Welcome to the Burney Green Moye family reunion history. Our Family Reunion is a dual celebration…. First it is the celebration of George and Harriet and extended family members breaking the chains of bondage of being Share Cropper (On the Smith Farm (located on Highway 11 towards Greenville NC) Then purchasing a home closer to Farmville…later George and Harriet would purchase a piece of property to start a corner store and 2 additional houses. Although the store is now closed. The store front property still stands today ready to be rented.

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As you reflect upon our family history…Our heritage mimics that of the Bamileke tribe who migrated from the country of Egypt in the Continent of Africa than settled in the country Cameroon in the Southern hemisphere in the continent of Africa. This tribe is the only tribe that was never in-slaved. The Tribe consisted of Educators, Doctors, Nurses, Engineers, Scientist, and Laborers. Beloved be not dismayed… mental slavery is much harder than physical slavery.

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Secondly, Our Family Reunion yearly Celebration is a coming together of LOVE…. That Teaches, Gives, Forgives, Grows, and Embraces Change for better. Amen

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So, as you read our Family Reunion History Rejoice not once not twice…. but, as many times as you choose… “Know that as you are looking back ..you are only looking back to go forward”

For you are Shujaa Wa Mungus (God’s Warriors in Swahili)

God is Great and Greatly to be Praised.

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The Burney-Green Moye Family Reunion originated in Eastern North Carolina in 1944.

Edgar Burney and Laura Dawson bore seven children: Fannie, Victoria, George, Charlie, Esther Mae and Rosa Lee.

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Charlie Green and Betty Chapman Green bore 10 children: (Harriet Ann, Rhonda, Oliver, Mildred, Namon, Martha, Louis, Herman, Clarence and Walter).

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Two Sisters, Harriet Green Burney and her spouse George, and Rhonda” Aunt Roadie” Mae Green Wilkins and her spouse Levy were the only children who settled in eastern North Carolina. These two families visited each other four times a year and usually enjoyed a big feast and fellowship. The first meeting was held at Levy and “Aunt Roadie” home. In the Country. They had a big house with many steps to climb.  

In 1944, after celebrating many happy times together Harriet and Rhonda decided to invite all members of the Burney and Green family to a gathering.  And they would no longer call it quarterly meeting but a “Family Reunion." 

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The first reunion was held at the home of George and Harriet Burney., George invited his first cousin Rufus Burney, and Lizzie (Wife), and their 12 children. They raised everything they ate. The Menu consisted of a vinegar-based pork barbecue, coleslaw, many fresh and canned vegetables, hush puppies and homemade lemonade, and a variety of deserts and other dishes.  The foods and fellowship were enjoyed by all family members and friends. The family was not wasteful. Granddad would even re-cross stich wooden chairs with twine when the seat wore out. He was extremely resourceful.

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On December 18, 1950, Harriet Anne “Green” Burney died, this left a void in the family, but God knows best. The family reunions continued with the support of Rhonda, Levy, and George Burney.

Betty “Burney” Williams George and Harriet’s third child returned home to help care for her 2 younger brothers and she assisted with the family reunion.

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George met and married Eva “Fields” Moye in 1951. The family increased with the addition of Eva’s children: Alfred (1983), Collie (February 6, 1994), David Sr. (December 17, 2016) and Dorothy. George and Eva also added a new family member to the family, a little girl named Cynthia. That brought together one happy family.

The family members continued to come from different cities in North Carolina and across the United States. As more family members came to the reunion, they had more and more fun and fellowship

Sadly, in 1960 Aunt Roadie passed away. A huge service was held for her.

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Sunday family members attend Church service at a neighboring church or a family members speaks (which is still a tradition today) . Then we would gather under the traditional big oak tree in the yard. George Burney Sr. (Grand Daddy) Would always be entertaining un the Big Oak. He would be just a speaking and laughing as family members and folks came out to the big yard.

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At some point in the 60’s Uncle Joe had the hose lifted off the ground and turned around towards the road. This was a big thing to do back in those days as the equipment was not readily available as it is today.

