Highlights of the Bushnell Reunion, July 5 – 8  2007

       After three years in the planning, all lineages from Francis Bushnell came together in Connecticut for a four-day reunion, which turned out to be an outstanding success.  Nearly 120 Bushnells and their families converged in Connecticut, where Francis Bushnell landed in 1639 and helped found the town of Guilford.  Many generations later, our Reunioneers, descendants of his children, met to honor their forbearers and learn more about all the families in those interim years.

      Since nearly everyone brought along their own genealogical records, many gaps were filled in, in the course of those four days; much to their delight and adding greatly to the joy of meeting heretofore unknown family members.

        The Marriott Hotel in Rocky Hill, Connecticut was where the out-of-towners stayed and served as our headquarters.  The first official day, Thursday, July 5, was when people arrived, checked in, picked up their name tag and spent the rest of the time meeting other Bushnells and setting up their display materials.  Undoubtedly it was a congregation of the happiest and most joyful people imaginable.

     Early Friday morning we boarded buses for the Bushnell Park in nearby Hartford for the dedication of a stately Weeping Norway Spruce tree, purchased for the park by donations from the Bushnell Family members. At its base is  a plaque denoting it as our gift to the park and to Hartford.  The park was named for Horace Bushnell, who persevered until the city of Hartford agreed to buy what was a slum area and turn it into the first public park in America , in the mid-1800’s.  It is because of Horace’s contributions to Hartford during his tenure as pastor of the North Congregational Church that it was decided to hold the reunion in the Hartford area.  It would serve as the hub of our visits to other places where Bushnells were prominent. 

     Many years later, Horace’s daughter, Dotha Bushnell Hillyer further honored her father by funding The Bushnell Performing Arts Theater nearby.  This is where we went for lunch after the program in Bushnell Park.  State Senator Andrew Roraback honored us with his presence, where he informed us of how many Bushnells had served in the Connecticut Legislature and presented us with a gubernatorial proclamation signed by Governor Rell proclaiming our four days there as official Bushnell Days in Connecticut.  We then toured the two-theater facility before boarding our buses back to the hotel. 

     That same evening we had a banquet in the hotel ballroom, with no entertainment plans other than to get better acquainted. Each family group told a bit about how they got to where they now live, from their roots in Connecticut, along with other bits of interesting events in their lineage.  

     On Saturday we again boarded buses for more heritage touring in both Guilford and Essex, along the southern coast of Connecticut. The Whitfield Museum in Guilford was built by the founding fathers, including Francis, as a defense structure and home of the leader, Rev. Henry Whitfield.  They had actual Bushnell articles of clothing on display for us.  That museum is the oldest structure in all of New England.  A replica of David Bushnell’s “Turtle” is in the Connecticut River Museum in Essex, where a docent gave us a detailed talk about its development and purpose. 

    The buses took us to the Bushnell Farm in Old Saybrook for lunch that day.  Box Lunches were eaten in the shade of trees while we heard about the house, which we then toured.  

     On Sunday a bus took us to East Hartland to attend a service in the church that Daniel Bushnell built in 1801-2.  He also built the pews, which are still in use. As we rolled into town that perfect Sunday morning, we saw a huge banner across the porch of their parish house announcing “Welcome Bushnells.”  We were further welcomed by the parishioners and minister who lined the walk into the lovely church. During the service, the minister mentioned several times that he attributed much of the success of their little community to Bushnells who lived there at the time of the Revolutionary War.   Shortly after that war, many families, including Bushnells, left to head out west. 

     Following the church service, we were invited to their Parish House for refreshments.  That turned out to be tables laden with delicious luncheon food which we greatly enjoyed since it had been a long time since breakfast.  Then they even put a box of cookies on the bus taking us back to the hotel.  We were quite overwhelmed by their hospitality. 

     We all agreed, it was the perfect culmination of a wonderful reunion.  Everyone also agreed that there should be another one---someday, someplace---which will have to evolve over the next couple of years. 

     Susan Troub’s son, Robert was there with an associate to film it, onto a DVD.  If you are interested in ordering one for $50, contact Robert at rdtroub14@aol.com  It should be ready sometime this fall.

Kitty Dye,  Coordinator