Genealogie Wylie » Irma Blythe Ross (1914-2007)

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1. web page at:, via https://www.mymonticellonews.net/museum-..., 31. Dezember 2019

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   From The Museum
   TUE, 12/12/2006 - 9:00AMadmin
   With two issues left before Christmas, I thought I’d share more stories with you about Christmases past in Drew County.
   
   Last year, we visited with a lady about her Christmases spent in southern Drew County around Possum Valley. This year, we’ll go north to visit a lady, Irma Ross, who grew up in that part of the county known as Old Union. She was raised on a farm in the area.
   
   Ross was born Irma Blythe in 1914. Although her father, Dean Blythe, was a brick layer and contractor, the family moved from town to the farm. Her father worked “away from home” and Irma, her older sister and her mother ran the farm. Her sister was eight years older, so Irma felt she was raised somewhat like an only child.
   
   When she was growing up at Old Union, Ross remembers vividly the stockings hanging from a nail by the fireplace. She recalls putting a box underneath hers, in case the stocking wasn’t large enough.
   
   On Christmas morning, the stocking would be filled with an apple, an orange, occasionally a banana, some peppermint sticks and a “cluster” of raisins. Christmas was the only time fruit and such candies were available and they were a real treat.
   
   Ross remembers that raisins weren’t sold in boxes in those earlier times. They were purchased already dried but still attached to a stem. They were a real delicacy to a farm girl.
   
   Hanging the stockings by the fireplace was a tradition she continued with her own children. Today the mantle in her living room still holds those aging nails.
   
   She remembers always being anxious for her gifts, too. Usually, they were homemade toys, dolls and such. One Christmas, however, her dad purchased a wonderful miniature travel trunk. It had been stained and lined with cloth and had wonderful little leather “handles.” On the bottom was a paper label that read, “To Irma BlythE - From Santa.” Ross still has the little wooden trunk and it is in excellent condition.
   
   She does recall that she had begun to wonder about Santa’s identity and the label was a giveaway. Her father always signed “Blythe” with a capital “E” for the last letter. Since the trunk was labeled in this manner, she was sure she knew the secret, and she was smart enough to keep quiet!
   
   About the same time she had been “looking” in a closet and found a box of blocks. She left them there and was a bit suspicious when the same blocks were under the tree Christmas morning labeled “From Santa.” The light was dawning!
   
   Ross reminisces that, for years, Christmas meant “company.” Her mom’s brother, Mr. Erwin, was a railroad conductor. As a “perk” with this job, he and his family got free “passes” to ride the train.
   
   Every year, her aunt and uncle and their two daughters would ride the train from El Paso, Texas, to Monticello for Christmas.
   
   Since her father’s job required him to travel, Mr. Blythe owned a Model A Ford automobile. On the day they were to arrive, Dad would crank the old car and go to the train station to meet them. They would always bring a trunkful of clothes and stay a week.
   
   When the company arrived, the children would usually be sent out to play. Sometimes while they were out, her mother and aunt would make eggnog. Her aunt would shoo her back to the yard because she didn’t want her girls to have eggnog. Mrs. Irma had tasted it before, though, and liked it.
   
   Irma recalls the cedar trees her father would cut each Christmas. She would make paper chains to decorate it by coloring between the lines on tablet paper. Then she would cut the strips apart and make rings connecting the strips like school children still do today for garlands.
   
   She also remembers the candleholders and candles her father would let her put on the tree. Occasionally, he’d light the candles for her. When he did, he’d sit right with them to watch for a fire. He never let them burn long.
   
   Sometimes they would obtain glitter and wet sweet gum balls to dip in the glitter for decorations too.
   
   Ross remembers running downstairs on Christmas mornings to see her presents. Later, they would have a big Christmas dinner with family and occasionally neighbors. In those days, children ate last and she recalls often getting the “leavings.” She didn’t like that too much!
   
   Mrs. Irma remembers that her mother would put a chicken in the coop and fatten it for a couple of weeks before Christmas. On Christmas Day, she’d go get it and wring its neck. Then she’d pluck the feathers and fix it for Christmas dinner. Her mother would bake it, breast up, in the dressing and then carve it much like we do turkey today. Often it would be very cold at Christmas and the slough near their Old Union home would freeze. Then the children would have fun “skating” from tree to tree. (Actually, they were sliding on their shoe soles.)
   
   As her father began to work more in construction and bricklaying “in the bottoms,” he often bought little gifts from Protho’s Jewelers in Dermott. One Christmas, he bought her mother a lovely watch. Mrs. Irma still has that watch - and it still runs! She also has several “trinkets” he bought for her
   
   Although Ross has kept many of the dolls she received through the years, she recalls her “best” Christmas while she was growing up as being the Christmas an aunt from Grady gave her a beautiful doll from England. It had jointed legs, a lovely dress, a sweet face and the most gorgeous curly hair with ringlets. Mrs. Irma has kept and preserved the doll down through the years. It is a beauty. A few years ago, she sent it to Kansas City with an aunt to a doll hospital to have the legs “restrung.” Now it is just like new. Christmas, girls and dolls go together!
   
   At 92, Mrs. Irma Ross has memories of many Christmases past and plans for many Christmases in the future.
   
   BY:
   BY SHEILLA LAMPKIN ADVANCE CORRESPONDENT
   Archive Section:

Historische Ereignisse

• Geburtstag 29. August 1914
• Hochzeit 31. Dezember 1933
• Sterbedatum 4. November 2007

Gleicher Geburts-/Todestag

• Auch geboren am 29. August
• Auch verstorben am 4. November

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