Isom-Cochraham Family Reunion, Established in August, 1939
The History of Our Family Reunion by Authored by Annie (Nan) Horton,
Alberta Gardner & Linda Pearl Jeter
Annie (Nan) Horton’s (aka Aunt Nan) father, (our Grandpa) Gordon David Isom, and her mother, Mollie Lee Isom, started the Harvest Picnic in August 1939.
- “Papa” as Nan called him, decided to celebrate the year’s good harvest by inviting all family and neighbors to share their bounty with each other at his farm located in Mooresburg, TN.
- A big meal was planned and everyone in the community was invited.
- Families shared watermelon, corn, and other recently harvested items.
- The meal also included fried chicken, potato salad, cakes, pies, and other items.
- The Harvest Picnic was such a success, Gordon and Mollie Isom hosted it again the next year.
- The Harvest Picnic soon became an annual event.
- When World War II started, the picnics stopped for a few years, but started again in the late 1940’s.
- In the following years, less neighbors came to the Harvest Picnics, but more family members came.
- Eventually the Harvest Picnic became known as the Isom Family Reunion.
- After the Isom Family moved to Russellville, TN, the reunion continued.
- Grandpa Isom’s three daughters, Ada Pearl, Rachel Lucille and Annie (Nan) continued hosting Isom Family Reunions every year during the 2nd weekend in August in the tradition of the Harvest Picnic.
- Large amounts of delicious home cooked food was prepared and served by the three Isom sisters, their children, grandchildren, and family friends.
- In addition, Gordon Isom’s son, Augustus Isom hosted a fish fry at his home in Russellville on the Friday night before the big picnic on Saturday.
- Uncle Gus’ “special recipe” was always served to adults in the back, after everyone dined on fish sandwiches and coleslaw. He hosted the Friday night fish fry until his death.
- Rach Isom continued the tradition of inviting all family members to the August reunion at the family farm in Russellville, TN until the late 1980’s when her health began to fail.
- Annie (Nan) Isom Galbraith Horton and her two youngest children, Stella and Jimmy, then took over and hosted the reunion in Rogersville, TN until the 1990’s.
- They also continued the traditional Friday night fish fry and held it at Billy G’s Fish Farm near Rogersville.
- By the late 1990’s, numerous family members had moved throughout the nation (California, Georgia, Virginia, and Ohio just to name a few states).
- Reunion attendance declined. Annie (Nan)’s daughter, Stella; and Pearl Isom Cochraham’s living daughters Clara, Agnes, Minnie, and Annette voted to continue the Isom Family Reunion tradition, but with a few twists.
- Starting in 2001, the reunion was to be rotated yearly between the seven Cochraham sister’s three home states: Tennessee, Ohio, and Virginia.
- The date of the reunion was changed from the 2nd weekend in August to the 2nd weekend in July in order to accommodate families traveling with children who had to return to school in August.
- It was very important to be consistent with the date of the reunion so family members could make travel plans.
- A third day was added to the 2-day reunion and family started arriving for the reunion on Thursday.
- And later, the last name “Cochraham” was added to the name of the reunion. In the mid 2000’s it became known as The Isom-Cochraham Family Reunion.
- Beginning in 2001, Pearl Cochraham’s grand-children and great-grandchildren have continued to rotate hosting the Isom-Cochraham Family Reunion every year.
- In memory and in honor of Grandpa Gordon Isom, all family members and family friends are invited to the event.
- Each reunion is hosted by Pearl Isom Cochraham’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren and a special aspect unique to our family, is that family members living in the host state provide meals for all out of town attendees.
- In Tennessee, all Isom relatives provide for the reunion. Nan Horton’s children and grandchildren continue to host the Friday fish fry in memory of Uncle Gus. Pearl Cochraham’s grandchildren host the Saturday meal.
- Our reunions today are very similar to the meal planning done many years ago at the first family, neighbors, and friends gathering.
We hope to honor and celebrate our ancestors and continue the original “Harvest Picnic” tradition for many, many years to come.