Collett, McKay Families Hold 104th Annual Reunion

     NEW BURLINGTON -- More than 200 relatives attended the 104th annual Collett-McKay reunion Saturday in the maple grove at Gurneyville and Inwood Rds. The four acres here are used annually on the second Saturday of August for the reunion.
     Bronze plates on the gate posts of the tract indicate that the French and Scotch families were united by four marriages between 1823 and 1830. They founded churches and schools and helped build a community.
     The first picnic was held in 1866, with an attendance of 111. The largest was 542 in 1888. Records state that the long tables for the picnic Aug. 12, 1876, were "fairly groaning with luxuries and substantials."
     The Rev. R. David Harper of the New Burlington United Methodist Church gave the prayer before the meal. Pictures, clippings, documents and other teims were displayed on a table.
     Guests Saturday from the longest distances included Mrs. William Vanden Berg, Collette and Ronald, Grand Rapids, Mich.; Roger A. Lafferty, Providence, R. I.; Mr. and Mrs. Everett L. Baugh, Bloomfield, Hills, Mich.; Mr. and Mrs. Richard Baugh, Adele, Steven and James, Lakewood; Mr. and Mrs. Marvin White, Joy and Mitzi Jackson, Carmel, Ind.; Mrs. Byron Lesser, Westfield, Ind.; Brian H. Magee, Hyattsville, Md.; Miss Karen Magee, Sheboygan, Wis.; Mr. and Mrs. Howard Doster, David, Daniel, Susan and Anne, West Lafayette, Ind., and Mr. and Mrs. Ray Sell, Valerie, Virginia and David, Lexington, Ky.

200 Attend 104th Annual Collett-McKay Reunion

     The 104th annual reunion of the Collett-McKay families was held on Saturday in the maple grove on the Gurneyville and Inwood Rds. More than 200 relatives attended from throughout the state and a number of other states.
     Each year on the second Saturday in August two of the oldest pioneer families -- the French Colletts and the Scotch McKays -- gather on this four acre tract of land which they own and keep for this purpose.
     As the bronze plates on the gatepost indicate, the two families were united by four marriages between 1823 and 1830. They founded churches and schools and built a community. The records show that the first picnic was held in 1866 and the attendance has ranged from 111, the number of persons registered for the first picnic, to 542, the largest gathering, in 1888.
     As there is no shelter on the grounds the weather was greatly appreciated this year since the last two picnic days have been rainy ones.
     Pleasant odors came from the wood fire and the big iron copper kettle.
     The usual long dinner tables which had been set up on Friday were as was written about the picnic held on Aug. 12, 1876: "Fairly groaning with luxuries and subtantials." After an appropriate blessing had been asked by the Rev. R. David Harper, pastor of the New Burlington United Methodist Charge, everyone enjoyed the picnic dinner.
     As is the custom the afternoon was spent in visiting, looking at the many pictures with the documents and other interesting things displayed on a large table and in bringing the family tree up to date.
     Those in attendance from a distance were Mrs. Elizabeth Browning VandenBerg, Collette and Ronald of Grand Rapids, Mich., Mr. Roger A. Lafferty of Providence, R. I., Mr. and Mrs. Everett L. Baugh of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., Mr. and Mrs. Richard Baugh, Adele, Steven and James of Lakewood, O., Misses Joy and Mitzi Jackson of Carmel, Ind., Mr. and Mrs. Marvin White, also of Carmel, Ind., Mrs. Byron Leaser of Westfield, Ind., Mr. Brian H. Magee of Hyettsville, Md., Miss Karen Magee of Sheboygan, Wisc., Mr. and Mrs. Ray Fell, Valerie, Virginia and David of Lexington, Ky., Mr. and Mrs. Howard Doster, Daniel, David, Susan and Ann of West Lafayette, Ind.

(Provided courtesy of Mary Lou Inwood.)
(This illustrates the ongoing confusion over the official count of the picnics.)

103rd Collett-McKay Picnic Upcoming

     The 103rd annual picnic-reunion of the Collett-McKay families will take place Saturday at the Collett-McKay picnic grounds on Gurneyville Road starting at noon -- or as soon as members of the clan arrive.
     This is always a very colorful and special event for a large number of the families who do not fail to gather for the occasion.