The New York herald., 1877-09-06
PEAPACK'S PET PICNIC.
Five Thousand Descendants of John
Henry Schmidt Together.
THE GENEALOGICAL GRAFTON
A Photographic Camera That Was Un-
equal to Its Task.

Ordinarily the population OF Peapaek, n j.. which Is
! situated somewhere between Morrstown and Somer.
vle Is about i've hundred. II IS not village, but
townshpthat Is spread in very thin style over vast
cxpansc OF country lying at the base OF towering hills
that sometimes assume the grandeur OF mountains as
! II they knew wha, important spot OF geography
they sheltered. But yesterday the population of Pea
pick was increased to tho extent OF I've thousand at
least the occasion beng tho sccoud annual picnic OF
'Thc Smith Family and Friends Reunion" an
association OF which Mr. Isaiah Smith. of
Milburn, y. j., is President The objects OF this
mcndsblc close corporation have already been
toned IN tho HERALD. Viewed as success. the PIC
mic was gigantic alar; but, large as 1t was It will
undoubtodly-,aking into consideration tho mathc-
matica training of the Smiths, which induces them
multiply constantly on tho face OF the earth, ana
especially in tho ncighborhood of Peapackbe much
more imposing display next year Everything passed
on IN the crcditablo manner, and the Committee
oil Arrangements have abundant reason to conSratu
late themselves upon the excrtons which thoy so
triumphan;ly made TO locate and entertain vast
concoursc o! people II there IS such thing
srirituslistc communication with the other world
John Henry Schu:id AMI Christina, his vito, tho
original pair OF the last century, have certainly been
pleased with the rupporls that have reached them Of
| tho festivities undertaken IN their honor.
THE MonRisrowy PROCESSION.
past that loft Hobokea yesterday morning,
but the number constantly increased Journey to
Morrlstown progressed Morrstown had been selected
n sort o! depot OF Smiths rendezvous for the pi
erlns who Intended TO proceed dcvoutiy to Pcapack
tho homestead OF Zachariah, OF John Henry's
When the HERALD reporter reached the pleasant town
ho just time 10 hear tho echo Of tho applause
which had greeted the departure OF tho PROCESSION
that mad iormod about the park. Strains Of
the eye could catch tho geam OF nut-
tcrng flags where the humpbacked roads brough.
the spectacle into sharp view against the blue OF the
sky At first looked doubtful about being ablc TO
follow the Morrstown branch OF the pcnickcrs. Every
available horse In Morristown had been employed Tor
tho travel OF tho eleven miles. and It seemed as If
nearly all OF Morrstown had shut shop Tor tie doy.
Thanks to Mr. McColum. OF the United States Hotel
who kindly put his specdcr Drummer Boy, at tho
OF the reporter, the horrible fate Of missing
| the Smith picnic or being compelled to walk there
averted II was ascertainca that there we're quite
ono hundred conveyanjes IN line when The start
made 10 tue music Of u band and drum corps. -Four
or five OF these conveyances wcrc iour morse teams
The utmost enthusiasm characterized tho departure.
PURSUING rEAPAcK.
There is such place us Peapack startling rs " may
seem to tho careless reader Alter the description OF
ITS Whereabouts I, wili no longer be test question IN
geographical classes every memUer OF which, without
Tue Information, would have 10 20 10 tho loot But
| Is a hard place to unL. Thc Reporters guide who
drove Drummer Boz grudgDgiy over the SONY roads,
know "snort cut' over Mendham Mountain. Like
ali people VINO know short cuts over mountains he
became puzzled. All ot the hardy mountainccrs
| questioned knew, or seemed to know, ABOUT Pea
pack, but their drccuons wsro anything but direct.
| Poapuck eludcd one tho wi-o'.lhe- -wsp does the
| rasL INTRUDER IN the dismal swamp Hating upon
Ihs bSewu mountain top. after the horse rad done
circus business from the bsll-iniic stopping place
way below. there was nothing 10 SEQ Uut vast
panorama of magnificent country, dipping INTO oooi,
SHADY valleys, where Tue farm houses seemed asleep
IN tnc embrace oi trecs, and rising into rugged de-
liant prominence, where bcnded pines showed the
pIrayuc stroke OF tue storm. There Was nothing to
| hear but the somnolent hum vi the Dces lowering
ovor buckwhcat hcids Dogs ran out and barKed at
the carriage, and ghosLlikc lace was occasionally
seen at the WINDOWS OF the stray houses. But there
at homo They had all gone TO the picnic.
humorous sgnboards and trusting Providence and
small boy VINO had been at Peapack the wonder
fui place was reached at last.
