Vance Family Association 2019 Reunion

Scenes from the 2019 VFA Reunion

The VFA (Vance Family Association) held their bi-annual reunion for 2019 from October 10th to the 12th at the Pear Tree Inn in St. Louis, MO. 

St. Louis is famous not only as one of the oldest cities in the US (founded in 1764), but also as a center of Native American history, gateway to the U.S. West since before the Louisiana Purchase, and major port on the Mississippi River.  It is also connected to several Vance and related ancestral lines, and some of our members in attendance at the reunion visited ancestors buried in the Jefferson Barracks cemetery during their visit.  Some of us also spent time in the St. Louis Library which houses records and histories of interest to their Vance lines. 

Several members brought family history information and ancestry books which were wonderfully collected and organized memorials of their Vance history.  In addition various groups discussed the current knowledge and theories about common Vance lines and shared earliest ancestors.  And we had presentations and discussions on DNA topics both general and Vance-related. 

On Saturday night the VFA held their business meeting and elected new officers:  Dave Vance as President, Mike Vance as Vice President, and Mary B. Vance as Secretary, with Neal B. Vance continuing as webmaster.  Dave Vance also held a presentation updating the attending members on the Vance/Vans/Wentz DNA project which has been made available online (and which I will cover in a separate post). 

Does your brain ever catch a familiar word from the conversation at the next table and give you a jolt of surprise and recognition?  I spent three days reminding myself that overhearing "Vance" at the next table was no big deal!  But it wasn't ALL about genealogy, members found time to visit Gateway Park and go up the Arch, take a riverboat tour and visit the Anheuser-Busch brewery, the Jefferson Barracks and various museums!

Thank you to all who joined and to ALL who participate in the shared Vance, Vans and Wentz knowledge that keeps the VFA going!