Collett-McKay Family

     Stories abounded and over 400 different covered dishes of foods were served Aug. 12, as the descendants of the Colletts and McKays gathered for their 123rd annual reunion.
     Four marriages brought the families together: In 1823 Jonathan Collett married Sarah McKay. Later, Jonathan's brother, Daniel, married Sarah's sister, Virginia. Then in 1830 Mary Collett wed Francis McKay, and her brother, Daniel, wed Francis' sister, Mariah.
     A total of 258 family members met at the four-acre glade in Chester township that is not used for any other purpose except for this picnic day. To the family, the land belongs to the picnic; that is one of the traditions handed down to children and grandchildren.
     Wallace Collett told that some of the old beechwood table boards bear the date 1860. Elton Haines, 92, told stories of the olden days, remembering that when he was a child, some of those still attending had attended the first picnic.
     Another story told was that in 1920, Ralph Haines landed his airplane in a field nearby, and was the first to arrive at the picnic by air. Others had come by horse and buggy. Ralph was killed three years later at Norton Field (now Rickenbacker, near Columbus).
     This was the 61st consecutive picnic for Esther Doster--except for the time her daughter was born on the traditionally reserved second Saturday in August. Alice Lockmiller brought fresh mangoes from her home in Fort Myers, Fla. The last time she attended the affair was 1926. Fresh Indiana blueberries were brought legally across the state line by Howard Doster, great-great-grandson of Jonathan Collett, one of the founders.
     Ellen Gilbert brought homemade ice cream. Wilbur McKay donated a pig, which was roasted and brought by Phil Bogan.
     Eugene Collett, a retired Methodist minister, gave the blessing, and was later seen sharing wisdom with his young cousin, Daniel Collett, a missionary in Mexico.
     Later in the afternoon Richard Keppler climbed into appropriate maple trees to secure a volleyball net for a game which pitted Colletts against McKays.
     Attending from out of state were:
     Marjorie Ames of Arcadia, Fla.; Barbara, Elizabeth, Kent and Lindsay Ames of Okemos, Mich.; Jonathan Collett of Brooklyn, N.Y.; Fent Collett of Escondido, Calif.; William Doster of Buckeye, Ariz.; Susan Doster of New York, N.Y.; David Doster of Northville, Mich.; Barbara and Howard Doster of West Lafayette, Ind.; Bart, Chuck, Karen and Robin Fabian of Des Plaines, Ill.; James, Janell, Joe, John and Tricia Giestling of Omaha, Neb.; Anne and Travis Glaze of Carrollton, Va.; Ann, Gusan, Kievan, Nathan and Taj Greengus of Skokie, Ill.; Charlotte, Quentin, Richard and Virginia Haigh of Pelham, N.Y.;
     Also, Mikko Kamin of Reinach, Switzerland. Hattie Leaser of Westfield, Ind.; Alice Lockmiller of Ft. Myers, Fla.; Rian Magee of Dryden, N.Y.; Ellen Magee of Madison, Wisc.; Mary and Raymond Sell of Boulder, Colo.; David, Michael and Sally Sell of Richmond, Ky.; Monica Storck of Baltimore, Md.; Carina, Marilyn and Timothy Talmadge of Mesa, Ariz.; Mary Ellen Talmadge of Omaha, Neb.; Doug, Greg, Jim, Joan and Mindy Vogel of Knightstown, Ind.; David Wardlow of New Castle, Ind.

Social Calendar

SATURDAY AUG. 12

• Collett-McKay picnic, Collett-McKay picnic grounds on Gurneyville-Inwood roads, carry-in dinner at noon.