The purpose of a family reunion is to see the family members that you have not seen in ages, meet new members of the family, visit and hug. Bonds should be strengthened. Opportunities should be provided to learn more about family history, share photos and stories. Play, dance, and eat together. Renew and recharge our family strength. Make some research goals and assignments, perhaps set up scholarships, present ideas for family monuments and awards, and decide on materials that can be gifted to libraries, museums, etc.
Outward appearances would indicate that some of those activities occurred at Chandler. However, underneath the goodwill and enjoyment shared by the majority of the attendees, I felt the Family Reunion, for this writer, was one of the less pleasant experiences of my life.
On Friday, October 21, 2005, after registration and general mingling, the adult members of the family, fewer than 50, gathered in the Relief Society room to discuss the Orson Pratt Brown Family Organization Articles of Association and By-laws. Before the discussion commenced, S. Gustavo Brown came before the group to state that he had tried to persuade Dr. Otto Shill II, a descendant of Marguerite Webb Brown, to be the chairman for the next Reunion which he had determined would "be held in Lehi, Arizona, just a few miles from here". A presentation was then awarded to Gustavo for all his years of determination and service in leading the OPB Family Reunion effort. Gustavo was very touched by the award and holding up the framed certificate, remarked that this token recognition for his work made his efforts all worthwhile.
I was reminded about how OPB was described by his peers as a "forceful character" and thought how many of his children and grandchildren had inherited this trait to varying degrees. Gustavo has been very ill and had been in a coma for 45 days just two days before the Reunion. What great drive and strength he has exhibited in attending both days of the Reunion. Though we may not always agree with him or his methods we have to recognize and applaud his dedication to family gatherings and his support of the preservation of family history. He has completed his biography to be released after his death.
At the Friday meeting Jim Klein made very inappropriate remarks because of his disagreement with, and his concern over, the ever-growing content on the www.OrsonPrattBrown.org website. His remarks began an argument that was time-consuming during this precious family organization meeting, and tainted the feeling of bonding among the embarrassed attendees. For this I apologize. I kept raising my hand to attempt to get back on the topic of the Articles and By-laws but Steve would not call on me. Finally I had to blurt out my objection to being referred to by Jim Klein, as having low or no morals for my work on the website, as opposed to his "high morals".
The feelings in the room were so negative that dear Liz Jennings stood up in front of the room and nearly in tears asked us to consider what we were there for, to strengthen family ties, to share family history, to grow in an atmosphere of love. Nubia then wanted to say a few words and Liz translated for her. Her message was the same as Liz's, stop the squabbling, lots of effort has been made to provide this Reunion, and that the purpose was to unite the family.
As a result the Articles and By-laws were not discussed in any detail, but my suggestion to form intra-family groups to locate family members, keep a family book of remembrance, update the family contact directory, etc. was generally approved. Steve instructed everyone to nominate and vote on family representatives during the picnic and free time on Saturday. Then we were dismissed for dinner.
That night and the next morning a group of Gabaldón family members met to go over the Articles and By-laws. We are very grateful to John Klein for laying the foundation for a better Family Organization. We found some questionable items and other items were not detailed enough. We typed up our suggestions on Saturday and made copies that we distributed to adult members at the Saturday meeting. The Articles of Association-By-laws, and some Comments are found at www.OrsonPrattBrown.org/Articles see the website MENU. Please take some time to go over them and then share your thoughts with John Klein. No mention was made of a time frame for input and editing. December 31, 2005 sounds reasonable.
At the Saturday 4:00 pm adult meeting we were treated to a 85 minute digitized narrated "slide" type presentation of the Life of Orson Pratt Brown. It was truly wonderful. Jim Klein narrated and Justin and Tamara Anderson put the presentation together in ten days from family materials Jim Klein gathered and organized. We were all so thrilled to finally see some results after so many years of anticipation. Steve Petrie said that he could hardly wait to get his and go home to watch the whole thing again. Hopefully, since it just takes minutes to burn a DVD, the narrated presentation will be mailed to all the families by Christmas 2005.
Jim received applause for his work and Steve made a big fuss over him. It was a nice effort. The family will be greatly enhanced by having this presentation on DVD available to share with their families. But after over two hours viewing and discussing and praising Jim for his narrated "slide" presentation, there was no mention made of the other resources that have been provided for the benefit and strengthening of the family by other individuals.
When the last frame of the presentation appeared it read approximately: "Copyright owned by O. James Klein" there were several exclamatory gasps from the audience. How can Jim Klein claim sole ownership of the various and many family items that were shared with him? There was much individual discussion about this during dinner. [See October 25 note below.]
