December Holiday Traditions

In a week, a niece will be marrying and I wonder what Christmas holiday traditions she will carry on and make new with her fiancé. I know one of her mother's (my sister) traditions was to purchase dated Christmas ornaments at every place they traveled to on vacation.'

When David and I married, we made the mistake of not talking about how we wanted to celebrate the holidays with each other and our parents. David just assumed that I would go along with his family's traditions and his toe tripped over a speed bump when he discovered his bride had some wishes of her own in addition to both our parents expecting us to celebrate the holidays with them that first Christmas. Oops!

One thing common to both of us was that we had celebrated Christmas together with our extended families -- grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. We decided that we wanted to continue that tradition, however, deciding who got first dibs without ruffling feathers became a major struggle as both of our parents lived in the same metro area and our grandparents lived out of town in opposite directions. A few years ago, I read of a couple of capital ideas I wish we could have implemented in the beginning of our journey together as man and wife -- alternate holidays every month on an annual basis (I'd have to write it in on my calendar so I wouldn't forget) or make one holiday such as Thanksgiving a paternal holiday always and Christmas a maternal one or visa versa. 

My family stayed home for most of the holidays during the year and celebrated them together, along with school parties. We were only able to visit my grandparents in southwestern Kansas and the panhandle of Oklahoma two times a year as they lived an 8-10 hour drive away. First my parents and siblings would open gifts at home, around my brother's birthday on the 21st, then drive to the Kansas grandparents, spending several days there and then going on to the Oklahoma grandparents before returning home. We had three Christmas' in one!

Some of my favorite memories from those times are -- looking up and seeing the "great star" (Jupiter and another planet's conjunction) in the sky as from a mattress in my folk's station wagon (mom and dad almost always made up a bed for us four kids so we could sleep while they drove all night); getting out of school because of a blizzard that roared through Oklahoma; playing with our cousins; attending church with our grandparents and seeing old friends; Christmas dinner; watching for familiar towns along the way down and the mounting excitement of being almost there and the alternate -- the growing homesickness as we pass those same towns coming back and the longing to be home; and watching my grandmother's eyes mist with tears as they waved goodbye to us. My grandparents have all graduated to heaven and as I write this, I miss them very much and know I won't be able to celebrate holidays with them again until I meet them in the sky. 

David's immediate family spent the night at his paternal grandparent's home and woke up at dawn on Christmas morning to open gifts. Then in the afternoon, they would all pile in the car to go visit his mother's parents. He said his favorite memory was hanging out with all his cousins. And let me tell you, he has quite a few in Cole and Miller Counties, MO. 
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Some of our blended Christmas traditions came when we had our son. I found a recipe for a Christmas cottage in the newspaper and we'd get together, either with his cousins or his homeschool friends and make them from pop-tarts, frosting, and Christmas candies. It's very much like a gingerbread house.

We also had a birthday party for Jesus with cake and ice cream after my aunt gave our son a book about celebrating Jesus' birthday with a party. We made Christmas ornaments together and exchanged them with friends' homemade ones. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas we drove around to see the lights and generally, we'd wait until after Thanksgiving, usually on my birthday to decorate the house for Christmas. We also collected one or two Christmas books or videos a year and sit and read or watch them together before Christmas day. And we still love to play games and put puzzles together with our friends and family  Christmas evening! 

At my Kansas grandparents we would open gifts after Christmas dinner at noon and only after all the dishes were done and she read the Christmas story from her Bible. It seemed like it took forever before we actually got to open the gifts, but imagine our son's excitement when he was allowed as a first time reader to read his shortened version of the Christmas story at his Grandma's house! After all, Jesus is the reason for this season! 

As preschool Sunday School teachers, David and I have participated in our home church's children's pageant -- me helping with costumes and David/stage and props. In previous years, we participated in a Living Nativity (next time you see David ask him how cold it gets without long handles under a costume and about the braying donkey) and choir cantatas. This year we're reading a new devotional book called "Anticipate: An Advent Experience" by Paul Sheneman and published by Beacon Hill Press. I'm decorating paper tags based on this book's Jesse Tree symbols called "24 tags of Christmas" to hang on my Christmas tree. This would be a good book to have for your own family tradition of celebrating Advent preceding Christmas. A Jesse Tree is a version of an advent calendar. 

Hey Family, I would love it if you would add your favorite Christmas memories to the comment section below. Thanks!

Written by Dolores J. Rush. 

Colonial Dames of America

If you aren’t qualified to join the Daughters of the American Revolution but can prove that your lineage descends from pioneers who settled in America during the colonial days (from your school days, do you remember what the 13 original colonies were?), then perhaps this group is for you instead.

My encyclopedia seems to indicate that there are two groups of Colonial Dames of America. One was founded in 1890 and the other in 1891. The membership for the first depends on whether you are descended from an ancestor of distinction who resided in the colonies previous to 1776 or in the second, you were descended from a worthy ancestor settling in the colonies previous to 1750. Both groups collect and preserve records, documents, manuscripts, etc. that pertain to the colonies and the revolutionary period activities.

Most of my ancestors were ordinary men. Take for instance on my maternal grandfather’s side, the family traces back to a Peter ULLOM (me, mom, Grandpa John, Alford, Lorenzo Dow, Stephen, Peter). Peter was born in 1748 or 49 in Lancaster County, PA.

A cousin on my maternal grandmother’s side always told me I was descended from Robert MORRIS, the financier and signer of the Declaration of Independence, but it’s not been proven.

