Christmas Dinners in the News

A little history of Mann family Christmas dinners as played out through the Beatrice Daily Sun...

Mr and Mrs Oscar Mann of near Goodland, Kas., drove to Ellis the last of the week and visited Mr Clarence Mann and family and Will Camp and family and then drove on to Iowa to spend the holidays with relatives Miss Helen Camp, daughter of Mr and Mrs Will Camp who has been attending school in Kansas, accompanied them and will spend the holidays with her parents here. (December 27, 1929)


My Grandma and her twin brother, children of Clarence, would have been 9 years old. There were likely several cousins around their age that would have come with their Uncle Oscar. They must have had fun with them. Their cousin Helen Camp was twice their age.

Dinner Party

The following families enjoyed Christmas dinner at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Mann in Beatrice: Mr. and Mrs. Earl Bartlett and son, Arvid, Mr. and Mrs. Lyman Bartlett and children, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Carpenter, Mr. and Mrs. Pearle Nickeson and Donald and Betty and Mrs. Eva Mathias. (January 3, 1944)

During WWII, the Mann family was celebrating together with a few of the men off to war. A Grandson-in-law had lost his life in service about six months before this Christmas.

Holiday Mann Reunion
A holiday reunion of the family of Mr. and Mrs. C. L. Mann was held at their home at 113 South Sumner St., Sunday, Dec. 28.
All of the sons and daughters were present and most of the grandchildren. A dinner was served followed by an exchange of gifts. (January 9, 1953)

This article goes on to mention everyone present, a total of 67 people. The home at 113 South Sumner Street was a two bedroom home with an unfinished basement. 

Twelve of the thirteen living children of Mrs Clarence Mann, Beatrice and their children enjoyed their annual holiday dinner with her in her home at post-Christmas dinner Sunday. (January 15, 1969) 

This was the first Christmas after Clarence had died. Probably, besides this dinner of the siblings, there was also a grand gathering of the 100 plus descendants of Clarence and Cora Mann. I'm not sure what year the final Christmas gathering of all the descendants of Clarence and Cora Mann was, but this only mentions children and grandchildren. Cora died in July of 1971.