Our Second Veazey-Veasey Reunion

We toured "Old Mercer" the forerunner of Mercer University in Georgia that was founded by Rev. Jesse Mercer, who arrived in this neck of the woods at about the same time that the Veazey immigrants arrived. He was the founder of the Powelton Baptist Church where the Veazeys were members, deacons, and many entered the ministry themselves. I have always believed, with our Mercer ancestor, that there is a kinship to Rev. Jesse Mercer, but this remains one of our unsolved mysteries.

We toured Bethesda Baptist Church, where William Veazey and his wife Ann Umstead Veazey, were members. This church was also founded by Rev. Jesse Mercer and holds present day services in the original structure. We also toured the Kettle Creek Battlefield and viewed the marker for James Veazey, a Revolutionary War veteran. (A modern day question has arisen as to which of our James Veazeys actually fought in this battle, James the elder, or our mysterious James Veazey, Jr.?)

We toured the home of Alexander Hamilton Stephens, Vice President of the Confederacy. A Veazey kinsman? Not that we know of, BUT, Lionel Lincoln Veazey, editor of "The Little Fertilizer Book," was a scribe for A. H. Stephens. This helps to explain his beautiful script in outlining his ancestors and cousins in this little book. We enjoyed a Georgia Bar-B-Que lunch in the park on the grounds of this state historic site. We also went into the countryside to walk where we think the early Veazey family lived and walked. Some of these early pioneers are probably buried in unmarked graves in this vicinity.

The highlight of this weekend was probably the "Father's Day" church service at Powelton Baptist Church, led by our cousin, Rev. Terry Veazey, who sang for us and preached for us. A very memorable way to spend "Father's Day," to remember our earthly forefathers and our Heavenly Father. Approximately 180 cousins attended this reunion.

We were able to visit some long time friends in Georgia on this trip and our cousin, Eleanor, and her husband, Don, from California, attending their first reunion, made a stop in North Carolina so that we could tour the Veazey Ridge. Eleanor's brother had been stationed at Camp Butner during WWII, not knowing that his kinsmen and ancestors had lived on that land.

Wayne and I had made our first visit to Veazey, Georgia, in April of 1987, when we just turned off the Interstate to visit the place on the Georgia map called "Veazy." We didn't find a sign depicting this place but did discover a cousin, whose son had restored the homeplace of Pryor Gardner Veazey. She gave me eough information to get me started on this Georgia branch of the family.