Some of the 3rd generation George, William, Tony Booth and Anthony Williams stayed with Grand Daddy during the family reunion…. We would be woken up by Doc Hinton’s Roaster… It would crow loud and even If you did not want to get up… You did anyway. In order to get the day rolling as the 2nd generation would soon be coming to the house. Grand Daddy was always the first one up. He would bathe, take his insulin shot and eat breakfast.  William Allen and George was sure to follow…. As during the Summer, they had come down from Durham and worked picking tobacco. They would save some and buy use the money to buy school clothes and as they got older George and William Allen wanted their own cars. So, they knew Grand Daddies routine.  When we woke, we would have to go out and get water from the Red Johnny Pump locate at the front of the house.  There was no bathroom in the house, so we had to walk to the outhouse for our other needs. Once we had heated the water, we would take a bath and get dressed quickly... When the 2nd generation would arrive, they would come into Grand Daddies bedroom and be sure to speak and ask him if he needed anything?  He always sat in the Big Easy Chair. He did not have a television. Just a radio that he listened to.  Grand Dad would eventually get up and put his brown Fedora hat on put on his sport coat, grab his cane and make his way out to his chair under the big maple tree. Some time later the bicycle preacher would come rolling along he would speak and say Mr. Burney…. I see your children are here… then He would hold a long conversation with granddad. Sometimes Granddad’s laughter would go so high you could here him all the way back to the house. George Burney sr. rarely sad a lot. He mostly listened.

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 When Uncle Joe arrived, he would always ask “Pop how you sleep last night?” Grand Dad would always reply….  Uncle Joe stood 6’2” and had long legs. He always wore low quarter brown boots to work in and black brogan shoes for dress shoes.

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Uncle Joe always had chores for the 3rd generation young men. George and William Allen would be painting the siding. Tony and Anthony Williams would try cutting the huge yard with 2 lawn mowers…When they got tired George and William Allen would take turn cutting the huge yard as well. There was a commercial corn mill company across the road where trucks would load up on Saturdays …so the lawn mowers would be competing with the filling of the trucks.

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The Women of the family would prepare a shopping list for the items that they would need…. It would always take multiple trips to get items from Piggy Wiggly, Red and Whites or Wilson s Cash and Carry.David would come on Saturday with extra items from his grocery store too. The Friday before the reunion Ms. Eva would use her washing machine with wringer attached. to wash and manually rinse the table clothes for Sunday’s dinner. She wanted to be sure that the family was represented well. Ms. Eva would say to the grandchildren be careful not to get your arm caught in the wringer because you will lose it.

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Joe and Allen would say be sure to hold your receipts. The Burney-Women would get in the Kitchen and ask Ms. Eva If they could use her Pots and Pans to start preparing and cooking the food for Sunday’s dinner. The Friday before the reunion Joe or Allen would go to a pig farm and Shoot the pig with Grand Daddy’s rifle. Which they would retrieve from under Grand Daddy’s Brass bed.

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Mamie Ruth “Gooding” Nurse and Annie Carrol “Gooding” King (Daughters of Harrison and Rosa Lee “Burney” Gooding) would bring some of the best deserts. Mary “Grimes” Burney… Uncle Allen wife and her Sisters would bring the collar green and more delicious deserts too.

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In approximately 1965 the back porch and cemented and a full bathroom was installed on the back porch…. “Praise the Lord” From that day on when we had the family reunion family and friends would come to the back porch to conduct their business... The out house was torn down. The Johnny Pump was removed as well … We had running water throughout the house.

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Sadly, On November 3, 1974 George Burney passed away but the reunion continued with the support of family friends.  Geroge Thomas Allen Burney… Was know for being a excellent farmer, business man and family man…. (When Grand Dad was alive. He stood 6”0” always wore a Fedora hat sport coat and black shoes. Except when he went to church or Shriner meetings… Then he wore a suit. He was very conservative). He set the foundation for generations to come. His philosophy was “I treated Those Right Who Treated Me Wrong”

God allowed the sun to shine on us for many years, it never rained on a Labor Day weekend. The year after George died, we had our first year of inclement weather, it rained. However, by the time dinner was served, the sun was shining brightly for the occasion.

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After the passing of George Burney Sr. The second generation (Mildred, George Jr, Betty, Catherine, Joe, Allen, Doris, Wilbert, and Linwood and David Sr.) Helped Ms. Eva’s carry on the Family Reunion.

