The reunion rotates between the descendants of David Benjamin Fox (1853-1928) and Arjane Kinder Fox (1863-1949) and his second wife, Rachael Jane "Jennie" Swearingen Fox (1848-1879). The 75 to 100 people who attend spend the day reminiscing.
The reunion usually was held on the farm of Kinder Fox, until he died a few years ago. Later, it was held at Morgan McGirr's farm. Now it is divided among the remaining descendants, with Burke taking his turn.
The last of David's children was Betty Fox, who died in 2000 at age 100.
The 2007 Fox reunion is scheduled the first Sunday in July and will be hosted by the McGirr and Powell families, said Burke. The location will be announced.
David B. Fox was the fourth child of William and Nancy Carolyn Julian Fox. He was 16 years old when he left North Carolina after the Civil War. He walked to Kentucky, stopping several times to work. He taught school for a time.
He later traveled through the swamps of Arkansas in a covered wagon and built fires around his wagon to keep away coyotes.
When he arrived in Kentucky, Fox experimented with raising cotton and peanuts. He liked grafting and raising fine grapes. He liked to read and had a great sense of humor.
Arjane had great culinary ability and passed it on to her daughters. The youngest, Nancy Fox Burke, is widely know for the excellent food at Danville Cafeteria that was next door to Burke's Bakery for many years. The bread and sweets from Burke's Bakery are known worldwide.
From Pennsylvania to Kentucky
The Fox descendants have traced their family to Moses Fox, born 1799, and Mary Patterson Fox, born 1802. They had nine children, including William (1824-1862), the oldest.
Researchers think that the Fox family came from Germany and settled in Pennsylvania, then migrated to North Carolina.
William married Nancy Carolyn Julian (1824-1914) who is of French descent.
He and two brothers died in the Civil War. He died in 1862 at Hanover Junction during the Civil War. William belonged to the Confederate Co. G, 37th Regiment.
His brother, Solomon, was killed at Sharpsburg, Pa., and brother, Jordan who served in the artillery was killed in Petersburg, Va.
William's oldest son served in Gen. Custer's famous Black Horse Cavalry.
