For the last two weeks this column dealt with the 1839-1845 diary of Norristown resident Mary Markley Boyer (1802-1858). Found by historian Nancy Roan some years ago, the diary pages are interleaved into The Lady’s Annual Register, a publication which included monthly almanac pages. Pasted opposite the almanac page for each month is her diary for that month. Occasionally her husband, John Boyer, would add some notes in a beautiful, cultivated hand. It is primarily a record of their gardening, housekeeping, and other items thought worthy to record.
The Pennsylvania Dutch have a word for city folks-Schtadtleit-“city people.” Despite retaining many of the practices of the area’s Gemanic farmers, Mary and John Boyer were Schtadtleit. (It might be noted in passing that the term Schtadtleit along with its many cognates such as Schtadtkall-“city fellow,” Schtadtfraa-“city woman,” or Schtadtmann-“city man” were almost always used as terms of mild contempt among the Buschleit-country people. City people were disparaged as being over-educated, over-eaters, over-dressed, and having “fancy ways”; in short, “not one of us.”)
Mary Markley Boyer-perhaps because she was a Schtadtfraa and not Buschleit-wrote down the details of her daily life and the fabric of her feelings and her thoughts which today we are grateful to have. A high-light of the book is a mention by John Boyer of Christmas Day gift giving in 1845.
Among the Germanic people in the 18th and early 19th centuries, Christmas gifts were customarily given only to children and were modest at best. When the children came down on Christmas morning, they might find some clear toy candy or other small treats left in the night by the Krist Kindle-Christ child-waiting for them at the breakfast table. Consequently, of particular interest in the diary are the notations made in 1845 where John Boyer lists the Christmas presents that he received.
This is a very early date for the exchange of Christmas presents as the custom of decorating Christmas trees and adult gift giving are practices that became common toward the end of the 19th century.
The following is in John Boyer’s hand writing:
“CHRISTMAS PRESENTS. Thursday, December 25, 1845 being Christmas day, I received the following presents for all of which I feel very grateful to their respective donors.
1st. Mrs. Markley presented to me The Interesting Letters of Pope Clement XIV (Ganganelli), 2 vols. (tho’ believed by some eminent men of learning to be a fraud by the author M. Caraccioli). [the Markleys were Episcopalian].
2nd. Mrs. Boyer, a nice bone tooth pick.
3rd. Miss E. Markley, a fine pen holder with a steel pen.
4th. Miss H. M. Markley, a cake of finely scented soap.
5th. Miss E. P. Logue, two very large apples.
6th. Mary Axe, a fancy sugared soldier [probably clear toy candy].
7th. John Slingluff, a sugared Spread-Eagle. [also probably clear toy candy].
“Now, for these marks of respect I feel very grateful & hope to not forget to practice the following duties which the aforesaid presents respectfully inculcate, viz.
The 1st, That I may diligently study my book & more especially the Bible.
The 2nd, To keep my teeth clean.
The 3rd, To write a fair legible hand always endeavoring to improve.
The 4th, To keep my face and hands clean.
The 5th, To encourage agriculture more especially the raising of fruit trees.
The 6th, To be always ready to defend my country.
The 7th, That under this banner “The spread-eagle” I must be always ready to march at my country’s call, as a good patriot; with a single eye to that more glorious course, of the chief Captain of our Salvation and his banner, the Banner of the Cross-JB”
Interestingly, he calls his gifts “marks of respect.” Most of them are of trifling value, but he interprets them as referring to duties which he hopes to practice. All of which suggest that in the Markley’s case there was a moral aspect to adult Christmas gift giving. Perhaps a purpose of these small gifts was as a reminiscence of the Christian belief in the gift of salvation that Christ brought to believers.
The Historian is produced by the New Hanover Historical Society. Call Robert Wood at 610-326-4165 with comments.
