The Collett and McKay families, which have held an annual picnic in a grove on the Wilmington-New Burlington pike every year since 1866, met again Saturday for their 81st reunion.

A register which has been kept for many years by Bernard McKay, showed 257 present at the 1946 gathering, the largest group which has been present since 1941. A careful estimate based on signatures in this register shows that approximately 23,335 persons have attended the Collett-McKay picnic in its long history.

Members of the Collett and McKay families, most of whom live in or near Chester township, began to gather about the middle of the morning. Other relatives and friends of the families came in from more distant points. Besides those from various spots in Ohio, there were the following members of the families who came from out of the state: Mrs. Kathryn McKay Ingram of Oklahoma City; her daughter, Mrs. Elizabeth Ann Hensley and Homer L. Hensley of Ashland, Ky.; Miss Nelle G. McKay of Lake Wales, Fla.; Mrs. Maurice Collett with her son, McKay, and daughter, Margaret, from New York.

Three long tables were placed under a grove of young sugar trees and these were soon piled high with fried chicken, blackberry pie and other foods of the season. At about 1 P. M., Mr. Weldon McKay asked Rev. C. H. Wamsley, New Burlington Methodist minister, to invoke the blessing of God, following which the assembled guests dined heartily.

Nearly everyone remained on the grounds until late afternoon, talking crops, weather, old times and new experiences.

Mrs. Ella McKay Pidgeon of Columbus street, Wilmington, oldest person present, told of being at the very first Collett-McKay picnic when she was five years old. She couldn't remember much about it, for that was 80 years ago, but she did say that she remembered teetering on a log with another child.

The youngest member present was Robert Frank Graham, Springfield, born June 27, 1946, grandson of Mrs. Abbie Haydock.

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