Amber Schmitt didn’t even know all the people who attended the family reunion.

But she knew one thing: everyone — all 120 attendees — had a connection to the families of Furgason, Simonis and Kirby in Eastern Oregon.

“We had a fantastic family reunion,” Schmitt said. “I’d say I hadn’t met half of the people who came. We had name tags.”

The family story dates to 1874 when Fred Simonis came west with his wife, Mary (Furgason), and children.

Their destination was Eagle Valley, to meet Mary’s parents, Alexander and Jennette Furgason, who had arrived in 1862 to settle in what is now Island City. They moved to Eagle Valley several years later.

Fred and Mary Simonis’ daughter Ella married William Lee Kirby, whose family came to Oregon in 1886.

From that marriage came eight children, including V.S. “Skinner” Kirby, who was Schmitt’s grandpa and ranched in the Durkee area. (Schmitt’s mom is Cheryl Kirby Cornett.)

The reunion, originally planned for four years ago, was the idea of Schmitt and her cousin Stacey Tatlock, granddaughter of Skinner and daughter of Dick Kirby.

“Stacey and I really wanted to get our extended family together since we live all over the country,” Schmitt said. “We wanted to celebrate our heritage.”

“I want our kids to feel as connected to our ancestors, by knowing the family history as I do,” Tatlock said.

The reunion finally happened in 2022, over the Fourth of July weekend.

“Our last one was in 1979,” Schmitt said.

Family members were invited to a gathering at the Eagle Valley Cemetery in Richland on Saturday morning.

Then, Saturday afternoon, everyone gathered at the Durkee Schoolhouse for a barbecue — including pan-fried bread, which is a staple of the annual Durkee Steak Feed that Kirby started with other ranchers.

Members of the Durkee Community Corp., which still puts on a steak feed, assisted with preparing food for the reunion.

Inside the schoolhouse, different branches of the family set up displays with their side of the family tree.

During the day, some family members visited the family homestead.

“The house still stands,” Schmitt said. “There are roses out there that Grandma Ella planted.”

The reunion wrapped up Sunday, July 3, with lunch at Geiser-Pollman Park where everyone wore their family t-shirts.

“It was just a wonderful event,” Schmitt said.

She said they wanted to help younger family members understand their roots.

“I feel this really close connection to Baker and my heritage, and I wanted them to see the hardworking and good people they came from,” Schmitt said.