Our Next Family Reunion

is Friday, March 29 - Sunday, March 31, 2024

Theme: A Wardlaw-Robinson Cultural Experience: Exploring Our Roots

How to Register for the Reunion

View the 2024 Reunion Announcement Letter. Complete the registration Form which is also available on our Family FB page or request a copy from any member of the Reunion Committee.

Pay by check or Online.

The details to pay by check are on the registration form.

Registration Fees

Registration is $135 per person over 12 for early bird rates and $150.00 if registered after October 31, 2023

Registration for youth 6-12 is $85. Children under 6 should be listed on the registraton and are free.

Refund Policy: ·Because of the types of activities we have planned, we are unable to offer refunds on the registrations. Registrations are transferrable.

What

Where

When

Who

Souvenir Ads for the Family Reunion

Our Next Family Reunion is Friday, March 29 - Sunday, March 31, 2024 in Savannah, GA

Theme: A Wardlaw-Robinson Cultural Experience: Exploring Our Roots

We want to provide a full-color bound souvenir journal, but we need to sell ads to fund it. Any additional proceeds will go toward additional support of the family reunion.

Suggested ads include spotlighting a family member or a business, doing a memorial page, a family tree, an announcement of new family members, an anniversary or birthday call out, an “I was at this Reunion” notice, or anything you can think of.

Your ad can be a full-page, half-page, quarter-page, or a little larger than a typical business card.

The souvenir journal will be distributed at the 2024 Family Reunion. Additional souvenir journals may be available or mailed to family members at a cost later.

Submit now. The deadline to submit an ad is January 31, 2024.

You, your family members, your friends, your company, and just about anyone can submit until we reach our page limit. Of course, we reserve the right to reject ads that are contrary to the perceived morality of the family’s audience.

Why

When you submit your ad, you capture a moment in time in our family’s history, and you help fund enhanced activites for the family reunion.

How

To make your ad, use any photo editing software that can achieve at least 300 dpi, or for a basic ad you can also use a text editor such as Microsoft Word or PowerPoint and add your high-quality images into it and save it using a file type of .jpg, .png, .pdf, or .eps. Complete the form and submit the ad and payment. Click here for submission details.

About us

An Abbreviated Glimpse of Our Family History

"Lives of great men all remind us, we can make our lives sublime, and, departing, leave behind us, footprints on the sands of time.” - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

McKinley (1897-1987) and Rosa Wardlaw (1899-1992), enjoyed a sixty-eight-year marriage. They celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary, on February 11, 1984, at Morrison Cafeteria in Columbus, Georgia.

Their marriage survived joyful as well as turbulent times because of their life's principle of commitment.

McKinley and Rosa met at a wedding, and they courted for two years. Their wedding occurred on a beautiful sunshiny second Sunday in February. The temperature was said to be about seventy-five degrees and seemed more like spring than winter.

During the early years of McKinley’s and Rosa’s marriage, it wasn’t easy because he did not want Rosa to work. This conflicted with Rosa’s desire to work outside the home. Eventually, however, McKinley came to understand Rosa’s need to fulfill what she considered one of her missions in life.

McKinley worked as a truck driver, operator of a blueprinting machine, and construction worker. Although he was very skillful with his hands, he once built a fish pond and a swimming pool without doing any manual labor. He accomplished this feat by hiring a crew of men to do the work. If any of us are excellent supervisors, it’s because we “inherited” this talent from our ancestor, McKinley. McKinley was also an Army veteran of World War I. He was a member of Peter’s Chapel AME Church where he participated on the Steward Board and served as a former treasurer of the church. He was a very active man and walked about a mile every day, even in his later eighties. His hobbies were coin collecting, singing, and watching baseball. He also liked telling jokes and watching cartoons, especially in his later years of life.

Rosa, a very independent woman of her day, served as a domestic worker. The most lucrative job she maintained was with two attorneys, John and Elena Amos. John Amos, the founder of AFLAC, became a very wealthy man. Rosa accompanied him and his wife to Florida, California, and Cuba. Like her husband, McKinley, Rosa loved her church, Mt. Pilgrim Baptist, and actively participated in its functions. The church and its members honored her on several occasions. Rosa was known in the community as being a very good, spiritual guide and sound financial planner. Those of you who know how to manage money can thank Rosa for your talent. Rosa and McKinley had nine children - five boys and four girls. The second oldest boy died at birth.

