By 1808Delaware
We’re continuing a holiday tradition here at 1808Delaware by sharing a Christmas story about Delaware’s best-known native. This story will remain posted through Christmas Day.
Several years ago, hundreds joined on the streets of downtown Delaware as a statute of President Rutherford B. Hayes was unveiled at the southwest corner of Sandusky and William Streets, a stone’s throw from the site of his birth. Throughout the year, much has been written about Hayes as the community came together to honor his legacy.
Hayes, as it turns out, was a big fan of Christmas. In his diaries, which kept from age 12 until his death at the age of 70, the holidays are mentioned repeatedly. Two of the earliest mentions are among the most poignant, when his children were quite young and full of the magic of the season.
Consider this entry in late December of 1857:
“Merry Christmas 1857!” Birtie’s first genuine Christmas. How he talked of “Old Chris Kringle.” Hanging up stockings, springing up in bed to see if Chris heard when I blew a tin trumpet. And he happy he was when he got up and saw his drum and table and toys and candy. Poor little fellow, he has had whopping cough about two weeks and is now crying with his troubles. Webb was gay as a bird, enjoying his chait and all eatables.”
“Birtie” refers to Rutherford and Lucy Hayes’ first child, Birchard Austin, who was born in 1853.
Early the next year, Hayes continued, “January 10 — Christmas and New Year’s delightful days. We enjoyed them vastly. Birtie and his toys — gifts from mysterious “Old Chris” — have afford us much museument and happiness. No happier holidays since — or ever!”
The gift that Hayes received from his wife on Christmas morning 1861 deserves special mention. Serving in the relatively new Twenty-Third Ohio Volunteer Infantry, he was wintering with the regiment in West Virginia. That year, Rutherford made certain that Lucy received a gift of a chair and $500. In return, he received a telegraph announcing the birth of the Hayes’ newest child and fourth son, Joseph Thompson.
The Major could not keep from immediately responding:
“Christmas morning 1861 — “DEAREST: A merry Christmas to you and the little stranger (I suppose he is a stranger to you no longer) — and to all at home. At this home-happiness season, I think of you constantly.”
Joseph Thomspon Hayes died at age two while accompanying his mother on a trip to Camp White in West Virginia to visit Rutherford. In later years, Lucy stated that the “bitterest hour of her life” was when she stood by the door of the cottage at Camp White and saw “the boat bear the lonely little body away.”
