Governor-elect White is Home to Enjoy Christmas in City With His Family

 The Marietta Daily Times, December 23, 1930

Governor-elect George White is back home and will carve the Christmas turkey in his own intimate family circle at the White home on Fifth Street. He came home Monday evening and within the next 24 hours all members of the family will join him in the yuletide festivities.

The two daughters of the next governor, Misses Mary and Charlotte White, arrived from Columbus on Sunday and began arranging for the Christmas celebration at their home. The governor-elect came in on Monday evening a few hours after his sons, Robert and George, had arrived from their school at Princeton. David White, the eldest son, will come from New York on Wednesday.

Mr. White had a double purpose in coming home at this time. He wanted to be with his family during the yuletide season and he wanted to obtain a brief rest from the arduous duties that have evolved upon him in recent weeks.

He said at his Marietta office Tuesday that he has put aside the making of appointments until after Christmas and it is not likely that he will have any official announcements to make in this line until he returns to Columbus.

He spent several hours on Tuesday attending to private business interests, and with his desk cleared this evening he will join his family and intimate friends for an old-fashioned Christmas celebration at his home.

Alden Home First to Have Lighted Outdoor Christmas Tree Here

 Marietta Sunday Times, December 22, 1929

Marietta's first decorated outdoor Christmas tree is said to have been the lighted tree in the front yard of Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Alden at 202 Sacra Via about 15 years ago, so far as folks remember. The idea that is now universal in the East was inaugurated here by Mrs. A. M. Briggs, daughter of the Aldens, who came from her home at Garden City, Long Island, to spend the yuletide at that time. And, the beautifully lighted tree was there in honor of little Miss Priscilla Alden Briggs, the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alden.

Mrs. Briggs not only brought the idea of a beautifully lighted Christmas tree in the out-of-doors, but she brought also the pretty colored bulbs which decorated the tree. Outdoor decorated tees have been regular features on the Alden premises ever since.

According to John Kaiser, one of the first decorated outdoor Christmas trees in Marietta was one sponsored as a newspaper enterprise, when there was a community Christmas tree on the court house premises years ago. The school children of Marietta sang Christmas carols, with Professor James Bird the director, the program commencing at 4 o'clock in the afternoon of Christmas day. And one of the largest crowds ever assembled down town was there to witness the first community Christmas tree festival. B. F. Strecker donated the tree that was quite large, and the Sprague Electric Company placed the strings of bulbs.

Among those who had outdoor decorated trees for the past seven or eight years are Mrs. J. S. Goebel and John Dietz. They use living evergreen trees which grow on their premises. Mrs. Goebel uses an arbor vitae and a Frazier fir, and Mr. Dietz an arbor vitae.

Marietta Christmas Advertisements of the Past

 

The Marietta Times, December 19, 1900

Leader Dry Goods Store

Marietta Daily Times, December15, 1914

Brown Piano Co.

Marietta Daily Times, December 15, 1919

The Marietta Book Store Co.

Marietta Daily Times, December 23, 1919

The Wieser & Cawley Co.

The Marietta Daily Times, December 15, 1920

The Turner, Ebinger Co.

The Register-Leader, December 21, 1921

George C. Wilderman

Marietta Daily Times, December 11, 1924

L. Gruber & Sons Co.

Marietta Daily Times, December 11, 1924

The Wainwright Music Co.

Marietta Daily Times, December 23, 1930

The Stanley & Grass Co.

The Marietta Daily Times, December 15, 1932

Montgomery Ward & Co.

The Marietta Daily Times, December 23, 1940

Broughton's

The Marietta Daily Times, December 17, 1942

The Ohio Bell Telephone Co.

The Marietta Daily Times, December 5, 1947

Otto Brothers

The Marietta Daily Times, December 23, 1954

Wun-Der Shoe Store

The Marietta Daily Times, December 11, 1968

Kresge's

Belpre's Martha Washington Tea Party

The Marietta Times, May 5, 1881

The Martha Washington Tea Party given by the Ladies' Temperance Union in the basement of the congregational Church last Thursday evening netted a handsome sum. The attendance was much larger than the most enthusiastic workers anticipated. Early in the afternoon a rain storm set in which made things look unfavorable for success, but long before night people commenced gathering, and by 8 o'clock the house was densely packed.

Two large tables were spread, one representing an old-fashioned entertainment with olden time dishes (some of which were 100 years old) with pork, baked beans, doughnuts, corn bread, &c., and presided over by Mrs. A. W. Glazier as Martha Washington, dressed in olden time costume. In fact, we are told that some thought she was the veritable Martha Washington. The hostess was assisted by six young ladies with short dresses and low shoes. 

The other table was gotten up in a more modern and fashionable style, being loaded down with all the delicacies that could be procured with Mrs. James Mitchell as Lucy Hayes at the head of the table, assisted by six young ladies in fancy costume. 

Beside the large tables there were side tables with ice cream, cakes, candies and flowers, which were for sale at reasonable prices. Everything was sold and ate up except a very large fine cake donated to the Society by Mr. and Mrs. James Daniels of the steamer Hudson. The cake was offered for sale, but not bringing a satisfactory price, was presented by the ladies to Mrs. Lucy Hay(s) Mitchell. The proceeds will be devoted to the furtherance of the temperance cause in this community.

This is said to be the most social gathering ever had in Belpre. Old and young, rich and poor, high and low, were gathered seemingly not only to have good old-fashioned social time, but to make this a new starting point from which to push the temperance cause with renewed vigor in this community.