67th ANNUAL ASSOCIATION MEETING Sept 11, 2016 with dinner at 1 p.m and service to follow at 2. Please make plans to stay for the business meeting. You will learn about the research that has been going on concerning some who are buried in the cemetery. Typical business meetings can be boring, but you never know what’s going to transpire with the one at RRMH. It can really be a lot of fun. The business meeting is open to everyone who attends the dinner and service. If you are in attendance, you are considered a member and your vote is appreciated.
Our speaker this year is Rick Gregory. Rick and his wife Patt, live on an 80-acre farm in Adams, Ten. His father’s people came from a farm between Auburn & Franklin. They lived on a farm that straddled the Simpson County, Kentucky & Robertson County, Tenn. border. They went to bed in one state and ate breakfast in another. His mother’s people came to Robertson County on a Revolutionary War grant in 1804. He has an M.A. & Ph.D. in history from Vanderbilt University. He wrote his doctoral dissertation on the Dark Fired Planters Protection Association and the Tobacco Night Riders. He also co-authored Home of the World’s Finest: A History of Robertson County Tennessee. He has an abiding love for local history, especially the area
drained by the Red River Watershed.
RESTROOMS ARE READY: If your group or church would like to use the restroom facilities the policy is $100 to rent; and $100 cleaning deposit, which you will get back if facilities are clean upon inspection. Write two checks to Red River Meeting House. Application form is on the website: www.rrmh.org or contact Richard Moore 270-539-6528.
A FRIEND TO RRMH, Nancy Watson passed away in February. Her husband Tim played his horn at our annual dinner/meetings while people walked from the dinner to the meetinghouse. Their shop, Country Angel, held special days during the Christmas season for several years to support the restrooms that have recently been completed.
TOBACCO FESTIVAL PLANNING COMMITTEE is looking at a new way to give their cemetery tour this year and was wondering if any reenactors would be interested in helping? They are wanting people to play the part of the person whose grave is being visited. This person would be dressed in period clothing and giving the information in first person, portraying the deceased individual. Please call Karen Logan at 270-726-2206 for more information. The Tobacco and Heritage Festival will be taking place Oct 1-8, 2016.
Since our event will not be during the Tobacco Festival, we have opportunity to be in the parade on Oct. 8. If you are interested in attending the parade with us, please call Tom Ruley at 270-586-7632. This would give us two opportunities to publicize our event which will be the following weekend.
21st ANNUAL PRIMITIVE CAMPMEETING AND RENDEZVOUS in the 21ST CENTURY: Oct. 14-16, starting at 9 a.m on Friday and concluding with the Sunday morning service. Plans are underway for the fall event. A wedding will take place on Saturday evening at 6. Dennis Nie will be speaking on Friday night at 7 and Derek Guyer will be speaking on Sunday morning at 10. Coy's BBQ will be our food vendor. The theme is “Family.” See website: www.rrmh.org for finalized times, speakers and activities.
In 1996 this event was started with a vision to inform the public of the 1800 revival and to hopefully plant a seed for a new awakening in people's hearts. It still remains the main historical reenacting event at Red River and the largest. Our living history event includes people camping on the grounds in canvas tents much like they would have in 1800, cooking over open fires and dressing in the same manner. We also have an auction on Saturday at 1 p.m with all proceeds going to the upkeep of the meeting house and grounds. History lessons will be presented on Friday at 2 p.m and Saturday at 10 a.m.
FOUNDER of the McPHERSON MEMORIAL SERVICE has passed away. Alan Stanley was one of our earlier reenactors and he was the first to conduct the service in the cemetery and read in Gaelic for us. He was such a vital part of the McPherson (Gaelic) memorial. He has been unable to attend our events for many years now and we have truly missed him and his family.
SCHOCHOH CHRISTMAS PARADE AND CANDLELIGHT SERVICE at RRMH will be Dec. 4. Our reenactors usually participate in the parade and there will be a Christmas service at the meetinghouse at 4 p.m.
8TH ANNUAL BLANKET TRADE DAY was April 1-3 This event was not advertised to the public so our participants could relax and fellowship. It was a very enjoyable weekend.
This was a time of sharing and learning; an indepth teaching on clothing by Janae Leeke, the annual Round Robin game, a memorial service for Steve Lashlee and a wonderful service officiated by Parson John on Sunday morning. It was a special weekend.
Weather was a bit wild on Saturday night, but God protected all the people and camps, even when a tree fell near the church.
REGULAR SERVICES AT RRMH: Since 2008, services have been taking place at 3 p.m. on the 1st Sunday of each month. It is a time of prayer, devotion/preaching and fellowship at the Red River Meetinghouse. You may contact Tom Ruley at 270-586-7632 or Richard Moore at 270-539-6528 for further information.
Bro. Johnnie Baldwin is holding church services at the meetinghouse every Sunday at 9 a.m. You may contact him at 270-847-5212 for further information.
*Both of these services are open to the public to attend at whatever time is convenient for the individual.
Terri Holliday, owner of The Grapevine, in Adairville, (10 a.m until 4 p.m-Tuesday through Saturday) will have some of our mementos for sale. These include the Christmas ornament, wooden block collectible, notecards, etc. The proceeds from these items help to support the upkeep of the meetinghouse and cemetery. When people come to visit the meetinghouse, this gives them the opportunity to visit her store and gives the visitor a chance to purchase and support our site. Adairville is only approximately five miles southwest of the meetinghouse and cemetery. Our appreciation goes out to Terri Holliday for allowing us this opportunity.
Our cemetery has approximately 400 graves (the open area has missing tombstones) and is a beautiful, historical place to visit. There are pamphlets for a self-guided cemetery tour on the back of the wooden kiosk as you enter from the parking lot. Thanks to Darlynn Moore who put this together and is adding #26 Private John Jefferson Grayson on our new pamphlets.
PRESIDENT'S CORNER: We have been so blessed with not only rain this summer, but with the flooding of folks coming and using the Red River Meetinghouse and restroom facilities. We are thankful for the interest and support. It is such a good feeling to have our restroom facilities up and flushing and better yet, paid for. We had several groups already to come and use these for revival and meetings. Now for the picnic pavilion to be added, which would be a valuable asset for its availability for people, families, church groups and especially school children of all ages. I would like to ask each of you reading this newsletter to pray and ask the Lord what you could give toward this next worthy project. By the way, the next time it rains, thank the Lord for his wonderful blessings.
Just a thought: Some people give every year on the anniversary of their loved one passing. Thank you so much for your continued support.
Appreciation to our webmaster, Matthew Ruley, for his excellent work on our website: www.rrmh.org, to Hillvue Heights Church in Bowling Green for the use of their copy machine, and thanks to the Logan County Tourism Commission for their help in paying for our pamphlets. Please note on your check what project you are donating to (pavilion, postage, state markers or meetinghouse repairs). You can also donate on the website www.rrmh.org through the PayPal account. Donations are greatly appreciated and are tax deductible.