Then "a gift" of a copy of a CD with some family pictures and biographies was distributed to the forty or so adults in the room. We were again asked to sign up for a book that is to be printed in the next few months, cost around $50. to $60. Even though 90% of the same material, plus a lot more, and continual updates are available on the www.OrsonPrattBrown.org website, the published book is authored by numerous family members and will be a great addition to our family libraries and a nice tribute to Orson, his wives, and his children. Also many folks prefer to read history in hardcopy format.
With all that being said, I felt personally slighted after working on the www.OrsonPrattBrown.org website since 2001 and struggling to get anyone who is purported to being a family leader to recognize this contribution or mention it in family communications or meetings. Also it was remiss that The Brown Family chief and proprietary researchers Erold Wiscombe, Joan Clark, Belva Moyle, and several others, were not given any recognition, mention, or gratitude for their many efforts. For twenty or so years, Erold Wiscombe has researched and written much of the material now considered Brown Family History. Much of his work is on the OPB website. Presently Erold is working on the first draft of the 700+ page book chock full of genealogy about Captain James Brown, Orson Pratt Brown and their descendants. Erold already published in 1986 a 691 page book "The Brown Family: - The Descendants of Daniel Brown and Elizabeth Stephens." I think that to not acknowledge Erold's tremendous contribution and body of work is both irresponsible and questions Jim's "high moral standards" that he attributes to himself, as he has been the dominant benefactor of Erold's research.
Beginning around June 2004 and in the weeks just before this Reunion, I have been the recipient of some mean-spirited, demanding emails from Jim Klein, to remove photos, etc from the OrsonPrattBrown.org website that I had gathered and posted, Jim was claiming his sole rights to family photos and biographical information. Jim had solicited family history, genealogy, photos, documents, and personal biographies from me, and many family members, from near and far, for a number of years. Many folks have loaned their family materials for use in a OPB Family book, movie, website, or CD for distribution and use by the family as a whole. We did not understand nor agree that our family contributions would now be copyrighted in one individual's name.
During Saturday's dinner some names were bandied about as representatives, partly because in several cases only one or so members of a family were present. No voting took place, neither did any resolution on the Organization Articles or By-laws. The www.OrsonPrattBrown.org website was finally given mention. Somehow, sometime, perhaps the spirit of sharing will replace penurious copyrights and then bonds can be strengthened. OPB descendants are nearing two thousand in number. We missed the Romney families, only J. Gordon Brown, Jim W. & Joyce Brown with daughter-in-law and grandson in tow attended from that family. We missed the Pauly G. Brown /Bowman families, only Richard and his new bride Dawn attended. We missed the Macdonald family, we were so happy to see J. Duncan and his wife Joan, and his sister, Beverly E. Brown and her husband Bob Kennedy in attendance. We missed the Galbraith clan, but as always our dear Martha Brown Davis and her husband Hurvie brought some joy to the gathering. The Skousen's were represented by John Klein and families, Michael and Shirley Klein, Jim Klein and families, and Steve Petrie and his hard-working family.
The balance of the attendees were the Gabaldon's, Gustavo and Nubia with around fifteen family members. Also in attendance were Mary and Elmer and daughter, Aron Brown, Arlene and Stormy Shepherd, Clay and Lucy Archer with son Michael Murphy, and brothers George and Jeffrey Ferrara. I hope I haven't forgotten anyone. See photos at http://www.OrsonPrattBrown.org/2005/2005Reunion-pictures.html .
We owe so much gratitude to Carol Langford Petrie and her daughters. They are real champs! Carol sewed tablecloths and made decorations, and attended to many details. The girls provided nursery and childcare during both days so parents would be free to participate in family business and to socialize. The girls also performed clean up and kitchen duty with smiles and great attitudes. We know Steve worked very intensely to bring off a good Reunion. A hug from him included steam. Thank you Petrie's so much for all your efforts on behalf of the Brown Family Reunion.
NOTE:
In the interest of not passing on misinformation I think it is necessary to review some errors contained in the narrated "slide" presentation. Jim Klein announced that Family members have until November 30, 2005 for corrections and edits. He stated that the OPB book would then take 60 to 90 days to publish. So please go over your CD presentation and review it for corrections. We want the final draft to be as error-free as possible.
