On a rainy Sunday in October, 1925, a group of Shipley cousins gathered at the Bethesda Methodist Church for their first family reunion. They established The Shipleys of Maryland, one of the oldest ancestry organizations in the country, which marked its Centennial Celebration with a day of reunion, remembering and reflecting on our family members who have impacted our state and nation since Adam Shipley arrived in Annapolis from England in 1668.
Over 60 cousins and guests joined us on October 26, 2025 for our Centennial Celebration. Some came from as far away as Washington state, Nevada, Missouri, and Ohio. Everyone had a very enjoyable day.
The celebration began at the site of the inaugural meeting of The Shipleys of Maryland, the Bethesda United Methodist Church, at 328 Klee Mill Road, Sykesville, MD. Following the church service, our President, Thom Shipley, began the program by recounting the chance meeting of Shipley cousins 100 years ago that ultimately resulted in the founding of our organization. We then joined in singing The Church in the Wildwood, a hymn that was sung at that first meeting. Next, Frances Elswick, Bethesda Church historian, provided a very informative presentation on the Shipley connection to Bethesda Church since its founding in about 1810. She highlighted various stained glass windows dedicated in the memory of Shipleys, and also displayed numerous original documents that illustrated how Shipleys (and related families) were involved in all aspects of church life. The program concluded with a self-guided tour of the cemetery and markers.
Following our time at the church, we reconvened in the beautiful dining room at Carroll Lutheran Village (about 12 miles from the church) for our luncheon and to continue the reunion. More details to come, including a video of the program!
