The Shipleys of Maryland
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The Shipleys of Maryland Centennial Celebration
 
The Shipleys of Maryland, one of the oldest ancestry organizations in the country, is planning to mark 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.
 
You will not want to miss this event 100 years in the making.  Our celebration will be held October 26, 2025 at two Carroll County locations. 

The first will be at the site of the inaugural meeting of The Shipleys of Maryland, the Bethesda United Methodist Church, at 328 Klee Mill Road, Sykesville, MD. 
 
Replicating our first meeting 100 years ago, a church service will be held at 9:00 a.m.,
followed by a presentation about the generations of Shipley families and their relatives who were a part  of the church since its founding in 1810.  This will include histories of the stained glass windows in memory of Shipleys and of some of the more than 75 Shipleys buried in the church cemetery.  An overview will be provided regarding other Shipley cemeteries, settlements and points of interest in the area for interested persons to investigate further.   
 
Following our time at the church, we will move to a beautiful dining room at Carroll Lutheran Village for a luncheon and to continue our reunion.  Within Carroll Lutheran Village, our luncheon will be located at 901 Mission Square, Westminster, MD, about 12 miles away from the church.  Speakers at the luncheon will include the president of The Shipleys of Maryland, Dr. Thom Shipley.  For most of his 91 years, he has been involved with our organization and is a foremost authority on our family history, including personal research at the birthplace of Adam Shipley in Kirby Fleetham. 
 
The history of The Shipleys of Maryland is filled with innovative, energetic and undaunted individuals who made significant contributions in agriculture, medicine, the military, education, politics and a myriad of other fields of endeavor.  While we celebrate those accomplishments, our 100 years as an organization has prioritized the importance of ‘family.’  When Ulysses Hayes Shipley used his team of horses to pull two stranded motorists out of the Carroll County mud, he invited them to lunch with his wife and found they were distant Shipley cousins.  Wanting to expand on this enjoyable coincidence, he shared his idea with other Shipleys in the area and on October 4, 1925, the first meeting of what would become The Shipleys of Maryland was held at Bethesda United Methodist Church. 
 
As many as 1,000 people have attended the annual reunions.  We do not expect 1,000 people this year, but we would love to have as many attend as possible and that includes you!  You do not have to be a Shipley to attend.  In fact, there were members of 22 families other than Shipleys who attended that first meeting.  If you enjoy ancestry, history, good food and great company, we would love to share this special day with you. 
 
Additional information regarding the celebration program and tickets will be forthcoming in the days ahead.  Please save the date of October 26, 2025.  We hope to see you then.  
 
Excerpt from the minutes of the first meeting, held at Bethesda Methodist Church on October 4, 1925: