200 attend 107th Collett-McKay picnic

     Two hundred members and guests of the Collett and McKay families registered at the picnic grounds on the Gurneyville and Inwood roads Saturday. Several people were heard to say that this picnic, Number 107, was one of the nicest in their memory. The weather was beautiful, and so were the grounds. It was cool and shady under the sugar maples, and the breeze was delightful.
     Before dinner the Rev. Mr. John W. Beers Jr., of Bellbrook led the group in a prayer of thanksgiving. There was definitely no evidence of a food shortage here, and all enjoyed a delicious and hearty meal. The coffee was made in a big iron kettle over an open fire by Mr. Richard Baugh.
     Departing from tradition, a short business meeting was conducted in the afternoon by Mr. Donald D. Collett at which time attention was called to the new fence enclosing the four acres owned by the two families. The fencing made it possible to plant new trees to replace those which have been destroyed or damaged by severe wind storms in recent years.
     Twelve red oak trees were given in memory of Lila Inwood Edwards by her husband, Mr. Wallace Edwards. Several sugar maple trees from his farm had been set out by Mr. William Doster. Mr. Collett told of plans to construct a small utility building before next year's reunion, and to spread more fine stone in the area of the tables. Widening the entrance and moving the large brick gate posts back farther from the road is another project for the near future.
     Those attending from out of state were: Mr. and Mrs. D. Howard Doster, David, Dan, Susan, and Anne, West Lafayette, Ind.; Mr. and Mrs. Allen Inwood, Tonya and Brad, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Miss Carol Cossum, Pleasantville, N.Y.; Mr. and Mrs. Richard H. Baugh, Adele, Steven, and Jimmy, Rochester, Mich.; Mrs. Edward (Caroline Cossum) Powell, Wheaton, Ill.; Master Troy Graham, Houston, Tex.; Mr. and Mrs. David Browning, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
     Mr. and Mrs. Everett L. Baugh, Bloomfield Hills, Mich.; Mr. Lawrence E. Baugh, Bloomfield Hills, Mich.; Mr. and Mrs. David Baugh, Terri and Christopher, Longwood, Fla.; Miss Jan Gathings, DeLand, Fla.; Mr. and Mrs. Larry Lindsey, Brad, Blake and Molly, Westfield, Indiana.

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     Betty Magee brought us the scrapbook of her grandmother when she came in Monday with her account of the Collett- McKay picnic. Betty's grandmother's mother was a Collett.
     Can't tell in what newspaper this was published, written in Harveysburg. Aug. 7, 1869. It begins: "To the Editors of the Republican:" That year the local newspaper was the Weekly Gazette. Anyway this is it:
     "A notable event occurred on the 7th inst. at Pisgah Heights, distant 10 miles from Harveysburg where the entire kin and kith of two celebrated families of Ohio, to wit: Collett and McKay joined in the pleasantest manner possible, to entertain one another agreeably to their own notions of social enjoyment and propriety."
     Later this account is given:"More than 200 years ago husband, wife and babe set sail from the coast of France to find a home in America. The wife after a few days passage out, died; and a famine having broken out on ship board an allowances of one biscuit each day was issued to the adults on board; the children were doomed to starve. On this scant pittance, father and child survived the wreck, and after a long voyage reached their destination. From the motherless babe, susbsisted on a half biscuit and cradled in the arms of the sea, in the providence of Heaven, the hardy, loyal race of Colletts sprang."
     The picnics were always big. "There were present on the ground 41 clusters from the original tree, numbering 185 souls all bearing the name of either Collett or McKay." Then are listed many. others present.

     Lots of poetry and religion in that scrapbook, one poem, "Shall we know our friends in Heaven?"

     What impressed us most about the Fair was its size. We don't remember it was ever so big. But I suppose it was.

     And does anyone know why or how dewlaps help keep New Zealand White rabbits cool? That's what we were told.

107th Collett- McKay picnic set

     The 107th annual Collett-McKay picnic is scheduled for Saturday at the picnic grounds used so many years on the Gurneyville and Inwood roads. The grounds have been fenced in since last year's picnic and also oak trees have been planted in memory of Lila Inwood Edwards by her husband, Mr. Wallace Edwards.

(Provided courtesy of Mary Lou Inwood.)

Collett-McKay picnic grounds beautified

     Trees are aging at the Collett-McKay picnic grounds and no wonder, the picnic has taken place annually for -- this will be the 106th year.
     So Saturday several relatives with some helpers gathered at the grounds on Gurneyville Road to plant 12 red oak and maple trees given in memory of Lila Inwood Edwards by her husband, Mr. Wallace Edwards of Oxford.
     Lila Inwood Edwards grew up in Clinton County, she taught school at Kingman. When her husband retired they went to Oxford to live as their two children and their families are there, one in Oxford (professor at Miami University) and the daughter in the area near.
     Mr. Charles Peterson of Peterson nursery in Xenia pruned the trees and supervised the planting.
     The grounds have been fenced off and the grass is to be mowed to allow young trees to grow. Some families have planted trees from their own woodlands and others may do so.
     Mrs. Warren Kester of Glendale has been active in forwarding this project. She recalls that trees now shading the table area were planted 50 years ago.
     The construction of a small utility building is being considered.