In 1999, John Saunders expressed the opinion that he thought all the people in the world with the names Goninan/on/en came from one family in Cornwall. After some research and contacting people with those names, it became obvious that he was correct. It was decided to get the Goninans of the World together for a “Global Gathering”.It appeared that there were various spellings for the name. The common spelling in Cornwall was and is Goninan. Because the Goninans were not often educated in the early 1800's, and most did not read or write, those who emigrated to Tasmania and Australia used the Goninon spelling, and some the Goninan spelling. Those who emigrated to the United States kept the Goninan spelling, except in South-Western Wisconsin, where it became Goninen..

The First Grand Gathering of Goninans was held in Redruth, Cornwall in June, 2002. John Saunders and Trevor Goninan planned a wonderful reunion, and it was very educational to see the original churches and areas that were important to our ancestors. At the Saturday evening banquet, there were 95 Goninan descendants present. The tragedy of 9/11 was obviously a reason that more did not travel at that time. At this Gathering, the registrants were given a packet of Goninan pedigree charts, which are wonderful.

The Second Global Goninon Gathering was held in Launceston, Tasmania in October, 2005. Mining was the main reason for those Goninon's to emigrate to Tasmania and Australia. We had a wonderful Gathering, coordinated by Dot and John Beswick. At the banquet dinner on Saturday evening, there were 250 Goninon descendants present! At this Gathering, the registrants were given a book: "GONINANS, Goninens, Goninons AROUND THE WORLD". If there are any extras left, we hope Dot will bring them - for sale to those interested in 2009.

The Third Goninan Gathering will be on June 26, 27, 28, 2009 in the United States, in the state of Wisconsin. We will base the Gathering at the Marriott West Hotel in Madison. Many airlines fly in and out of Madison, and transportation to and from the airport is complimentary by Marriott. There are also buses to Madison that you can make arrangements for if you fly into Chicago. We also will have a momento for the registrants. More about that in a later Newsletter.

The Wisconsin Goninens, descendants of Matthew Henry (born in 1814, the son of Richard and Mary Ann (Tellam) Goninan) and Belinda (Gartrell) Goninen were miners and then farmers in Southwestern Wisconsin. We will base the Gathering in Madison, Wisconsin. Madison is the state capital of Wisconsin, home of the University of Wisconsin Badgers (athletic team), and a very beautiful city! I must admit that someone goofed when they named the University mascot the” Buckey Badger”. Wisconsin is known as the "Badger State" not because of the badger animal, but because of the mineral prospectors that came to SW Wisconsin in the early 1800's and lived in dug-outs that were dug into the sides of hills. These dug-outs resembled badger (the animal) holes. The miners were known as "Badgers".

We have committees already working on ideas and details. We will follow the agenda that we had in Cornwall and Tasmania. Friday- registration in late afternoon, get acquainted time and a light supper with entertainment. Saturday- a bus tour of the Cornish areas around Mineral Point, Wisconsin, and the areas the Goninans mined and farmed. Then, back to Madison for the evening banquet dinner and entertainment. Sunday- those who would like can attend church services at the Linden United Methodist Church. This church was designed and built by the Cornish settlers in 1850. After church, we will have a choice of bus tours you can take- mostly fun, historical places of interest in that part of the state. Then- back to Madison for dinner, entertainment, the quilt drawing (more about the quilt in a future Newsletter), farewells, and plans for the next Goninan Gathering!

I also want to tell you, that we chose these dates in June so that, if you are interested in staying in the United States during the following week, you can attend the July 4 Independence Day Celebration. It is always a big holiday!

It seems as though 2009 is a looooong way off! I want you to have the dates so you can mark your "future" calendar! I also would like to have some idea of who is planning to come. I also don't want you to forget that we are having another Goninan Gathering!

We have the e-mail list that was used in Tasmania and Cornwall. We are trying to expand our list of Goninans,especially in the United States. We have many names, but please send me your cousins’ and distant relatives’ e-mail addresses. I will check them against what I have, and add them if they are not on the list. If you don't know if the relative has e-mail, please find out for us, and let us know, because that would really help. When we were planning the Cornwall Gathering, John sent me a list of people in the United States who did not have e-mail, and I copied his Newsletters and snail-mailed them. It really helps the budget not to do the out-of-country snail- mailings!

We will have more frequent Newsletters as we get closer to 2009. John Saunders has done some wonderful historical write-ups on the early Goninan families, and maybe he will let us repeat some of them. I am also interested in getting historical family history writings from Goninan families in the United States. Please send them to me, and we will put them in future Newsletters.