Descendants Gathering Series
The Descendants Gathering Series is shaped by a dedicated Planning Committee of descendants, historians, and community partners who meet weekly to organize the upcoming 2026 Descendants Reunion and guide the topics, themes, and structure of each monthly conversation. Their ongoing coordination ensures that the series remains rooted in authentic lineage research, community engagement, and the shared history of families connected to Elizabeth’s Old First Cemetery.
Historians and descendants such as Joanne Rajoppi, Dr. Linda Caldwell-Epps, Nancy Benz, Danny & Patty Woodruff, Jocelyn Francis-White, Pamela Witt Thoms, Bob Gula, and Gregory Caldwell Beier help shape these gatherings—bringing lived experience, historical insight, and deeply personal ancestral knowledge to the forefront. Their contributions illuminate the complex, multigenerational stories that continue to define early Elizabethtown and its role in the American narrative.
The Monthly Gatherings are the result of this ongoing work—an open, public space intentionally created for healing, identity formation, community connection, and the preservation of family narratives. All are welcome to join via Zoom as we collectively explore lineage, uplift descendant voices, and prepare for the in-person Descendants Reunion in 2026, a landmark moment honoring the lives and legacies that helped shape Elizabeth and America’s story.
Upcoming Events
Join descendants for a special session featuring Bob Gula, representing the Harriman and Whitehead Families, as we explore lineage and early Elizabeth history.
Aimee Fernandez-Puente leads our January gathering with insight into descendant engagement, Elizabethtown history, and preparations for the 2026 reunion.
Dr. Linda Caldwell-Epps shares powerful perspectives on genealogy, memory, and New Jersey history at our February Descendants Gathering.
