Arkansas Family Marks 150 Years of Annual Reunions

For 150 years, the Marks family has gathered in the same spot in rural Arkansas, and they have no plans to stop now.

On June 7, 45 descendants traveled from six states to celebrate their milestone 150th annual reunion at the historic Marks Cemetery near Kingsland. License plates from Arkansas, Texas, New York, Mississippi, Florida and Missouri filled the parking lot next to towering ancient cedars.

The tradition started in 1876 along the banks of the Saline River. Brothers John Harvie and Hastings Marks first settled the region after moving from Georgia in the 1830s, acquiring large landholdings across south-central Arkansas.

"So many reunions have dwindled and fallen by the wayside," said Mary Jo Westbrook, who publishes the family's quarterly newsletter. "We're glad we've been able to keep our family coming together year after year for a century and a half."

The gathering nearly disappeared decades ago when the cemetery grew so overgrown it was almost forgotten. Trees sprouted from graves, and headstones vanished beneath thick brush.

Then Clyde Marks Sr. decided to restore it. Neighbors told him it was impossible, but he proceeded anyway, clearing the grounds with help from fellow descendants around 1937. The reunion moved from the river to the restored cemetery and has thrived ever since.

The Ripple Effect

This year's turnout marks a heartening reversal. Only 12 family members made it in 2022, then 28 in 2024 and 37 in 2025. The jump to 45 this year shows younger generations embracing the tradition.

Robert Kresko, president of the Marks/Barnett Family Association, welcomed attendees with gratitude for the growing numbers. The family gathers on land that witnessed Civil War history, where their ancestors' home served as a makeshift hospital for wounded soldiers in 1864.

When a soft summer rain began during the blessing over lunch, everyone moved beneath shelter without missing a beat. Paper plates filled with fried chicken, apple dumplings, cornbread and mashed potatoes as stories flowed freely.

Edgar Colvin has attended for over 50 years and placed commemorative markers throughout the historic site. He shared how descendants wander among century-old headstones each year, connecting with ancestors who first settled the wilderness.

As afternoon faded and families departed, only birdsongs filled the quiet forest once more, already counting down to reunion number 151.