Forty-five members of the Oklahoma Wehrenberg family met July 27 at the Loyal Evangelical Church.

Chas Wehrenberg immigrated from Germany in 1868, settling in Elk Grove, Ill., where he met his wife and raised his family of seven children.

Unfortunately, three of those children died of diphtheria in childhood. When the four remaining boys became adults, he realized they needed farms of their own.

He heard of land in Oklahoma, then known as Indian Territory.

In 1901 he and his friend came to Oklahoma and he bought a farm for his oldest son, William Carl, known as W.C. by most people.

W.C. and Minnie Naggatz were married on July 4, 1901, and boarded the train the next day to claim their farm located near the Cimarron River close to the town of Kiel, now known as Loyal.

Farms were also bought for George, Charles and Louis who also made their way to Oklahoma at a later date. The farm belonging to W.C. continues to be in the Wehrenberg family.

Each year on the fourth Saturday of July, descendants of Chas gather to share memories and enjoy fellowship.

Most of the afternoon was spent visiting and playing BINGO followed by a potluck supper which always features sauerkraut and other heritage dishes.

A special treat this year was a report given by Gary Wehrenberg who recently returned from a trip to Germany where he was able to connect with a Wehrenberg family who lives there.

Although no connection to the family tree were found, the town of Jeinson, where Chas was born, was not far from the home of the German Wehrenberg family.

A silent auction was held to cover expenses of the reunion as well as make donations to the Venerable Cemetery where Chas and other family members are buried.

The oldest and youngest members of the family were recognized as well as the person traveling the most miles.

This year the oldest member was Doris Uhrig, a granddaughter of George, and the youngest was Wyatt Roedel, daughter of Kayli Roedel whose great-great-grandfather was W.C.

Kay Dickerson traveled the most miles from Topeka, Kan.

Others attending the reunion were Ashlee Hahn of Loyal; Alfred and Nancy Teders, Brian and Sharon Miller and Donnie Wehrenberg of Kingfisher; Nick and Cooper House and Paizleigh Gordon of Watonga; Gary and Sheila Baustert of Okarche; Roberta Seaton, Chris and Melissa Seaton and Leann Laubach of Edmond; Justin, Gaylene and Carman of Yukon; Misty Kimmel of El Reno; Bennie and Kathy Wehrenberg of Enid; Rodney and Tina Wehrenberg, Cristina, Dustin, Cannon and Carter Wehrenberg of Skiatook; Gary Wehrenberg of Carrier; Leonard and Arma Fry of Moore; and Melissa Admire, Kayli, Sawyer and Wyatt Roedel of Mooreland.

Traveling from out-ofstate were Dwayne and Ruth Cassiday, Terry Cassiday, Michelle and Kassidi Davis and Tammy, Paige, Hayden and Gabrianna all of Arkansas City, Kan.; and Doris Uhrig of Tecumseh, Kansas and Kay Dickerson of Topeka.