WILDERNESS OF CARRIAGES.
Passing house tnat had large las floating over II,
| and then passing senFost wreatned IN nowcrs, tho
conveyance came to turn III me ROAD ana suddenly
! INTO view OF the Smith homestead, whcrc the Licnic
Was in progress The people could be seen moving
through the trees O tue grove across the way from tho
house, but the wagons were everywhere There
really end to their lelher. They were tici up at
s.umps and trees and fence rails. In many a trap
par.ies weic luncping III true ruco trace lashI.n,
aud every moment a fresh cloud OF Gust
came inio view some OF tho Smiths came
Oh horseback and very few OH foot; II must be
know In 4, hey are well. 10 do family the memDcrs
Of which able TO ride on PeapacN OCCASIONS. Get
ting nearer IL WIS seen That me grove wus packed
wnn smiths, was peapacxed with tnen in TACT 1t
was lhc nOur the business meeting having just
been concluded, and IN every available spot taUIcs
placed that groaned, AS tables have a habit OF
doing the tne cold chicken, the
b,c, the watermelon, pickles. cakes pies ana other
dclicacies While tue inaer smith was being coinorlcd
II was certainly very animated scene.
DECORATIONS OF THE GROVE
Those OF the carriages that were fortunate enough
hau the word ~ clcome" upon IT, In the centre of
The foreground OF the picture then presented The
grand stand aseiny uraped ",.h tne national coors,
evcrgroens, IN two OF which were Tire pictures
oil George Washington smith, iatncr oi his country.
and Martha Washington smith, MS vile, and prcsuina
by tho country's maternal ancestor To the right was
the stand erected Tor band from fioinipg.on
There was aso "a band IRON RarIan on tho ground
aud h corps, composed OF Mr.. fairchd aud his
iour sons from Morr's,o~n. Thcy wore dressed IN
tho Continental costume. over this stand was sign
reading I'VE are all smhs" 70 the cfs OF the grand
stand was another sign. 'ln Memory OF our Anccs-
tors" Every tree hsa aags us,led TO u, aud many
trees had pasted tucm slips Of paper calling upon
tho smiths IN bugcikc tones to register IN the book
that kept in neat desk mat WAS also drapcl with
flags
THE ORDERLY GATHERING.
Perhaps IL was the accora ana unanmity OF the dis.
positions that caused IT, nut certain that there
never Was more orderly gathering than that at Pea
pack Yesterday. There was no hqaor sold on tho
ground, anu all that went down Smiin throats which
was very little, hat been put up in Smith lasks
ana conveyed to the place In Smith pockets.
programme anu during the necessary intcrmissions
| II was sccu that the descendants cf John,
Henry aud Christian, whose history will be found
below, were as sturdy honest. Hooking well dressed,
comfortable appearing body be found any
| where. Ndturnly enough tncrc was n vast area OF
babies over tho ground ana consequent depression
On the part OF nurses who were left to guard tnem
One fact, deserving especial notice is that very large
number ot pretty girls wcro present THIS made
| PLAIN the for thousand smiths, DR.
Tho descendants OF smiths being enabled TO
walk up the registration book and sign
their names MatrinIony must always necessarily
be fashionable duty with people whose
maidcns so co,ncly. Onco during the afternoon
Spectator IN waicrmcions brought his wares TO the
gate and proceeded TO show an atcnon to dispose Of
them. II Is cardinal determination with the associ-
ation TO permit pcddlng at PcaPack perods so
the lrcsuect told the watermelon man. The water
melon man oocctcd and talked some nonsense about
the kings highway aud the rights OF citizens. But
when he 1000 people surgng toward him he
changed his mind and carno TO the conclusion that no,
watermelons might, could agree with the
Smiths lie did driving business. but II was driving or
|
| Proceedings began promptly at eleven o'clock, q
had been determined upon by tho committee, with