was married to throughout his life: Adeana Butler, Myrtle Mae Phifer, and Lillie Stewart. My grandfather experienced a divorce, the death of his first-born son, the death of his second spouse with whom he’d experienced the death of another son, and an extended marriage with his third wife. Fourteen of sixteen children lived to adulthood.

My exploration of the documented facts cleared up my understanding of the relationship between Adeana and Lillie. As a child, I’d thought they were family members or best friends because of my observation of their interactions with each other. When I attended St. Bartholomew Catholic School, I knew Ms. Adeana was my “safe space” if I needed one. She lived a couple of blocks from the school.

As we gathered in July in the name of Willie Toombs, I realized that those in the room were all connected to this one person. Children of all three wives and of Preston Toombs, first cousin of Willie and grandson of Richard, gathered from around the country to celebrate the love we had experienced and the motivation born in us because we were taught not to give up on our future.

The committee that took on the task of planning, organizing, and implementing the schedule for this four-day celebration is an example of the love taught by our ancestors. They refused to be defeated by anyone or anything that would disrupt or alter the planned festivities. They hosted family from Maryland, Virginia, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas, California, and Arkansas. Activities allowed participation for those under age five to those over age eighty.

The emotion of the weekend leaked from eyes at the last formal gathering for a group meal. The memory of this weekend will be shared with future generations because a younger generation stepped into leadership roles to serve and celebrate their ancestral connections.

Call us or come see us in the Research Room to start or continue your own family research. Visit the CALS website (opens in new window) for Roberts Library visiting information (opens in new window). We also have many genealogy resources online.

Rhonda Stewart is the genealogy and local history specialist for the Central Arkansas Library System’s Butler Center for Arkansas Studies, housed in the CALS Bobby L. Roberts Library of Arkansas History & Art.