 One of the first official Christmas-time celebrations was held at the newly built Williamsport schoolhouse on Christmas Eve in 1884. The newspaper had invited everyone for a brief, literary exercise and promised to furnish a supper, without money and without price. Anyone wishing to contribute to the supper, before December 23rd, could leave their contributions at the storeroom of merchant H. D. Connor, who conducted his business on Broad Street in Williamsport, one of two dry goods merchants there, along with William Yeater’s Dry Goods Store. Williamsport had only been in existence as a town less than fourteen months, since being plated in August of 1883.
Christmas Eve 1884 was enormously frigid. The Emmons County Record reported the temperature as 80 below! The newspaper commented on the heartiness of the pioneer women who brought their children to the fete in horse-drawn sleighs. Mrs. Ida Roop drove in six miles in from the village Roop. Ida Kurtz came three miles. It was noted that Miss Eva Campbell drove two miles in the cold to attend, as well as Mrs. William Derr with her young daughter, also traveling two miles. Miss Ella Yeater brought “a caravan of innumerable little Yeaters.”
Superintendent of Schools, J. H. Worst was the expected speaker, but became ill at the last minute. Undaunted, Darwin Streeter, the newspaper Editor of The Emmons County Record, replaced him as emcee.
The program listed:Ulalia Yeater: “The Wreck of the Hesperus” Lucy Streeter: “The Dead Doll” Reading of Day: Miss Edna F. Connor Recitation: Mark Yeater; “Mr. Finney’s Turnip” Recitation: Walter Boutillier: “Little Hal” Recitation: Rettie Yeater: “Will the New Year Come Tonight?” Recitation: Charles Boutillier Recitation: Miss Ella Yeater: “Christmas Eve” “Uncle Dan” Long, a local farmer, at age 66, and early Emmons County pioneer, known for his genial nature, dressed up as Santa Claus and his “well-filled basket of candies was soon seriously depleted.” Of course, he might have been recognized, as he was the grandfather of the two young elocutionists in the program, ten-year old Walter and eight-year-old Charles Boutillier, sons of his daughter, Maggie Long Boutillier and her husband, John Boutillier, soon to become the third grocer in Williamsport.
It was reported that a bounteous repast was enjoyed, and later, everyone played charades and other games. About midnight the assemblage dispersed and the “First celebration of Christmas-time was over.”
Click on picture for larger view. The above was prepared and contributed by Mary E. Corcoran. |