Caldwell County MO Archives History .....SOME TYPICAL GOOD TIMES IN HAMILTON IN THE SEVENTIES 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/mo/mofiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Karen Walker khw4@yahoo.com September 4, 2008, 1:36 pm

SOME TYPICAL GOOD TIMES IN HAMILTON IN THE SEVENTIES
	Narrator:  Mrs. Hattie Lamson, 91, Hamilton

     "How did the Hamilton people amuse themselves in the 70s" was my question.
     The narrator replied, "They had plenty of good times, altho folks today 
might not think so."  Then she spoke about a bridge celebration in the summer 
of 1878, when the new iron bridge over Shoal Creek was finished at the 
McLallen's Ford.  There was a basket dinner, the Breckenridge cornet band was 
there and political speakers worked all day long.  Filson's Bridge was also a 
favorite picnicing place.  Most any grove was good for a picnic.
     Then there were church sociables, often held on the lawns of homes if in 
the summer or in public or lodge halls in winter.  Oyster suppers costing 25 
cents were good money makers.  Or they might even give them for 10 cents a 
dish.  When Frank Clark's Mill was rebuilt after the fire 1878, before the 
machinery was installed, the Congregational ladies had a big oyster supper and 
Festival there.  Some 300 were there.  A real festival meant that all sorts of 
food was placed on the table and you ate all you could of every kind there for 
the price.  A sociable was restricted to a certain food, passed round in 
dishes, as ice cream, strawberries, oysters.  The Presbyterian ladies gave a 
big crush affair in the Harry House about the same time, and also a Fair, 
which took the place of a fancy work Bazaar.
     Christmas trees in Rohrbaugh Hall were well attended and many people gave 
and received gifts there.  There was a small admission fee.  She recalled a 
Calico Sociable when tableaux (rather new then) were given and charades.  The 
girls wore calico dresses and brought a calico tie, which was sold and thus 
she got her partner for the evening.
     Often festivals were featured by voting contests for the most popular 
young lady, or the prettiest girl or the most popular preacher or teacher.  
The surplus cakes were auctioned off.
     Box suppers were extremely good form and not country style at all then.  
Many a hint was given to help the boy buy the right one.  Dances, if given by 
the right crowds were considered all right, but no real society person danced 
in a mixed crowd.
     Oratorical contests among the young folks drew good crowds and were 
popular even in the 80s.  Mrs. Lamson remembered that at one, Martha Glasener, 
then a young lady, won first and Maud Goodman second.  Ladies kept open house 
on New Years day for callers, some restricting it to their young gentlemen 
friends.  Mrs. Joe Anderson (then Ella Austin) and Minnie Ogden were among the 
last class.  At most of these things, no wine was served, but it had been done 
in the days of the 60s when Mrs. Lamson first came to Hamilton.  As late as 
the 80s, Mrs. Franke, a German Jewess of high society ranking, used to pass a 
tray of wine glasses to casual callers.  Of course, formal calling was a big 
part of women's social life in those days.  Card playing among women was quite 
uncommon.
     Interview  1934.


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mo/caldwell/history/other/sometypi209gms.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mofiles/

File size: 3.6 Kb