TSS News

The Ninth National Stidham* Family Reunion

This year's gathering will be held in Wilmington, Delaware, June 26-28, 2009, and celebrated as the place of origin for Stidhams* in America, it's always one of our favorite cities to hold our now biennial reunions.

Our reunion headquarters will be the Brandywine Suites Hotel, 707 North King Street in downtown Wilmington. We have reserved a block of suites for the special family reunion rate of just $99 per night (regular price is $189). Reserve your room by calling 800-756-0070 or 302-656-2459.

Reunion fees are $80 per adult and $60 per child under age 12. Fees include a Timen Stiddem Society lapel pin, a set of “Experience New Sweden” note cards, reunion T-shirt; Friday night snacks, Saturday bus tour (including a box lunch); and Saturday night banquet.  Note: These fees also apply to families living in the area who will be taking the Saturday bus tour and attending the evening banquet.  For special circumstances or more information, contact: David Stidham, 615-791-9094 or stiddemdavid@aol.com.

The reunion gets underway informally on Friday evening at the hotel, where light refreshments will be available and a chance to catch up with distant cousins you haven't seen since our last gathering in Nashville, Kentucky, back in 2007.

Saturday is our big day with a guided bus tour to many of the New Sweden sites in the Delaware River Valley important to the Stidham* family, including a brief stop at 14th and Poplar (now Clifford Brown Walk and 15th Streets), where Timen Stiddem's home once stood.

Saturday evening, our always-popular banquet and auction will be back in full swing at the Brandywine Suites Hotel, where local New Sweden ambassador, Aleasa Hogate, has a fine program prepared to educate and entertain us.

Sunday morning we're back in informal mode as many meet for breakfast for one last time together on their own, while others prepare for the trip back home, wherever it may be across the U.S. of A. Tip: If you haven't had the experience before, you may want to take the time to go to the Sunday morning service at Old Swedes Church where our forefathers took Communion before us, many centuries ago. Click on the link below to download a registration form to fill out and mail back with your payment.

See you soon—in Wilmington!

Reunion Registration Form

The Board of Directors has voted to postpone the Stidham* Family Reunion scheduled for August 1-3 this summer until next year (date yet to be determined) when several items of historicial importantance to the family should be completed. Here they are:

Number one is the placement of a historical marker at 14th and Poplar (now known as Clifford Brown Walk) designating the site of Timen Stiddem’s home. We’re trying to work that out with the local authorities at this time, but know realistically that it won’t be ready this summer.

Group tours site of the Crane Hook Church Monument in 2007. TSS members are:
David Stidham (first on the left) and Garet Gunther (third from left).
New Sweden Centre representative Aleasa Hogate (forth from left).

Number two is the relocation of the Crane Hook Church Monument to a site accessible to the public. It currently sits on private property in the middle of an industrial area.

Third is correction of the “Old Mill Stone” historical marker on the Brandywine River, which currently carries inaccurate information regarding the Stedham family mill.

The completion of all three projects before our next reunion will make it that much more enjoyable when do we return to the city.

Old Mill Stone historical marker on the Brandywine river.

Another big reason to delay our reunion is the fact that next year the Swedish Colonial Society will be celebrating their 100th anniversary, and it would be nice to take part as a group in some of their events. One of those may include the presence of the King and Queen of Sweden, High Patrons of the SCS, and it would be great if we could lend our support in honoring them for their continued interest in New Sweden. If the Royal Family does make it next year, it would be during festivites held in October. An alternative date could be March 29th of 2009, Swedes Landing Day and SCS Forefathers Luncheon. As in other years, we could simply keep it in the middle of summer when more families have vacation time to spend.

If you're a member of the Society and would like to express your opinion as to when we should hold next year's reunion, send an email to Richard Steadham, TSS President, and let him know your thoughts on the rescheduling.

The Board has also voted on a new scheduling format for all future Stidham* Family Reunions sponsored by the TSS, which will now take place every other year. It goes as follows: Beginning in 2009 and every fourth year thereafter, the TSS will hold a Family Reunion in Wilmington, Delaware, site of this family’s origin in America. Every other odd year, the Society will hold a Family Reunion at any other location agreed upon by a majority of Board Members, with input from the general membership. As an example: 2009 in Wilmington, 2011 in Dallas, 2013 in Wilmington, 2015 in Atlanta, 2017 in Wilmington, 2019 in Seattle, etc. This way we don’t wear out our welcome in Wilmington, but return often enough to give new members—and interested old timers—the opportunity of being there as an organized group with privileges accorded our standing in the historical community.