The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-12-26
THE CHRISTMAS OF 1854
Celebrated at Dr. Martins Home VIVA
Old Settlers Esemember of It.

Old Settlers Remember of It
A social gathering of more than ordi-
nary interest was that at the home Of DE-.
and Mrs. 5 Il. Martin last evening in
celebration of the doctors arrival in To-
peka forty years ago yesterday at sunset
The doctor SAYS. Just IS the Christmas
sunset was reddening the western sky,
and one of the prairie fires, so common
in the winter of "a, was casting even a
brIg bter glow over the eastern horizon,
we, Mr. Hiram COvell. Messrs- Cook aud
Partridge of New York and i, rode up 70
"a little yx12 one room cabin at First and
Kansas avenue and greeted the man who
came to the door with the Arkansas
Travellers query, Can we get to stay all
night9' Col Holiday. for It was he who
stood in the door, replied, I'm very sorry
gentlemen, but our rooms are all taken Z"
Last evening was given up to
pleasant "reminiscences Among those
present were five former Topeka bellies,
who were girls together. Mrs. Dudley,
who was Miss Minnie Otis, Mrs. Lakin.
who was Miss Mary Ward, Mrs Aiken
who was Miss Minnie + arnswOrth. Mrs
Hugh Ross, who was Miss Alice W ard,
and Mrs. J. 81. Meade, who was Miss
Jennie Ward
Mrs. Ross Burns, widow Of Captain
Burns, who was inj ured in Prices raid,
was there; Mrs Weymouth, one of the
first women who came 70 Topeka, was
guest: Mr. and Mrs. r Nichols, 1lr- and
Mrs DOlman, Elk Governor and Mrs 3
J. Crawford, Dr. Hunto0n. Mr.. Jacob
Smith. AIr and Mrs. Dudley, Mr.. and
Mrs. FL w Farms worth, Mr.. and Mrs
Aiken and son Harry, Mr.. and Mrs Colt
Farnsworth, Mrs. Sarah Garvey and
daughter, Dir. and Mrs. John Farms
worth, Mr.. and Mrs. F. r. Baker, Mr.
and Mrs. J. G. Gordon, DIr. and Mrs. Ill.
r. Ren,ng n and other pioneer To-
pekans were among the invited guests
The evening was informal and early
-1-f-r
the glow of the gaslight and the
genial influence of the cordial
hospitality of DR.. and Mrs. Martin. 50
gracefully dispense IN their happy home.
With the memory of sumptuous Christ
mas dinners SO near, some OF the men
who founded Topeka, found it hard to
remember what was the bill of fare
served to them forty years ago yester-
day.
Mr. F. W. Giles said. i spent that
Christmas day on the south bank Of the
Shunganunga, in the vain attempt 70 dig
a cellar the site Of my proposed res
idence. The day was extremely warm.
so much so that l removed my coat and
vest. and laid down upon the hard baked
earth to cool. MY dinner that days y es,
I remember it very we'll I had a teacup
full of beans, and after I had finished
them 1 filled the cup with water
and drank it. THAT night" Mr. Giles
continued, s'the coyotes having smelt
outside Of the cabin came down nea- by
and parked all night, 50 much disturbing
our rest that we got up and vent out and
did our best to bark just like them.
There were beside myself. Col c. X
Holiday, Jacob and Enoch Chase, James
Hickey and others. but Of course we
were Considerably younger than we are
now"
Col. c. K Holiday said: Il remem-
Der very little about the Christmas Of "a
We did not think much Of Christmas.
One thing 1 do remember is that the
winter was phenomenauy mild Col.
Holiday says he has no recollection Of
many such Injuries as beans. mush and
molasses being the principal diet
MIR. j. IA. Hickey said. III do not re-
call Christmas as set aside particularly
from other days in that winter"
Blr- +. p. Baker said that his
first Christmas in Topeka was not spent
in Topeka, but on the way home from
Washington.
Mr.. Baker said. "On Christmas day
SO, the weather was very cold i crossed /
the Mississippi river on the ice at Quincy,
Ill. On that occasion I carried in my
arms little child, who was coming out
with her mother to join her father in
Kansas. That child is the wife Of Mr..
W. 0. Ewing. now connected with the
Dudley bank IN this city