Vining Family Association
 One Name — Many Families

P. O. Box 111 - Shawmut, Maine  04975
info@vining-family.org


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   Do you have any news to share about the Vining family? births, marriages, deaths? graduations? honors received? genealogical puzzles solved? Please send them along for inclusion in our News and Notes.


Spring 2021
   Spring 2021 newsletter


March 2021
Welcome to our newest Life Member
   We welcome Elizabeth “Libby” (Vining) Hanifin (Ocean Ridge, Florida) as a Life Member of the Vining Family Association.

Manget Clifford Vining - information sought
   The Vining Family Association received the following request via e-mail:
I’m trying to locate any information members may have about Manget Clifford Vining (1916–1994), particularly any information relating to his service during WW2 where I believe he was posted to the UK, at least during the early part of 1944. I’d love to know what regiment he served in. I applied to the National Personnel Records Center in St Louis over a year ago but what with covid I don’t see that yielding any results anytime soon. I’d also love to locate a picture of him if anyone has one.
   Any thoughts or help you can offer will be gratefully welcomed. With thanks and best wishes, Stephen (stephenrose@btinternet.com)


February 2021
Harold Rowe “Hal” Holbrook (17 February 1925 – 23 January 2021)
   Many of you may remember the late actor Hal Holbrook’s portayal of Mark Twain in his long-running one-man show. When he was a young child, he and two sisters were raised by his patermal grandparents. His parternal grandfather was Allen Vining Holbrook (see 1930 census of South Weymouth, Weymouth, Norfolk County, Massachusetts), whose Vining line through his mother is Lois Bates Vining, Allen Vining, Noah Vining, David Vining, Richard Vining, John Vining, John Vining, John Vining (the immigrant ancestor in that line). —Judi Vining

Vining authors
   Vickie Vining, has written a book, Life Goes On: The Story of Elberta Loucille Dale Vining. Elberta married Virgil Vining, who appears under his father, Harry Ray Vining, in the online Vining Genealogy. The book tells Elberta’s story, starting with her birth in Chaflin, Kansas, and it contains many photographs and interesting details of her life. It is available on Amazon. —John Vining   (editor’s note: Elberta is the grandmother of John Vining, who serves on the Vining Family Association᾿s Board of Directors, and Vicki is his aunt.)

   Thomas F. Vining, website manager for the Vining Family Association and lead author Ruth Gortner Grierson, have published their first book together, Living on the Edge: A Guide to Tide Pool Animals, Seaweeds, and Seaside Plants. This is a guide to the common flora and fauna of the coastal habitats of Mount Desert Island and southern Maine, but it covers species that can be found north and/or south of Maine. A popular columnist for the weekly Mount Desert Islander, Ruth has written a nature column in newspapers for at least 50 years and in her nineties shows no sign of slowing down. Tom holds a graduate degree in botany from the University of Maine, and as a former interpretive ranger at Acadia National Park, shared his love of natural history with visitors to the park. The book is beautifully illustrated with colored photographs and includes delicious recipes from some of the items in the area. Most importantly, Ruth and Tom have raised awareness of the need to preserve the beautiful coastline of Maine for future generations. As musicians, Tom (on accordion) and Ruth (on fiddle) are both musicians and in other times may be found playing separately or together at various venues. Available from www.vfthomas.com.

Looking for an interesting historical read?
   Check out Penn by Elizabeth Gray Vining, a quaker from Philadelphia, PA. This book was considered by scholars for many years to be the primary source of Penn’s life. More to follow in the Spring 2021 Newsletter… —Judi Vining

Arthur Vining Davis
   If you watch many Public Broadcasting shows, you will find some of them are sponsored by The Arthur Vining Davis foundation. Mr. Davis died in 1962 as one of the 10 richest men in the US and left his fortune to a couple of foundations. In today’s dollars, it was almost 3.5 billion. If you are like me, you have probably wondered if you are related to Mr. Davis.
   I decided to find out how Mr. Davis was connected to the Vinings. His mother’s maiden name was Mary Frances Vining, and her father was Samuel Albert Vining. Looking up Samuel shows Vinings in Weymouth, Massachusetts, going back to John Vining in 1662. Unfortunately, Arthur Vining Davis’s family tree does not match mine (at least in the US). However, because of his foundation, more people have learned how to pronounce Vining. How do you explain to folks the proper way to say Vining? —Jim Vining
(editor’s note: Watch for more about Arthur Vining Davis in the Spring 2021 newsletter.)


January 2021
   Perhaps some of you remember the research done by Charles Andrew Vining of Florida, who died 10 August 2004. Charles Martin Vining, his oldest child, contacted the Vining Family Association about books and journals that his father had acquired in his research, and he subsequently donated them to the library of the associaton. The material they contain has been a valuable addition to the online Vining genealogy, and we thank him for his generosity.

   During January two individuals have contacted the Vining Family Association with updates for the online Vining genealogy. Thank you for their contributions.

   A note from the Web Manager of the online Vining genealogy. No one should be a “son of [?]”, and I am trying to eliminate that designation. On the first day of a month, I focus on those Vinings whose first name begins with A and whose father is unknown to us, and I try to find the missing connection. Then on the second day of a month, I work on the B individuals whose are designated as a “son of [?]”. Sometimes I am successful at making a connection, but sometimes when I do, I simply push the unknown connection back one generation. You can help by looking for those who are a “son of [?]” and seeing if you can find the missing link. Be sure to let me know if you do, so I can update the online genealogy.Thanks, Tom.


Spring 2017
   Spring 2017 newsletter