(Submitted by D. Howard Doster to Webmaster and Newspaper at the same time.)

Interview with Kimberly Becker Price, co-manager of the Collett-McKay Picnic Facebook page at the 153rd Collett-McKay Picnic. Kim is updating her mother's genealogy, "The Twelve Tribes Of Moses McKay" click here for a form you can use to submit your information. This opens in a new window.

     After a morning rain, 160 cousins from 11 states braved the threat of more rain, and came to the 153rd Annual Collett-McKay Picnic, held again on former Moses McKay land, at the four-acre picnic site at 5353 Gurneyville Road. Actually, Rosalie McKay Beers hosted several McKay's in her basement, also on former Moses McKay land, before they moved over to the Picnic site in the afternoon.
     Susan Doster, Picnic Trustee, called the cousins together at noon. She thanked Roger Vaughn, Ashley Inwood, John Mothersole, Steve Pidgeon, and Steve Collett, for their generous help preparing the grounds for the Picnic, including regular mowing, providing the water for the restrooms, and setting up the picnic tables at 8 am on Picnic day. Jim Giesting offered a prayer of thanks before the meal.
     After pointing out the long history of the families in the community, Jonathan McKay proposed applying for a State Historic Marker, and placing it near the entrance. Several cousins nodded their approval as he shared why this is appropriate, and some even contributed money, even though much needs to be done before this can occur. Now, we look forward to McKay's progress report next year.
     After eating at "our" table for the first course, I looked for Trustee John Mothersole's ham. Yes, he again brought it, I think, in a cask-iron roaster. And, again, it was the best tasting food I found. Someone told me he puts maple syrup in it. Whatever, I hope he brings it next year.
     No one brought a new baby, and no one signed as a first-timer. At age 90, Caroline Edwards Wengler was the oldest present.
     Although her husband, Doug, couldn't attend, Janet Doster Reynolds came here on their 62nd wedding anniversary. Her dad, Charles Doster, was born on Picnic Day, August 12, 1900. Her grandmother, Mary McCune Doster, missed her first and only Picnic that day. Born in 1862, she had near perfect attendance for 83 years.
     Not using a cane for the first day since a cancer surgeon cut a nerve in my left leg, I took particular notice of others like me. Like me, Ron Whitacre drove his own vehicle, but he used a wheelchair and I left mine in the car. Chuck Fabian was thanking his doctors after having 5-way heart by-pass, aneurism, hip surgery, and Achilles strain. Thomas Talmage is in his 7th year on a cane.
     For the third year in a row, I've hosted a family home/farm tour on Friday evening, starting at 5pm at the Picnic Site. This year, we toured Collett farms and houses, and the Jonah's Run Baptist Church and cemetery, started by Collett men and their Quaker McKay wives in 1838. We got permission from Cousin Steve Pidgeon, who now owns the site of, I think, the 1814 original Revolutionary Daniel and Mary Haines Collett log cabin and still occupied 1816 frame house, to visit there.
     We ended the tour at nearby Caesar Creek Pioneer Village where we entered the Caesar Creek Quaker Meeting House, moved from the NE end of the Park to this site on the SW end of the Park. Mary Haines Collett, Rebecca Haines Collett, Abigail Shinn McKay and daughters were members at Caesar Creek before three of the girls married Colletts; and, though he wasn't a Quaker, his five Quaker daughters-in-law put Revolutionary Private Daniel Collett's body in the Caesar Creek cemetery in 1835.
     We also read the sign on the Dan Collett log cabin there, and I told why I think it was built by/for former slaves, and not built by my g-g-g grandparents, Dan/Mary Haines Collett, as stated on the sign. Finally, we looked at Quaker Levi Lukens 1808 log cabin there, and I shared that, in 1812, he had bought the 1,000-acre tract which now includes Harveysburg on the west; and Jonah's Run Church/cemetery, and the site of the Pioneer Village "Dan Collett" log cabin on the east.
     I plan to host another tour on the evening before the Picnic next August 10. At 5 pm, bring your sandwiches, and we'll eat in our cars as we move between sites. What fun!
     Out of state cousins attending included: Francie and Drew Doster, Chicago, and Charles, Karen, Chad Fabian, Des Plaines, and Robin, Fred and Cory Maker, Elk Grove, Ill.; Susan Doster and Rick Mertens, W. Lafayette, IN; Marilyn Talmage, Freehold, NJ; Emily, William, Dan, Melody, Jimmy, and Catherine Doster, Raleigh, NC; Brenda, Bradley, and Todd Stephens, Linthicum, MD; Adam, Dave, and Cindi Doster, Novi, MI; Seth, Ivan, Azou, Caleb, Delwyn, and Kimberly Price, Midvale, UT; Michael McKay, Maria and Sierra Brock, Winchester, VA; Guy Lee Fields and Ellen Magee, Madison, WI.