Delaware, U.S., Marriage Records, 1750-1954
Past In Review from 12-20-2001
125 years ago
December 23, 1876
LOCAL AND STATE AFFAIRS.
Next Monday is Christmas. Who don’t know that?
Lewes had two narrow escapes from fire last week.
Rice has Christmas toys and confectionaries in abundance.
Middletown has several cases of measles on hand at present.
The Middletown merchants have big stocks of holiday goods.
Christmas services will be held in St. Anne’s Church on Monday.
There are four pigeon shooting matches on the tapis for next week, in this vicinity.
The Legislature will meet next Monday week, that being the first Monday in January.
The roads were in splendid condition until the snow-fall of Monday somewhat spoiled them.
Smyrna is infested with chicken thieves. – That is sort of general complaint everywhere in the winter.
Forty liquor licenses were granted at the late term of court in this county, of which 21 were in Wilmington.
The Sussex Journal is authority for saying that there are twenty-four weddings to take place in Georgetown on Christmas day.
T. J. Curtis, present speaker of the Idaho Territory Legislature, is a native of Kent Co., Delaware. He is a Democrat of course.
The Breakwater Light published, last Saturday, the names of eight of its subscribers who had paid their subscriptions that week.
The prothonotary’s office of Kent County will become vacant on the 31st inst., but it will not go begging as there are two applicants for it.
James Gray, of Bridgeville, was found dead in his bed one morning last week, and the coroner’s jury said he died from the effects of intemperance.
The sidewalks were covered with a heavy sleet on Monday to the annoyance of pedestrians and delight of the boys who had fine times skating on them.
A barrel of apple brandy was stolen from J. M. Dodd, near Moorton, last Tuesday night. The thieves rolled the barrel for about half a mile and then put it in a wagon.
People have got into a singular habit, here lately, of suddenly and swiftly sitting down flat in the streets. This habit is very ridiculous and generally amuses lookers on.
Wednesday and Thursday of this week were the shortest days of the year. They were each only eight hours and fifty-seven minutes long. The days are getting longer now.
The snow that fell Monday afternoon, though slight in itself, made pretty good sleighing on account of the previous icy condition of the roads. Full advantage was taken of it by sleigh owners and boys with sleds.
75 years ago
December 23, 1926
OUR LOCAL NEWS HAPPENINGS
Many Brief Paragraphs Gathered Weekly By Our Scribes
Townsend
Paul Hodgson, of Baltimore, Md., was a week-end visitor with his parents, Richard Hodgson and wife.
Quite a number from Townsend attended the shower given to Homer Rheims at the home of his parents, George Rheims and wife, near Fieldsboro, on Thursday.
Several farmers hauled a truckload of Christmas trees to Wilmington on Monday and disposed of the supply to the city dealers who said the market was well supplied, with prices as low as last year.
Turkey raisers in this locality have had much success in raising fine flocks of this poultry during the past year. The prices are exceptionally good and the “birds” are in heavy demand. Mrs. Baynard Marvel raised a flock of turkeys for the holidays, which she sold readily on Monday.
The condition of Harvey J. Naylor who has been a patient at a Philadelphia Hospital for the past two weeks, continues to improve but it may take several weeks longer before Mr. Naylor becomes strong enough to return home. His many friends are very glad to hear of his steady improvement.
More poultry is being shipped from this section and other parts of the peninsula, and the demand is greater this season than has been the case for the past 10 years. Local raisers of choice poultry have produced fine flocks of choice fowls and found them real money-makers during the holiday season. One remarkable case of success along this line is that of Mrs. Steven Pearce who lives over in Maryland. Mrs. Pearce raised 90 turkeys for Christmas, besides having a large flock of chickens and ducks to market. Last year she sold $800 worth of poultry and expects to sell $900 worth this holiday season.
50 years ago
December 20, 1951
Local Personal Column
Those Who Entertained and Have Been Away
Miss Ellen Combs has returned home after spending some time visiting relatives in Toronto, Canada.
Miss May Holton will spend the Christmas holidays with Mr. and Mrs. George Records and family in Dover.
Capt. And Mrs. Herbert Dumstrey, of Norfolk, Va., are visiting Dr. and Mrs. W. S. P. Combs and Miss Ellen Combs.
Mr. and Mrs. William C. Gallagher, of Prospect Park, Pa., were Sunday visitors of his sister, Mrs. John W. Dickinson.
Miss Jean Johnson and Mr. James George, of Newark, were week-end guests of Mr. and Mrs. Richard W. Lambert near town.
Mrs. Thomas R. Newnam, Miss Jane Newnam and Ricky Newnam were Philadelphia visitors on Thursday of last week.
Many Items Worth Reading
AROUND THE WORLD IN SEVENTY MINUTES
On his arrival at the Washington Airport from Key West, President Truman delivered a rather remarkable speech. He said: “I don’t want a lot of fuss made over this. There is nothing wrong. There is no emergency. I don’t want a lot of people to get it in their minds that the world is coming to an end.”
In the morning papers that reported this greeting was the day’s official list of Korean casualties. For 68 more Americans the end of the world had come. But there was still no official word on whether 6,123 American prisoners of war had been murdered by the enemy, as reported by Col Hanley, or 8,000 as reported by Gen. Ridgway later said could be verified.
Mr. Truman went on to explain that he had returned because it was easier for him to do that than for the Chiefs of Staff and their aides to come to Key West. The Monday morning meeting was attended by Robert A. Lovett, Secretary of Defense, Under-Secretary Acheson is in Paris) as well as the Joint Chiefs and their chairman, General of the Army Omar N. Bradley.
Presidential Secretary Joseph Short told newsmen that the conference lasted 70 minutes and canvassed “the world situation,” but that “no policy decisions were made.”
Meanwhile, wire stories from Panmunjom indicated that the Korean Truce story had shifted from the circus tent to the White House. The UN truce team had accused the Reds of blackmail, in holding captured men, not as prisoners of war but as hostages to enforce Red truce terms; and had demanded immediate talks on the return of prisoners. But it was reported that the “next step” might be waiting for instructions from Washington.
At the White House Mr. Short admitted that “Korea was among the subjects discussed,” but that the meeting was “not confined to that subject.”
Perhaps, by the time this gets into print, you will know what happened at this meeting. Newsmen are plainly fearful they may be missing a big story. It could be an ultimatum to the Reds, demanding a truce on our terms, or else . . or else all-out war, including Manchurian bombing . . the full MacArthur treatment.