These are the corrections that I noted during the viewing on Saturday:
- the photo of the woman alleged to be Phebe Abbott, OPB's mother, is most likely Celestia Jane Stephens who married Nephi Francis Brown. Jane is in a photo that may be the Ovid Foy family (Ovid is the grandfather of Georgiana Foy who is Grant Galbraith Brown's first wife). We are not sure what the connection is of the Abbott's, Stephens, and Foys, we are working on it. Martha Davis received her copy from Donald Brown who received it from Grant Brown. The Layton family has provided a photo of Phebe Abbott and there are other photos and a letter with her signature, etc., at http://www.OrsonPrattBrown.org/phebe-journals.html
- The man presented as Colonel William Nicol Fife, from the above photo, may be Ovid Foy, or may be a Stephens. Still working on identification. Colonel William Nicol Fife can be found at http://www.OrsonPrattBrown.org/Fife/WmNicolFife1831-1915.html
-The story of the Mormon Battalion being recruited from the emigrating Saints seems to be flawed. It appears to say that the government victimized the desperate families, when in fact Brigham Young sent Jesse Lytle to Washington to ask President Polk to recruit maybe as many as a thousand Mormon men. This was a plan to have the men who were going west anyway to be paid by the U.S. Army for their efforts. The first funds collected by Parley P. Pratt and the funds later collected by Captain James Brown were a great boon to the migrating Mormons. See at : http://www.OrsonPrattBrown.org/MormonBattalion/battalion-story.html
-If I am remembering the Jim Goss story, as presented by the "slide" presentation, correctly it seems it has Orson at the scene of the hanging. Was he there or not? Need to check bios.
-Also the story of the murder at Oak Grove ranch of Aunt Diana Fife has Orson at the hanging. My recollection of Orson's biographies, and in the later case the Fife biography, is that Orson was not present but that he arrived after the fact. In the later case he heard about the hanging from neighbors and as he rode around a hill he "saw the biggest acorn hanging from that tree that he had ever seen." Further, I remember he stated in his journals that he was grateful that he had never had to take a life, other than in open combat situations. Need to find the exact quotes on this.
- A minor point - when listing the wives of Captain James Brown the list seems to end at Sarah Steadwell the fourth wife, correctly CJB had thirteen wives. See list on the website.http://www.OrsonPrattBrown.org/WivesandChildren/CJB-wives-children.html
It is not expected that any work by one or more persons will be flawless. I know I have made my share of errors on the website but as soon as I find an error I can correct it right away. That is one of the benefits of Internet sites.
What really made me the saddest on Saturday was the knowledge that if family members working on the same history had conferred together then the above errors, which now will most likely be perpetuated in one way or other since fifty copies are in circulation, even if corrected in future editions, could have been averted. The accuracy and quality would have been enhanced, and the duplicity of effort, if otherwise directed, would have garnered so much more information. Erold always says, "Many hands make light work."
I want to thank the many family members who saw my distress and comforted me with thanks for a great website. Sharing your experiences from reading the materials gathered, for your information and insight, was so terrific. I began my research and the OPB website because I needed to learn and know who I was and many of you have the same need, which can be fulfilled in part by the material on this website. Thank you to all the family members that did share their stories and pictures with me and the several who shared new materials for the website during this weekend. New bonds were made and are greatly appreciated.
COPYRIGHT CLARIFIED ……………………...………………….October 25, 2005
I called the LDS Church Family History Support to inquire whether a family member can copyright family photos, biographies, stories, documents, etc. They informed me that a person can only copyright original works. This right is exclusive to how he has arranged and selected the work. Family members can take out individual items for use in other mediums and works. I am not sure why Jim has been so adamant about publishing his copyright on family materials or why he has taken heat about it yet not clarified the true situation. I wonder if it is a smoke screen to discourage others and me from gathering and using family information to produce other materials.
SHARED CORRECTIONS...................................................................October 27, 2005
I have sent the above list of corrections for the narrated presentation that I caught during last Saturday's viewing to Steve Petrie. If a preview copy had been given to me perhaps I couild have caught a few more errors before publication. Feelings aside I think it is necessary and important that we help to produce and present the most accurate information available to the family.
I have been so sick and upset by the named events that I forgot another slight. I had been asked to help with the ice breaker games at the two dinners. I had emailed a list of games and how to play them prior to the reunion. Upon arriving at the Friday Reunion I was occupied in the foyer giving people their name tags and checking arrivees off the reservation list. I had mentioned that I had misplaced the games but I found the list and rules before the dinner began on Friday and placed the large bags of candy I had purchased for prizes in the kitchen.
At the beginning of Saturday's dinner another person was given the microphone and took up quite a bit of time to introduce the various families, so the ice-breakers were not given an introduction or time on either night, all my preparations were a waste of my time. It is just as well, I was too agitated to be in a festive mood by the end of the family meeting, and as my brother Jeffrey said to me later regarding the events at the beginning of this report, "I have never seen you so upset in my whole life, not that I can blame you. Those people really gave you a bad rap."
ORSON PRATT BROWN WEBSITE HOMEPAGE
