Posted by admin on Dec 19, 2015 in Christmas Past 2015, Uncategorized | 7 comments

On the 8th Day Christmas Past, pleased & satisfied. Question: How can we be more easily pleased and satisfied like a pioneer child? (To be entered into today’s daily giveaway & FREE tour drawing, Comment & Share your thoughts on Facebook or our blog of story below.) The Plum Pudding By Annie C. Kimball William Wagstaff was a successful gardener in his Bedfordshire home where he joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and set out with his wife and 7 children to unite with the main body of church in America. The vessel, James Pennell, docked at New Orleans in the autumn of 1850 and the immigrants proceeded up the Mississippi by steamboat to St. Louis. Little 2 1/2 year old Rachel died on the way and was buried at a refueling depot on the river shore. The rest of the family reached St. Louis near the last of November. About 2 weeks after the arrival, Mary Gilby Wagstaff died of pneumonia and William found himself in unanticipated trouble. Isaac and James were in their teens, but the only girl, Mary, was merely 11; nevertheless she tried to do the cooking, cleaning, and mending the best she could. It was December, the children’s month. Even in bereavement and sorrow the thoughts and reminders of approaching Christmas stirred remembrances of former happiness and anticipation expressed itself in the eager questioning of childhood. “We can’t do much for Christmas,” William replied to the anxious requests, feeling so alone and helpless. “Maybe we can at least have plum pudding,” suggested thirteen-year-old James. “I’ll try to make it,” from Mary. “Who remembers how mother used to do it?” the father asked. Then each offered suggestions. Isaac, the eldest, knew it contained suet because he was the one trusted to chop it with the large sharp knife; six-year-old Jacob remembered raisins and how his mother had slipped one to him occasionally when she was cleaning them; father suggested tiny dried store currants and peel for this since there were no raisins to be found. Mary knew about flour and about boiling the pudding, all tied up in a piece of clean white cloth. William felt that the project was a real undertaking and, as ingredients were anything but cheap, he must move with caution. When the momentous day arrived, he decided that he, himself, must perform the important feat. So, with all eyes upon him, and everyone helping who was large enough, the pudding was made, with “dip.” Then all sat down to a Christmas Day feast. Poured over the treasure was a tiny measure of brandy that burned with a glowing blue flame when the lighted match was applied. What a thrilling fairyland sight! What a wonderful pudding! Only the soul-sick, lonely man knew that it did not taste like those of the past – children are so easily pleased...

Posted by admin on Dec 18, 2015 in Christmas Past 2015, Uncategorized | 5 comments

On the 7th Day Christmas Past, culinary Christmas traditions. Question:  What culinary Christmas traditions were brought by immigrants gathering to Zion? (To be entered into today’s daily giveaway & FREE tour drawing, Comment & Share your thoughts on Facebook or our blog of story below.) Immigrant Culinary Christmas Traditions Just like today, no Christmas celebration in pioneer times was complete without a feast even when families had no means to provide gifts they went to great lengths to procure extra food to make the holiday special.  Like the Cratchits in Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, Latter-day Saint families felt to thank God for even a small feast when they had little more than each other. Mormon immigrants from across the world carried their culinary Christmas traditions with them when they gathered to Zion. Scottish Saints made shortcake for their holiday celebrations, while Danish Saints supped on “sweet soup made of rice and fruit juice.”  Plum pudding was the season’s delight for British settlers in Utah. Ann Mailin Sharp, a handcart pioneer of 1856, made due with what she had to make this holiday concoction with “flour, suet molasse, dried ground cherries, ground cherries, and a few dried wild currants.” The ingredients, “sewed up in a white cloth,” were “kept boiling for hours in the kettle hanging over the fireplace.” When the pudding finished cooking, a small amount of brandy was poured over it and lit with a match. The blue flame rising from the pudding may very well have reminded British converts of the Christmases of their past and given them hope for a bright future in Christ. Many Scandinavian immigrants ate their celebratory dinner on Christmas Eve. On Christmas and New Year’s Day, Scandinavian Saints looked forward to rice mush cooked in milk and sweetened with cinnamon and sugar. Even the animals in Scandinavian homes received an extra share of food to commemorate Christmas Day.  Here is Julia’s account (a Scandinavian immigrant) of how badly she wanted their traditional rice dish: “Christmas Eve came. This was our first Christmas in the new land. Of course we expected to keep it as best we could. According to our custom we felt that we had to have rice mush with sugar and cinnamon.  This was our main Christmas dish in the old country, as much the rule as plum pudding in this country. But where to obtain the milk in which to boil the rice? “Where Shall I go?” I asked.  “To folks that have cows,” I was answered. So I went to David Holiday’s. Why he had a whole corral full of cows! I knocked at the door. “Come in,” they shouted in chorus. When I entered they asked me to sit down, but as I was in a hurry  I said, “I only came to ask if you can sell us some milk.” At this for some reason an amused grin lit up each face. They all burst out laughing, and...

Posted by admin on Dec 17, 2015 in Christmas Past 2015, Uncategorized | 9 comments

On the 6th Day of Christmas Past, SIX other Marys. Question:  Why did a pioneer father name all of his daughters Mary? (To be entered into today’s daily giveaway & FREE tour drawing, Comment & Share your thoughts on Facebook or our blog of story below.) Mary, the Mother of Many Marys Sitting on his knee one day, William Meeks, told his little daughter, Mary Jane Meeks (Pearce), this story of why she was named Mary.  He thought Mary was the sweetest name he had ever heard.  He loved the story of Mary, mother of Jesus, and, the sweetest girl he ever knew was Mary Elizabeth Rhodes, so it was she he chose to become his wife.  When their first daughter was born she looked so much like her mother that he insisted that she be named for her mother.  She was named “Mary Elizabeth.” When the second daughter was born she was just as sweet and so that she would not be denied the name of Mary, she was named “Mary Ann.”  When the third daughter was born he could not be partial after giving the first two this favored name, so she was christened “Mary Jane.” It was then that the father said he could not think of treating one child better than the other.  “Hereafter,” he said, “I will give the name of Mary, and mother may choose any name she wishes to go with it.”  The fourth child was “Mary Ellen;” the fifth, “Mary Melissa;” and the sixth child was named “Mary Louise.”  All have been happy with their names and happy to know that there was no partiality shown.  In addition to the six girls there were also five sons, Harvery, Henry, William, Joseph and John born to William and Mary Elizabeth Rhodes Meeks. Taken From: Kate B. Carter, Our Pioneer Heritage – Vol 15, p. 142. “Mary, the Mother of many Marys” from Sylvia Pearce...