Baldwin Family Christmas

Baldwin Family Christmas 

Jess and Mabel Baldwin were the parents of fourteen children.  They raised their family during the depths of the Great Depression in Oklahoma.  Hoping to find better work opportunities to care for their growing family, the Baldwin's moved to Arizona in 1934.  After spending a few years in Arizona, the family finally settled in southwestern Colorado.  Money was always tight for the large Baldwin family, but they never went without food and shelter.

Grandpa Baldwin especially loved Christmas and tried to make it a special time for his children.  On Christmas Eve after the chores were done, the family would gather for dinner.  Grandma was a wonderful cook and Christmas Eve dinner was always a feast.  After dinner and while all the kids were helping Grandma clean up and do dishes in the kitchen, Grandpa would sneak presents around the tree in the living room.  He would then slip outside, put on a beard and red hat, and peek into the window so that the kids could see “Santa.”  The Baldwin children would look out the window into the night to see Santa as he turned to leave and would always hear him call out “Ho, Ho, Ho" as he left.  Afterwards, the family gathered around the Christmas tree to find the presents underneath that had been secretly left by Santa.  Or, sometimes Santa left the big bag of presents at the front door instead of bringing them in and leaving them under the tree.  The Christmas tree was always a "real" tree covered with shinny silver tinsel and a few treasured glass ornaments.

A grandson remembers Santa handing presents in through a open window. Only Santa’s arm was seen as he handed the presents through the window at Grandpa’s house.  

Some years Grandpa enlisted the help of a friend or older family member.  Then Grandpa could be with the family when they saw Santa at the window and heard him call out “Ho, Ho, Ho” after leaving a bag of presents at the front door.

The presents left under the Christmas tree or in the bag at the front door consisted of a small brown paper sack for each child with an orange, apple, and hard Christmas candies.  Santa would also leave one present for each child which consisted of some small toy or gift.

This was the only time of the year that the
children in the Baldwin family received
an orange.  The smell of an orange always
reminded them of Christmas.

Even though the Baldwin family had little in the way of money, Grandpa and “Santa” always made Christmas special and fun for the family.

Grandpa Baldwin may have loved Christmas so much because it was on Christmas Day in 1917 that he married his sweetheart -- our Grandma!

Merry Christmas to All

Married On Christmas Day 1917

Jess and Mabel 
Married Christmas Day 1917

Jess and Mabel Baldwin
50th Wedding Anniversary

Jesse Baldwin and Mabel Leffel were married on Christmas Day 1917 🎄 in Mountain Park, Oklahoma by W. D. Rogers, a minister at the Missionary Baptist Church.  There is no known photo of their wedding day. Grandma said she made her wedding dress.  Her dress was a light blue satin with white fur on the cuffs and around the hem of the dress.  Her shoes were a white ankle boots that buttoned up the sides. Cute!

Below is a copy of the marriage record from Kiowa County, Oklahoma.

Marriage Record for Jess Baldwin & Mabel Leffel

Jess and Mable Baldwin were the parents of fourteen (14) children and grandparents of 46 (50 including step-grandchildren) and great-grandparents of about 89.  Grandpa acted as midwife and delivered most of their children himself.  They never mentioned when Grandma was expecting a baby.  The children would come home from school there would be a new baby.  One of the daughters once asked her dad where the new little baby came from.  His reply was that he found the baby in a rabbit hole.  She said she spent the next week looking for a rabbit hole with a new little baby in it.😊

Jess and Mabel lived in Oklahoma during depths of the Great Depression.  In 1934, hoping to find better work to care for their growing family, the Baldwin's moved to Arizona.  Jess worked in Gilbert, Arizona on his Uncle Charlie's citrus groves and cotton fields.  They lived in Arizona for a few years before finally settling in Southwestern Colorado in about 1938.  They first lived at Summit Point (on the Colorado/Utah border) then moved to Montrose and Cortez.  Money was always tight for the large Baldwin family, but they never went without food and shelter.  