 Joe and Allen mostly handled the business side of the reunion and Betty, Catherine, and Mildred did the cooking. David Sr. would come to the house to cook the pig. We had moved up… David had an old 275-gallon oil tank converted to a barbecue grill on wheels. Once we had the logs and char coals had we were good to go. Mildred would bring deserts down from Durham NC on Saturday. and many times, they would not make it on Sunday. Games, Raffles for prizes was added to the family reunion as well. Joe and Allen even always put Mildred’s Burney-Booth children (Marie, George and William) to work. One-year Joe even had Tony Booth and Anthony Williams chopping the pig up to make barbecue.  Joe and Allen would say… “Chop it up some more… It is not fine enough… Tony and I both had 2 meat cleavers and followed instructions. Then Uncle Allen would say hold it… let me put the seasoning on it… and then provide further instructions. The 2nd generation believed in instilling work values early…

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Uncle Joe would have the 3rd generation children go around and pick up trash all day during the reunion to ensure we left George Sr. and Ms. Eva home as we left it. Lindwood Would haul the trash away…. {In 2010 Uncle Lindwood would buy 2 trucks and start his own trash hauling business that would support Farmville, Fountain, Ayden, and Snow Hill} …. He employed 3 men.

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We added a new addition for Saturday the “Fish Fry” with coleslaw. Joe, Allen, Linwood, David and Doc Hinton (Family Friend and Neighbor) would cook the pig all Saturday night. Laughing and joking telling stories until about 2 AM Sunday Morning. The men would tell stories of the days when they Get “George Burney’s (Pops) car and go places near and far. Uncle Joe and Allen would ask Doc about folks in Farmville. catch up on what was going on in Farmville, Fountain, Adyen and Snow Hill. They did not worry about filling the car up as Pop had established credit with the local Filling station…. Uncle Allen voice inflection escalated saying “Boy We Had It Good”. Uncle Allen would say… I remember getting a job with the Smithsonian after graduating NC A&T going to Wash DC on the Grey Hound bus with one suit and a tie. Tied around my suitcase now… The same tie I wore to work. Now I have a few dollars in my pocket (Aunt Mary would tell later many years later... how every night Uncle Allen would take out his wallet and count the three ($100.00 bills) and put them back in his wallet}. David would chime in and say because of Mr. Burney. I own a grocery store. Uncle Joe and Allen wanted to know most of what was going on at the school? (all the 2nd generation except Cynthia had attended H.B. Suggs H.S. just a stone throw from Granddaddy and Ms. Eva’s home). Uncle Joe and Allen had been President, and treasure of the H.B Suggs Wash DC chapter several times). Joe would ask David how is his Mary Anne “Bynum” Moye (Wife)/Sister In-law) and children (Mary Edberson (Bobby), Sandra Haskins (Leslie), Donna Hinnant (Leslie), David Jr, Janet Moye, Jackie Moye, Greta Moye, and Eric Moye} David would say you will see them tomorrow... as on Saturday Aunt Mary Anne had her family reunion. Doc would always be laughing and saying Mr. Burney was a good man. Then Doc would say… I need to know how many are coming to breakfast on Monday…. {Doc and Rosa Lee (wife) would always cook breakfast for the family on Memorial Day…. He and his wife wanted to be sure that we ate good before we got on the road...

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On Sundays Aunt Catherine and Marie would drive around town taking plates to family friends near and far (It would always take them 3 or 4 hours as they just could not just drop off the food and leave. Plus Aunt Catherine was grooming Marie to take over.  

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Sadly On (January 30th 1985) Wilbert Burney Passed away. He was the Father of Bernard and Evelyn Dixon, Carnell and James “Anthony” Burney.

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Sadly, On November 8th 1985 Joe Louis Burney (CB Handle-Big Peanut) transitioned. Joe was known for being the “Engineering business minded High Spirited Leader” of the family. He had engineered a Cooling unit for the Smithsonian in 1963 based on a blue print and he made modifications to the system to ensure it operated. Uncle Joe was written up in the Smithsonian newsletter and rewarded. was well known in Wash DC. Both Joe and Allen ran Burney Refrigeration and Air Condition in Wash DC, Maryland and VA. They graduated from NC A&T a year apart. Both worked at the Smithsonian as engineers (Uncle Joe moved to Wash DC first bought a house and rented rooms out.  Joes and Allen were proud H.B. Suggs H.S., NC A&T, die-hard Washington Redskin football fans. Joe met the love of his life (Shirley “Williamson” Burney at NC A&T, Aunt Shirley was the family’s nurse).