One of Rosa’s burning desires was that all of her children would have an education. She stated: “If I had but one piece of bread a day, one dress and wash it every night, I’d help my children get an education.”

About us

McKinley Wardlaw's Story

McKinley Wardlaw, Sr. was born on 9 Aug 1897 in Chattahoochee, Georgia. His parents were John Wardlaw (born ~July 1874) and Annie Lee McBride Wardlaw (born ~4 Mar 1879). Annie Lee was listed as Mulatto in the 1910 census. John Wardlaw and Annie Lee McBride were married on 24 December 1896 in Chattahoochee, Georgia. Their children were Charlie, John Jr., Eva Lee, Samuel, Curtis, Moses, Annie Lue, and McKinley Wardlaw.

John Wardlaw’s parents were Charles Wardlaw (born ~1849) and Elminor (or Elmina) McBride Wardlaw (born ~1835).

Elminor, McKinley’s grandmother, was a dynamic person. As a child slave, she killed two mules by plowing them to death and became the talk of the town. When the old master approached her, it was said that she put her hands on her hips and said, “I don’t take no whipping!” The master laughed and told her, “You’re too smart a nigger to be in the field; you belong in the house!” When freedom came, she was about 18 to 20 years old.

Charles Wardlaw was the second husband of Elminor McBride. Her first husband was Jake McBride. Elmina and Jake had 7 children: Samuel McBride, Jake McBride Jr, Margrett McBride, and Martha McBride.

The 1880 census shows three additional children: Jane, John, and Callie McBride. Elmina and Charles Wardlaw married and had 2 children: John Wardlaw and Kelly Wardlaw.

John Wardlaw’s death certificate states that he died of chronic nephritis (kidney disease). He was buried in the Porterdale Cemetery, which is better known as the Colored Cemetery in Columbus, GA.

Annie Lee McBride Wardlaw’s mother was named Hannah McBride. She was born in 1863 and was listed as Mulatto. Very little is known about their family tree except that they were not slaves.

The 1870 census lists 13-year-old Hannah as the domestic servant of the black Cobb family (Surry & Eliza Cobb and their two children Juno and John). Hannah died on 14 Dec 1885. Annie Lee’s father was unknown.

Hannah’s mother was Nancy McBride (BORN~1820). Nancy died on 15 Dec 1903. Hannah’s father is Anderson McBride (BORN~1820). In 1847, Anderson married Nancy McBride. The 1880 census showed that Anderson and Nancy had two other children besides Hannah: Carry and George McBride, both born in Georgia. The 1900 Census showed that 8 grandchildren also lived in their home in Chattahoochee Georgia. Anderson died on 12 Dec 1901. Anderson’s brother’s name is Jake McBride.

McKinley loved his church, Peters Chapel AME in Columbus, Georgia. He served in many ministries such as Sunday School Superintendent, Church treasurer, and Delegate to the AME Conferences. He had many jobs, such as a Cement Finisher in mostly supervisory positions. He once said that he was a builder of several swimming pools and never touched one. When asked how did he do that: He said he brought in a crew.

McKinley Wardlaw, Sr. passed away on October 15, 1987, at the age of 90 in Columbus, Muscogee County, GA. He is buried in Green Acres Cemetary in Columbus, GA.

About us

Rosa Pearl Robinson Wardlaw's Story

Rosa Pearl Robinson was born on 24 July 1899 in Chattahoochee, Georgia. Rosa’s parents were Coleman Robinson (BORN ~1844) and Fannie Sidney Robinson (BORN ~1859).

Coleman’s mother was Clossie Jones, a slave. Coleman was a slave until age thirteen. His father was Robert Herrington, the white slave owner’s son, was born in 1821. Robert’s wife, Nancy, was born in 1831. Robert Herrington’s father was Martin M. Herrington who was born in 1786. Both father and son owned slaves. They lived in Sapps District, Burke, Georgia.

