A pleasant reunion of the Hurless family was held Sunday at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Cronister when close to fifty relatives gathered to spend the day. The affair was planned by Miss Alta Hawkins and Mrs. Cronister and the guests on learning that Miss Hawkins was to be a bride in the very near future made the affair into a miscellaneous shower. Well filled baskets were brought along and at noon a delicious picnic dinner was served. It was while Miss Hawkins was busy assisting in the preparation of dinner that the gifts were unwrapped and placed on the table and when she entered the room the surprise was complete. The day was pleasantly spent and the guests did not leave for their homes until late in the afternoon.

Miss Hawkins will become the bride of Mr. Ernest Strombeck of Chicago in the very near future, their marriage to take place in this city during the early fall. Miss Hawkins is well known in this city and has many friends to extend best wishes.

The following guests enjoyed the reunion Sunday [10/03/1915]: Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Hawkins and family of Oregon, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Woodin and family, Mrs. Nora Hurless and Miss Melissa Hurless of Eagle Point, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Hawkins of Dixon, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Hurless, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Sweet of Polo, Mr. and Mrs. James Scanlon of Rock Falls, Mrs. Lottie Hurless, Mr. and Mrs. Claude Hurless and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Verne Hurless and family and Mr. and Mrs. Andy Pfundstein and family of this city.

Contributed by Larry Reynolds / Sterling Gazette 4 October 1915

HURLESS FAMILY HELD 37 YEARS AGO 14 FEBRUARY 1933
HAS OLD PICTURE OF FAMILY GROUP Contributed by Larry Reynolds - Sterling Evening Gazette

COLETA—M. F. Frankfother has a group picture of the Hurless family taken 27 years ago held at the old Hurless homestead two and one half miles northwest of Coleta. It is interesting to note the large number of the family who have died during the past years, the fashion of dress and the once young married couples who are now numbered among the older residents of the community.
This is a picture of the first Hurless reunion held in Genesee grove and was attended by a very large group of relatives and a count shows 51 of the number there that have passed away. These reunions were held at the old homestead regularly every year, until a few years ago, when the family decided to discontinue the gatherings on account of the small attendance