Longshore Lamb Descendants Gather for Reunion and Honor War of 1812 Veteran Ancestor's Service

The fourth biennial Longshore and Sarah (Lee) Lamb family reunion was held on Saturday, Oct. 10 in Princeton, Ky. The family was among the first to settle in Caldwell County, after moving westward from South Carolina in 1809.

William Lamb and his wife, Rebecca Lamb

More than 30 descendants, representing eight states (Kentucky, Indiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, Michigan, Iowa, and Washington) traveled for the event. Since 2009, descendants have gathered in Caldwell County to explore the lineage of the Lamb family, from researching migration patterns from Swedish colonies to the New World, to reflecting on the western expansion of the Quaker family from Pennsylvania to South Carolina to Kentucky, to erecting memorial stones throughout the county. Years of research have culminated in a well-documented narrative of the family’s traditions and ways of life as they took up arms in war; struggled to find a place in the Quaker church; and reared their families on the fertile lands they called home.

Children of William Lamb and Rebecca Lamb

Pre-reunion events included an afternoon of genealogy research at Princeton’s Glenn E. Martin Genealogy Library and an evening dinner gathering.

On Saturday morning, a new granite memorial tombstone for War of 1812 veteran William Lamb and his wife, Rebecca, was unveiled at the Orange-Dorr cemetery by the reunion hosts, Linda Lamb Monticelli of Plymouth, MI, and Matthew T. Patton of Atlanta. Descendants of the Lamb family from across the country funded the large monument that includes the names of the couple’s children. During the ceremony, musical selections were provided by renowned artist Alonzo Pennington with beautiful renditions of “The Star Spangled Banner,” “The Battle of New Orleans,” and “Ashoken Farewell” on the mandolin.

After the graveyard ceremony, the family met at the Princeton Tourist Welcome Center for a catered Southern-style lunch. Attendees perused numerous map and presentations, including maps of South Carolina showing Lamb property; a 1681 map of Pennsylvania, detailing plots of land owned by Lamb ancestors; and a large version of Thomas Lamb’s last will and testament. Also on display were four museum-style storyboards chronicling the Lamb family’s colonization and daily life: “From Sweden to America”; “Quakers in Pennsylvania”; “The Lamb Family’s Routes Through America”; and “Union County, SC and the Quakers.” The hosts provided attendees with a 52-page souvenir genealogical reunion booklet.

Guest keynote speaker William Mulligan, PhD, a history professor at Murray State University, delivered an interesting view of the War of 1812 and its impacts, particularly on Kentuckians. The state provided more soldiers in the effort than any other, including the Kentucky Detached Militia, commanded by Lt. Col. William Mitchusson, whose regiment was present at the Battle of New Orleans. Dr. Mulligan’s analysis and assessment of the motivations for joining the war efforts were, as he explained, simply theory. He urged attendees to think about our ancestors' rationale and justification for going to war, but reminded the audience that such decisions should not be judged by later generations.

An afternoon of fellowship, comparing research notes and tips, and connecting with family members rounded out the reunion.