[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 105 (Tuesday, July 8, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1111]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              HONORING THE CARPENTER/WALDEN FAMILY REUNION

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                            HON. DAVID SCOTT

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 8, 2014

  Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
the Carpenter/Walden Family Reunion, and I ask that my colleagues join 
me in honoring this wonderful occasion. This reunion affirms the 
importance of family gatherings, drawing together relatives from 
Atlanta and as far away as Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, 
Pennsylvania, Baltimore, Washington, DC, North Carolina, South 
Carolina, and Virginia. They are continually reaching out for more 
relatives to come from all parts of the United States to reunite for a 
weekend of activities to reconnect and celebrate the meaning of 
``Family.''
   The Carpenter family celebrates the matrimonial union of Pason 
Carpenter (born 1828) to his wife, who predeceased him, and from this 
union, nine children were born and raised by his second wife, 
Henrietta. From this union, there have been at least 100 direct 
descendants and hundreds of other relatives who bear the Surnames of 
Carpenter and Walden. We are the descendants of Pason Carpenter, whose 
son, Charlie Carpenter, bore a son named John H. Carpenter (who married 
Arie) and among 7 children, their grandfather, Willie Carpenter (who 
married Estelle Moody) and their 8 children were: Leroy, Florence, 
Naomi, Hawthorne, Georgetta, Willie Jr., Earl, and Curley. This reunion 
committee is largely comprised of the children, grandchildren, great 
grandchildren, and great great grandchildren of Leroy Carpenter.
   The Carpenter/Walden's first reunion was started by Emma Shands, who 
hosted mass cook-outs in her backyard many years ago during the 1950s 
in Hopewell, Virginia. In July each year, all of the Carpenters and 
Waldens along with friends and relatives came. This ``cook-out'' 
tradition still goes on today and serves as a traditional homecoming 
that takes place on the first Sunday of August and everyone gathers in 
Virginia to celebrate. The Carpenters and Waldens connect with family 
and friends and worship at Diamond Grove Baptist Church in Skippers, 
Virginia. One of the family's most senior members, Emma's brother, 
Buddy Walden, has extended his efforts to link the family, and his 
research of the family roots entailed venturing from state to state. 
This tradition prompts an inquiry at each reunion closeout for a family 
volunteer to host the next reunion held bi-annually in that family's 
hometown. This has been the Carpenter/Walden tradition for the past 10-
20 years where hundreds of relatives from all corners of the United 
States reunite for a weekend of activities, reconnecting, and 
celebrating. Youth filled with exuberance along with the elders 
seasoned by wisdom of years will unite because of this occasion. They 
honor Johnny Walden, the oldest of the family's seasoned elders at the 
age of 90+, twins Jeff and Kaiser Carpenter who are our Carpenter/
Walden history/storytellers, and the family now welcomes the youngest 
additions, Simone Carpenter and Jerome Goode, Jr.
   The Governor of the State of Georgia, Nathan Deal, recognizes this 
momentous gathering with a welcome letter and the host city of 
Stockbridge, GA, issued a proclamation to honor the Carpenter/Walden 
reunion. I ask that this great legislative body stand with me and add 
to these acknowledgements by honoring the Carpenter and Walden 
families. I am proud to represent the Carpenter/Walden family members 
who call the 13th Congressional District of Georgia home.

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