Imagining Christmas 1890

I can only imagine what my ancestors' Christmas was like in 1890. Most of my Great Grandparents were still children living with their parents, all but two of them in Nebraska. Before the end of their lifetimes, a few of them would be a part of my Christmas celebrations. 

Christmas in 1890 was on Thursday. Historic newspapers indicate that while in Nebraska the weather was nice that year, a heavy snow storm was causing a lot of problems nearly everywhere from Chicago to the East Coast. The price of a postage stamp to mail a Christmas card was .02 cents. Believe it or not, that is right in line with today's price of .58 cents. I can't say for sure whether any of my ancestors traveled, or sent Christmas cards or baked cookies, or decorated their homes. But from what I do know, I can come up with some brief scenarios of what their Christmas might have been like in 1890.

Albert Menke, youngest son of Henry & Eliza Menke, was 4 years old living in Clatonia with his siblings Matilde, Katharina, Eliza, Rosa, George and Nettie. Living nearby, his oldest sister Caroline was married with a baby boy. Henry & Eliza were both born in Germany and likely there were some German Christmas traditions carried out in their home. Albert's maternal Grandparents Henry & Caroline Knapp lived in Portsmouth, Ohio along with other extended family he may not have known. He had cousins he could play with in Tobias, where his mothers sister Mary Boggs lived with her family. Another sister of Eliza, Hannah Smith, was out in western Nebraska.

Down the road in DeWitt, Lottie Roscoe was just 3 years old living with her parents, William and Lena, and her siblings Laura, Cleve and baby brother Frank. Her paternal Grandmother, Mary Roscoe, may have also lived with them. Lena's parents, Ole & Caroline Jorgenson, natives of Denmark, were living in Peotone, Illinois. The Roscoe family had been in America for several generations. Lottie had a few cousins close by to play with, but both her parents siblings were spread around the midwest. They may have gotten cards from relatives in Iowa, Illinois and Colorado.

Twelve year old Clarence Mann was living in Jefferson County with parents William and Nancy and siblings William, Horace, Oscar and Effie. Two older sisters were married with children near his age. His Grandparents were all deceased as far as I know. His mother had two brothers and some half-siblings living in Iowa. His cousins there were all older and I doubt he saw them very often. English, Irish and Scottish Christmas traditions may have influenced the celebrations in his family. 

Cora & Clarence Mann, Christmas, 1962

Cora Gaisford was 8 years old, living with her parents Charles and Henrietta in Jefferson County. Also in the household were her siblings Charles, Maime, Anna, Emma, Carrie, Nellie, William, Gertrude and baby sister Gladys. Cora's maternal Grandfather, John Potter Smith, lived in Massachusetts, I'm not sure if she ever met him or any of her mothers siblings. Her Grandfather James Gaisford was living in central Illinois. Cora had Aunts, Uncles and Cousins living in Illinois, Iowa and also nearby in Gage and Jefferson counties. Had they all been able to get together, it would have been a large crowd. Something Cora knew well when in her later years. I was among the crowd of some big celebrations with Clarence & Cora Mann's family.

In 1890 Art McGrath was 14, living in Dawson County with his parents John and Rachel McGrath. He never knew either set of his Grandparents. His two sisters, Becky and Minnie, were older and married with children all younger than him, but not by much. His nieces and nephews included Lizzie, Andrew, and Clara Smith, of Stockham in Clay County and Rebecca, Lenora, John Robert, Hayden, Marguerita and Daniel Patterson of Cozad in Dawson County. Art's mother's sister, Ruth Pettit and husband William were living with their eight children not far away near Callaway, Custer County, Nebraska. Great Grandpa McGrath and I may have celebrated a few Christmases together, but I have no memory of him.

Sadie Negley, 10-year-old daughter of Josiah and Sarah, was living in Eldorado with her 4 siblings, George, Alice, Will and Cal. Sadie's maternal Grandparents were both deceased, but her Uncle George W Lee, his wife Christine and 3 older cousins lived within traveling distance in Clay County at that time. Sadie's paternal Grandfather was also deceased, but Grandmother Ruth Negley was living in Decatur, Iowa. Several Aunts and Uncles and cousins lived in Iowa. I couldn't say if they did or not, but it wouldn't have been impossible for Josiah to take his family over the Missouri River and through southern Iowa to Grandmothers house for a visit.

Cicero Bell was at home in Wayne County, Kentucky, age 21. His Grandmother Rutha Bell was the matriarch of the family, his Grandfather John Silas was deceased. If Rutha had her entire family for Christmas dinner, there could have been Cicero, his mother Martha and his 2 younger siblings John and Laura; Rutha's son Ira Garner & wife Martha with 2 sons; Rutha's daughter Elizabeth Stringer, her husband John and 3 children; and possibly daughter Emily (I don't know her death date). Rutha's son Leish and wife Rebecca may have been in Texas by that time. Daughter Ursula had died in August leaving a husband and 3 children.

At 19, Allie Spann was living with her father Ben and step-mother Mattie in Wayne County, Kentucky. Her mother had died six years earlier. She had two siblings at home, Etta and Marrion, and two young step-brothers. Allie's other siblings were married with at least 15 children among them, most of them living in Kentucky. Her Grandparents were all deceased, but her extended family included Aunts, Uncles and cousins living in the area, too. She was likely acquainted with them, if not a part of their holiday celebrations.

Wishing everyone young and old, near and far, a very Merry Christmas!