In years, we may be just shy of the requirement of colonial days, unless another family researcher has gone further back than I have. I’d love to know.

DAR: Daughters of the American Revolution

One of David’s cousins called him last year asking for help to fill out some admission papers for the local chapter of the  Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). Her dad got sick shortly after that and we haven’t heard anything recently concerning her paperwork.

We talked to the regent of the local chapter at the Grinter Applefest in Wyandotte County, KS. last weekend. The DAR is a volunteer service organization dedicated to promoting patriotism, preserving American history and securing America’s future through better education for children. But in order to be a member, one must be a woman 18 years or older, regardless of race, religion, or ethic background, who can prove lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution. They have a DAR library and archives. The genealogy library is said to be the second largest research center in the world, with more than 300,000 files, 185,000 books, and 65,000 microfilms, in the national headquarters. The Archives has nearly 5,000 early American manuscripts and imprints.

Some of their activities involve awarding scholarships and financial aid to students, locating and marking historical landmarks and graves of countless Revolutionary War patriots, volunteering at VA hospitals, preserving local landmarks and historic structures in communities across the country, conserving pre-Industrial American decorative art objects, giving copies of the DAR Manual for Citizenship to immigrants studying for naturalization and becoming docents at local museums.

I was interested in learning that over thirty DAR state societies maintain a state or period room at the National Headquarters in Washington, D.C. and the Kansas Chapel contains stained glass sunflower windows assembled from twelve panels removed during the 1967 remodeling of the Carnegie Library in Wichita. The sunflower is Kansas' state flower. Talk about preserving history! *smile*

David’s 5th great-grandfather, Abel Stout, from New Jersey, fought in the American Revolution.

For more information on either the local chapter  or the national organization check out their websites.  

Revolutionary War Ancestors: 
Fletcher, William (1750-1792), DAR #A209074
Griffin, Richard (name posted on DAR plaque at the Montgomery Co, KY courthouse).
Morgan II, Morgan (1737-1797), DAR  #A080522
Stout, Abel (1740-1797), DAR #A110657
Todd, Peter ( 1756-1841), DAR #A114383

Possible Ancestor:
Morris, Sr., Lewis (1726-1798), DAR #A101275

Rush Reunion Recap

Our family reunion day dawned pleasant, cool, and fair. Actually it wasn’t too bad under the shelter at the park. It helps when there is a little breeze, however, I heard that the pool numbers were down from the previous years. And I’m sorry about the miscommunication about the time. Hope it didn’t spoil your fun!

The attendee that came the farthest drove straight through from California. Also, the cousin who introduced David to me via a blind date was there. We were delighted to see all who attended!

And yes, I did write the reunion invitation poem. I’ve had several poems published, mostly in literary magazines in my youth. I decided this year I would crank up the creaky writing skills and get to work. It took me awhile without a rhyming dictionary, but I’m glad to say, I believe the poem came out all right! It said what it needed to say! *smile*

I must say though, I don’t know what happened to all the picnic tables (must make note to self = remind folks to bring lawn chairs and card tables next year). There wasn’t enough seating to go round. Hey, family, if you are reading this, call or write Eldon, MO’s Chamber of Commerce and urge them to purchase or build more picnic tables or get up the 4-H’ers, Boy Scouts or a high school shop class to make and donate some more. I’m sure they would appreciate it! We will!

Did you get to visit our table at the reunion? We had “Rush Report” order forms and copies of each of Gaynelle Moore’s books for your viewing pleasure as well as many ancestral photos to view. Also, I think the neatest thing was Rev. Alexander Sullen’s certificate, signed by the President of the United States, for his service in the Civil War which we received when David ordered his veteran tombstone from the government. Alexander is buried at the Spring Garden, MO. cemetery where the Christian church once stood. 

There was electricity at the shelter. David had his laptop hooked up to it. 

In regard to the Reunion invitation address list – I do not share it with anyone except those members of the family directly involved in the reunion planning. And we are often the last ones to know when family members move, pass away, or get married. In the past few years, I’ve sent out directory update forms but few have been returned. IF you are interested in receiving a notice to the next reunion, please try to remember to contact us when your situation changes. I especially need your descendants’ (grown children who move out) addresses. And even if your last name isn’t RUSH, but you are descended from a RUSH, or are related to one through marriage, you are welcome to come! The more the merrier!

And for your information, only dead relatives are allowed on our blog, unless we get your permission to relay your personal data such as in the “Family Links” for research or advertising purposes (at our discretion, see side menu) or if you make a comment under an article. If you wish to comment or ask a question and feel uncomfortable about leaving your full name, please leave your first name and I will answer underneath yours via the pop-up contact post (return to blog for answer after a couple of days or click notify box) or leave your email address (again I state I will not publish it; it's for my eyes only) and I will answer you via our reunion email. Use whichever method that suits you best.

David and I tried to get to the Miller County Museum before they closed, but didn’t quite make it. One or two family members headed over to Rush Chapel Cemetery to check it out! Then at suppertime, a large group gathered at Lehman’s Mennonite Restaurant (permanently closed) over in Versailles for the best open-faced roast beef sandwiches with mashed potatoes and brown gravy (they also have a dinner/salad bar w/ dessert; Yum!) and a few split off to go miniature golfing in Osage Beach. There was worship at the Eldon Nazarene church the next morning and shopping at the local flea markets in the afternoon with lots of visiting in between. I enjoyed myself, did you?