Those of us who are older are fortunate enough to remember Grandpa Jess.  Ask any of the cousins and some of their favorite childhood memories are of spending time with grandpa.  We all remember helping grandpa feed and milk the cows and how he would tell us to look up to see the star and then squirt us in the face with milk.  Grandpa loved to tell stories and always had a willing audience when grandchildren were around.  He loved the holidays and always tried to make them special for his children and grandchildren - especially Christmas🎄🎅.  And, we could all say without a doubt that we knew grandpa loved us. 

Grandma was always busy cooking and taking care of everyone.  She was one of the best cooks around and always made room for friends and guests to join in the family meals.  Everyone loved grandma's cooking.  Caring for a large family during the Great Depression was a challenge. Grandma made most of the clothes that the family needed.  One of the daughters would show grandma a picture of a dress they liked in the Sears catalog.  She would make one just like it and never used a pattern.  

One memory I have is of Grandma humming or singing as she worked around the house or in the garden. She was always happy and busy.  Grandma always had a large vegetable garden and would can fruits and vegetables every fall.  Her tomatoes were the best!  She was an amazing woman.  We (her descendants) refer to her as a super woman!

30th Wedding Anniversary

1947  Oxnard, California

Jess & Mabel 1961

Jess & Mabel 50th

Jess, Mabel, and children 1967
50th Wedding Anniversary Celebration
Montrose, Colorado

Does anyone have a wedding picture for Grandma & Grandpa Baldwin??  If so, please share a copy!

Other posts about Jess and Mabel:
Jess and Mabel Baldwin
Jess and His Horses
Jess and Mabel Baldwin Family 1928
Mabel's 90th Birthday  
Baldwin Family Christmas  

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to All

Our Family's Own Official Santa Claus -- Uncle Gus Wilson

Uncle Gus Wilson

We have an official Santa in the family: 

Augustus M. Wilson, known as "Uncle Gus".  

He is the 2nd cousin to our direct ancestor, William B. Wilson.  

Gus even looks like Santa with his long white beard.  

Augustus M Wilson, 
known as "Uncle Gus"

Below is a 1922 newspaper article about "Uncle Gus" Wilson. 

The McKinney Examiner. Dec. 28, 1922, Vol. 37, No. 7. (McKinney, Collin County, Texas)

Tom Shewmake Given A Farm

"Talk about luck — but Tom Shewmake who runs a little store about a mile northwest of the city on the pike is one of the luckiest of men. On Christmas day, Tom and his good wife were given a fine rich, black land farm of 56 acres which is located in the Roland community, 7 miles northwest of the city.

UNCLE GUS WILSON was the Santa Clause in this case. This giving away of farms is a habit with “Uncle Gus,” and one out of which he is getting oodles of happiness.  For several years past he has been quietly, but judiciously giving away much property such as land, securities, cash, autos, etc. Many worthy persons have been “remembered” by “Uncle Gus”.

He is a pioneer settler of the Roland community. He became possessed of much land in his younger days. Having never married, he has no family to whom to leave his wealth. Like Andrew Carnegie, Uncle Gus believes it a sin to die rich, at least he acts that way, and to us it seems he is using mighty good judgment in his gifts. Those to whom he has given presents...are always worthy people. Some are tenants on his farms. Some had borrowed of him and shown their sincere honesty and manhood. Others he had quietly noticed were “doing their bit” uncomplainingly, and those are the people Uncle Gus likes.

In the case of Tom Shewmake, the writer has known Tom since he was a bare-footed boy in this city. Tom’s people were poor, but hard workers and honest. His brother lived on the farm of the writer’s father for many years. We knew him as absolutely honest and loyal. Tom we have known as a friendly, hard worker. He and his good wife have not only reared their own children, but from time to time have cared for and given homes to 8 little orphan children. They are willing to divide their last crust with the homeless. Uncle Gus, we take off our hat to you. Tom, here’s hoping you don’t let your good fortune spoil your good heart."

Merry Christmas to All

Read more about Uncle Gus:

Joe and I Are Going Home

Uncle Gus Obituaries