[Home] [Robert Mackay Clan Links and Information] [The Collett-McKay Picnic] [Newspaper articles about the picnic (Present - 1966)]

Newspaper article from 1974

Submitted to the Wilmington News Journal.

More than 200 attend Collett-McKay picnic

Saturday was "Picnic Day" for the 208 people at the 108th Collett-McKay Picnic. Attenders said the weather was perfect and the spot beautiful and pleasant.

The tables were set up Friday under a group of maple trees which Mr. Harry Nickerson had dug from his woods nearly 50 years ago; and, with the help of his son-in-law Mr. Lester Stanfield, set out near the center of a four-acre tract owned by the two families which is located on the Gurneyville and Inwood Rds. The table boards are nearly 100 years old, having been purchased for the 1879 Picnic by Mr. John Magee at the request of Mr. Daniel M. Collett, known by many as "Uncle Dan."

Saturday, Mr. Warren Kester started a fire under an iron kettle, and the aroma of wood smoke mingled with that of coffee. Mr. Wilbur McKay called upon the Rev. John Beers Jr. to lead the group in prayer. This was followed by a basket dinner.

During the day, interest was shown in pictures, clippings, and documents pertaining to the two families whose history in this country began many years ago, the first Collett having come to America in 1660 and the first McKay before 1726. The families were united by four marriages between 1823 and 1830.

At a business meeting, Mr. Wallace Collett commented on the nearly-completed utility building located on the grounds and suggested that some might desire to share in its cost. Mrs. Warren Kester (Emily Inwood) is acting treasurer. Mr. Donald D. Collett spoke of the young oak trees given by Mr. Wallace Edwards in memory of his late wife, Lila Inwood Edwards, and of those trees recently planted on the grounds by Mr. William Doster. Widening the entrance to make it safer for modern forms of transportation is a project to be completed in the future.

Those present from out of state were: Mr. Everett J. Nickerson, of Riverside, Calif.; Mr. and Mrs. D. Howard Doster, David, Daniel, Susan, and Anne of West Lafayette, Ind.; Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Fabianowicz of Des Plaines, Ill.; Mr. and Mrs. Richard H. Baugh, Adele, Steven, and Jimmy of Rochester, Mich.; and Diane and Billy Doster, ages nine and six, who flew alone from Buckeye, Ariz., to visit their grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. William Doster, and to attend the picnic.

[Previous page] [Next page]

� 1997 [email protected]


This page hosted by GeoCities Get your own Free Home Page



Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1