New Jersey Family Keeps 85-Year Reunion Tradition Alive

At 94 years old, Annabelle Nanton has never missed a single Bell-Brown family reunion since the very first one in 1941, when she was just a little girl standing beside her great-grandmother Ella.

Last Saturday, Nanton was one of 200 family members who gathered at Donaldson Park in Highland Park, New Jersey, for the 85th anniversary of their annual tradition. Some traveled from California, Florida, and Colorado just to be there.

The reunion celebrates the legacy of Ella Bell and Joseph Benjamin Brown, who married in Georgia in 1905, moved to New Jersey in 1923, and raised seven children in New Brunswick. Their love story has now blossomed into 462 descendants spanning six generations.

"The best part is seeing the faces come and see how they change from one year to another, how they mature and grow up," Nanton said. "They run toward you with their arms out. It's really nice."

The air filled with the aroma of burgers on the grill and the sound of family stories being swapped under shaded tents. Bill Epps took over grilling duties from his late father William, showing how traditions get passed down alongside the spatula.

Sunny's Take

Food and laughter brought everyone together, but it's the stories that kept them there. Under the shade of a tent, Miss Ann shared memories of her grandmother Ella and her mother's brave move to Harlem decades ago, while younger generations listened with wide eyes.

Cousin E'onja Brown Lawson has spent decades researching the family tree as a genealogist. Her work goes beyond just names and dates, breathing life into ancestors and helping younger family members understand where they come from.

The reunion happens every August, a time when uncles, aunts, grandchildren, and cousins reconnect and watch the family grow. Each year brings new babies, new stories, and new memories built on 85 years of tradition.

Nanton remains the last living person from that original 1941 photograph, a living bridge between the family's past and its future. Her presence reminds everyone that showing up matters, year after year.