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In 1986 The family elected a 3rd Generation family member as President James and Betty’s Son James “Anthony” Williams {In 2009 would develop a process to evaluate Security Tool Selection for the IRS…One of many Process to come} as First Family Reunion President (1986- 1995).

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We also, had the first family reunion tee shirt (A Cobalt Blue tee shirt with white letters. (Burney Green Moye Reunion) an official new letter was printed. The newsletter features a family member, other news… graduations and accomplishments, Births and family members who have passed on.

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Sadly, within a 5-year period many of the 2nd generation began to transition  

Wilbert (Feb 2,1985), Joe (November11, 1985), Catherine “Burney” Barnes (April 18,1988),

 James Williams Jr (Oct 19,1987) George “June “Burney ( November 26, 1987) Mildred “Burney” Booth (Feb 2,1991) Or “Ma  Booth’s” as they called her at Duke Hospital worked at Duke hospital for 40 years, Aunt Mildred was our Fannie Lou Hamer in the family. She was a Strong political figure who fought time and time again for The Crest Street Community located in West Durham North Carolina, Aunt Mildred would conduct Political issue from her front porch…and she would win every time… If you visited her house .she would put you to work picking String Beans, Collards, Potato’s and grapes… In addition, she was on Dialysis for 12 years).

In 1992, there was a major Change…the Family reunion was finally moved inside to the Farmville Community Center for Sunday. No more flies to fight.

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The 50th (1994) reunion made history by being held at the Holiday Inn, Grenville, N.C. The themes for the 50th was African attire. We had a Family Reunion Journal, (within the journal Doris “ Burney” Johnson sent out the formal invites to the President of the United States, Governor of North Carolina, Senators from New York and North Carolina, and Mayor of Farmville North Carolina, In addition we also had patrons and sold advertisements  as well) Tee shirts ( Gold Tee shirt, Black print and a picture of an African mask), guest speaker “Dr. Velma Speight” (Family Friend) a first class catered event at the hotel. The attire was African instead of a newsletter we had a 50-year journal. Pam Burney (Shirley and Joe L Burney’s daughter) Led the “Burney Green Moye Choir…We sang “We came This Far By faith” We met our cousins from California (Brenda Burney) ….. To represent her father and mother George Jr. and Alice. Wanda “Barnes” Rochester husband Rock. Benita Barnes and her 6 years old daughter LaDonna.  

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In 1995 God had a plan that man could not understand…. We rebooked in the same hotel as in 1994. However, we were not aware that the hotel had been sold…Well to our surprise the change in management took a turn for the worse…. In fact, it got so bad that when we met with the management, they wanted additional money before we could eat the food that they brought in from the outside due to the Hotel Kitchen was closed. The blessing was that Philadelphia Attorney Cousin Jarvis McArthur (Grandson of Martha Green 3rd child of 5 children to Claude “CJ” and Ruth MacArthur) was the guest speaker represented us and the new management had to flee…. “Favor is not Fair… It is one of God’s blessings.

 

Sadly, Ms. Eva passed away on December 20, 1996.

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Ms. Eva Moye Burney represents African-American women that have been unsung heroes in many families. She married George Burney, a man with ten children and most of them adults. She already entered the marriage with her own children. Both were widows.  Eva Burney graciously accepted George Burney's children as her own. Throughout our childhood of visiting our grandparents she was always gracious and kind to the family.  Every time we visited, she would always reply with such joy, " I knew someone was coming because my nose was just a itching!" Miss Eva", as we called her, through her efforts helped to really blend the Burney’s and Moye’s into one family. To this day I always view David Sr., Dorothy and Cynthia as our Uncle and Aunts. We could never think of them in any other way. Uncle Allen would brag about Uncle David owning a grocery store.  Thank you, Ms. Eva, for allowing God to use your kind and loving spirit to weld us into being a single-family unit woven from several strands. As a result of her efforts we proudly one family.