Fannie was born in Cusseta, Chattahoochee, Georgia (BORN ~1857). Per the 1870 census, Fannie (at age 13) lived with her parents, Lawson Sidney (BORN~1820) and Eliza Sidney

(BORN~1820). Lawson was born in Georgia and Eliza was born in Maryland. Lawson was a farm laborer and Eliza kept house. Per the 1880 census, Fannie Robinson was listed as living with F. L. and Della Brook and their children (a white family) as their cook.

Coleman and Fannie were married in 1873. She was age 16 and he was age 24. They had eight girls and six boys.

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Both the 1910 and 1920 censuses listed Fannie as widowed living as Head of Household in Muscogee, Georgia where she owned her home. Her job was a laundress. However, the 1930 census

showed both Coleman and Fanny living with their son, Grover, his wife Lulu, and their three children (Alberta, Alonza, and Grover, Jr.

Coleman and Fannie were married in 1871 when Coleman was 24. Coleman Robinson’s death certificate (#30‐11998) stated that he died at the age of 86 on May 18, 1930, in Cusseta, Chattahoochee, Georgia, and was buried in the Kingsville Cemetery in Chattahoochee. The cause of death was listed as old age and general debility. It is believed Fannie passed around the time Rosa's daughter, Joan was born. Rosa witnessed Fannie falling off the porch and this sent her into labor. Fannie died as a result of the injuries, but it is unknown if her death was immediate.

Rosa, a very independent woman of her day, served as a domestic worker. The most lucrative job she maintained was with two attorneys, John and Elena Amos. John Amos, the founder of AFLAC, became a very wealthy man. Rosa, affectionately called Rosie, accompanied him and his wife to Florida, California, and Cuba.

Rosa Pearl Robinson married McKinley Wardlaw. The eight children of Rosa Robinson Wardlaw are Annie Pearl Wardlaw, Solomon John Coleman Wardlaw, Charlie Mae Wardlaw, McKinley "Sonny" Wardlaw, Jessie B. Wardlaw, Louie E. Wardlaw, Bobby Franklin Wardlaw, and Joan Wardlaw.

One of Rosa’s burning desires was that all of her children would have an education. She stated: “If I had but one piece of bread a day, one dress and wash it every night, I’d help my children get an education. Like her husband, McKinley, Rosa loved her church, Mt. Pilgrim Baptist, and actively participated in its functions. The church and its members honored her on several occasions. Rosa was known in the community as being a very good, spiritual guide and sound financial planner. Those of you who know how to manage money can thank Rosa for your talent. Rosa and McKinley had nine children, five boys, and four girls. The second oldest boy died at birth.

Mt. Pilgrim Baptist Church is listed as the church of record for Rosa Robinson. This church was established in 1884 and later incorporated in Georgia. The church is still in existence today and is attended by descendants of the

Wardlaw‐Robinson family.

On 21 Feb 1992, Rosa Robinson Wardlaw died in Columbus, Muscogee Georgia at the age of 92. She is buried in Green Acres Cemetary in Columbus, GA.

Both McKinley and Rosa's stories as presented on this site were written by their daughter Joan with the historical records validated by genealogist Dr. Jackie Henderson.

About us

Our Ancestors

Rosa P. Robinson

McKinley Wardlaw

Education

Rosa Pearl Robinson Wardlaw Scholarship

“If I had but one piece of bread a day, one dress and wash it every night, I’d help my children get an education." - Rosa P. Robinson Wardlaw

Family Members who are pursuing post-high school education may qualify for this scholarship founded by Rosa and McKinley's son, Bob Wardlaw. Please reach out to the current Scholarship Chair for more details.

The scholarship is primarily funded by family participation in annual leg donations and our reunion auction. Other fundraising opportunities are announced on the private family Facebook page.

Family Connections

Our Previous FamilyReunions

The worldwide covid-19 pandemic caused us to miss 2020. It was rescheduled to 2022.

Gallery

1996

Columbus, GA

1985

65th Wedding Anniversary,

Columbus, GA