Christmas in the 1860s years ago
By Mrs. T.B. Matlock
The first Christmas on the frontier, 1861, the three families of the first caravan gathered at the Billings home, the log house on the Cottonwood.
They observed the day out under a blue sky and leafless trees - for it was a balmy, spring-like day — so much so that the men worked in shirt sleeves as they arranged the Christmas tree and the tables out in the yard.
Now when these families came from their eastern homes, they brought flower seeds and all kinds of garden seeds — and immediately upon the arrival, in June, they broke the soil and planted gardens, the yield of which, with wild elderberries, wild plums and the native black walnuts, helped to make their Christmas dinner. In due time, the hunters went forth. They were Jack Griffeth, Elisha, Sam and George Shreve, who brought home the venison and buffalo steak for the occasion.
Also there was that fish box that Uncle William Billings had placed in the Cottonwood, along in the fall, full of fine fish.
The women folk had canned pumpkin and elderberries and had made plum butter and jelly during the harvest time, but there were no pies as there was no wheat flour to be had.
No pine or cedars were available for the Christmas tree so a sapling was decorated with popcorn balls and festoons of strung popcorn.
The candy was just brown sugar — homemade candy, but it was good.
A suspended small rope clothesline held the gifts for all, which consisted of articles of apparel. For the men there were wool socks, mittens, mufflers and wristlets, all of coarse, dark gray yarn, trimmed with bright blue and red yarn.
For the fair sex, it was "lingerie" from that bolt of muslin that came out in the wagon. There were pretty embroidered chemises and pantalettes and wool hosiery of pretty gray yarn with wide stripes of bright colored yarn (they were not anklets.)
All these gifts were the handiwork of those women, much of which was accomplished at night time after a day's work, by the light of a piece of flannel burning in a small tin dish of tallow.
There first Christmas away from home, away from civilization almost, was spent in much reminiscence — their "Ghost of the Christmas Past" which recalled this happy event of a year just gone — their spacious candlelighted parlor with a large ladened Christmas tree before the fireplace, the long table set for the family guests and the massive, beautifully-decorated dance hall where these maidens, in gorgeous gowns, had tripped the light fantastic until the midnight intermission, after which they appeared attired in white for the remainder of the Christmas dance with the gentlemen of their choice.
Thus, "Christmas Past" merged into their "Christmas Present" with the singing of hymns and carols until the woods along the Cottonwood reverberated with the spirit of the day.
Then at nightfall, the orchestra (Uncle George) took its place and Mollie called the dance, which continued into the night. Thus they made merry — their first Christmas on the frontier.
Christmas of '65
The next Christmas of which we have an account was the year '65.
In the interim, much had happened. There had been illnesses, partly due to a constant diet of cornmeal bread. Some were serious cases, one of which was Hannah (Mrs. S.C. Locklin). Young "Doc" Rogers, who had just made his advent, was called. He shook his head saying, "Too much cornmeal!" Whereupon Uncle William Billings started out on horseback vowing he would get wheat flour "or else."
After two days, he returned with a sack which held two quarts of flour — for which he had paid two dollars. It was sufficient to save the day for this good woman.
Few of those first people cared for cornbread ever after.
We often told of how, more than once, "Buck" Griffeth, then the little boy, Alex, laid on the dirt floor and cried and cried for just one biscuit.
But not too long did they suffer the need of white bread for "Silas" (S.C. Locklin) planted the first wheat crop on the Uncle George Griffeth valley land. He harvested and took a load of the grain to mill, a distance of 75 miles, ground his grist and came home. Then every family in the settlement had wheat bread.
The Strawheckers and Grandmother Griffeth, the Roberts and Hoops from Indiana joined the family here in '64. There had been marriages. The first white child was born in the settlement.
By this time the larder had been replenished. Having a crop of sugar cane, here was a sorghum taffy pull. Not only that, but there was candy — red and white sticks, horehound sticks and licorice — yes, and apples, all from Uncle Jack Costello's "everything" store, for Christmas.
And now that flour was plentiful, Hannah baked doughnuts, not only for the table, but doughnuts helped trim the tree. They were made in many various shapes. She also baked cake and pumpkin and elderberry pie. We have an idea there was some of those delicious tarts of flaky pie crust, timbales filled with elderberry and plum jelly the kind she made in later years.
The gift exchange was much the same as the preceding Christmas, with added articles from Uncle Jack's store such as pretty calico for dresses and sunbonnets. Also there were those fragile shell vases, silver and gold. There were mustache cups and shaving mugs for the men. Pretty odd dishes for the homekeeper and a fancy cup and saucer each for the children.
By this time, the Kaws had become more neighborly and there was trading — the whites swapped their wares for beads for the girls and moccasins — beaded moccasins — Christmas gifts for women and children.
Hold to Tradition
The three families held to their way of gathering at one of the first homes for many years
This clan, who had remained here to till the soil, plant orchards and improve the land, observed this, their "Christmas Present" with greater enthusiasm. They had proved the courage of their convictions by this time. They had "summered" and "wintered" the wild frontier where every nightfall brought shadows of lurking Indians. They had lived though all kinds of hardships. They had had to work and fight for the right to exist.
New people were coming into the settlement — prosperity and happiness were in the offing.
The challenge of the spirit of this day was so great that their feeling of gratitude was intense and from the heart — and then and there — the Griffeths, Billings and Shreves, Strawheckers, Roberts, Locklins and Hoops planned with faith in the Christ of God, to carry on in "Christ to Come."
Copied from the Marion Record-Review, Dec. 20, 1945
