Looking at the Schneider Family of Cedar Hill - following the 1902 Letters to Santa from their Children

 

Today, we are backing up to December 1902.  These are Letters to Santa from the Nashville Banner. These letters are from children who grew up in the town of Cedar Hill, Tennessee.  A railroad town located on the Edgefield line of the L&N railroad.  Let’s look at their requests:

Dear Old Santa  - It is only two weeks now, until you will make all good little boys like me a visit, so I will tell you what I want.  I would like for you to bring me a large wagon, tow story books, a saw, a large engine, a bag of marbles, a baseball mitt, nine roman candles, a pack of fire crackers, some torpedoes, a sky-rocket, and of course some candies, oranges, and nuts; be sure and come. Your little friend,

Tom Schneider – Cedar Hill, Tenn.

 J. Thomas Schneider attended school in Cedar Hill and graduated in 1917 with B.A., University of the South, Sewanee, Tenn.  He was commissioned second lieutenant, United States Army in 1918, and servied as an Artillery officer in the American Expeditionary Forces, France He became the Information and staff officer, general headquarters, American Expeditionary Forces, France. through 1924  He became to Aide to General John J. Pershing the next year. He graduated from Harvard University with a law degree and resigned from the Army. He practiced law for several years, and was appointed Counsel for the Reconstruction Finance Corp. and its subsidiaries. From the years 1943-1949, he became the General counsel, Standard Brands, New York, N.Y.

In 1952. he was appointed the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for International affairs and later became the Coordinator of Field Offices, Antitrust Division, Justice Department.  Upon  his death he is buried in Arlington Cemetery, near the grave of General 'Black Jack' Pershing. 

Finding Aid to his Papers at the Library of Congress

Interview with Mr Schneider held by Truman Presidential Library

Elizabeth Schneider Richardson

Mr. Santa Claus – A little girl 4 years old wants you to visit her in your travels and bring some toys, a tea sea, a picture book, a go-cart, a Doll, roman candles, skyrockets, firecrackers, candy nuts, oranges, a fur muff and any other nice things to wear, eat, and play with.  I can not go to school yet, so I need a lot of playthings to keep me busy at my home.  Please Don’t forget your little friend.     Elizabeth Schneider – Cedar Hill, Tenn.

 Dear Old Santa – You were so kind to bring me what I asked for last Christmas, I am going to write to you again, so that you will not forget me: please bring me a doll, some furs, a steamer trunk, a story book, five roman candles, a skyrocket, a pack of firecrackers, and just lots of candy, oranges, and nuts.  With lots of love from                           Rebecca L. Schneider – Cedar Hill, Tenn.

The parents of these three children were Charles and Lila Ayres Schneider.  He was a telegraph operator and clerk for the L&N railroad.  Their daughter, Rebecca, was the last of the family to live in their big house in Cedar Hill.  When she passed, the family settled her estate and sold the house. I attended that auction sale as a little boy - I grew up about a 1/4 mile from this house.   I was looking through a box of old books, and an older gentleman knelt down and said, "Let me make some recommendations."  He pulled out some of the books and said, "These were among my favorites."  He gave me those books - that was J. Thomas Schneider.  

My parents purchased the old house in a closed bid after the auction.  That is another story indeed!    Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and your family.   Be sure to share some stories while you are together. 

Sources: The Nashville Banner, 20 Dec 1902, p 20.; Schneider Family Files (personal collection)

Learning about People - Listening to the Letters to Santa in 1903

These Letters to Santa appeared in the December 24th 1903 edition of The Nashville Banner.  The newspaper reported receiving over 2200 letters that were published at Christmas time.  Reading these letters has always made me want to connect to more information - Let's read a few with some additional information added in some cases. 

Advertisement from Murfreesboro Post

 Dear Santa Claus will you please bring me a Pearl handle knife, and a set of furs, and some leggings, and a game of Jack Straw, and a whole lot of games, and some story books, and a little doll. My little friend Marie says it's no Santa Claus, but I want some dolls, nuts and oranges and candy, also bananas and figs and a Christmas tree. Don't forget Mama and Papa and our cook Sammy, and anything that is nice. I am seven years old. Lucille Tobias, Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Lucile Josephine Tobias  daughter of Joseph Tobias and Carrie Koshland. Mr Tobias was born in Poland, and came to the US in 1873 and to Murfreesboro shortly.  He was working at Tobias & Co as a bookkeeper in 1900.  The family moved to Chicago before 1905, and Lucile was a student at Hyde Park High School there. 

Lucile Josephine Tobias - High School Photograph

“Her ready laugh flows ever free”

Dear old Santa just two more nights before time for you to come, and we are so glad. Please bring us lots of nice things, bring baby sister, her name is Geraldine, a rubber doll, she has a rattle. Bring papa and mama something nice, two. Now Santa we have been very good children so please don't forget your little friends. Johnnie Susie and Elizabeth Grigsby. Franklin TN.

Dear Santy -  I am a good little girl 8 years old I want some candy and a doll and doll buggy and a stove, some oranges, candy dishes and table and that is all. Hazel Petrie Poteet

Dear old Santa Claus -  please bring me a doll just like sister Nellie’s and a buggy, a set of dishes, a fascinator, and some chalk for my blackboard you brought me last Christmas. Please don't forget my mother and father and aunt Mary and all my little cousins and my dear grandmas both of them and dear Santa don't forget my two little cousins up in Kentucky and their Mama. I will say good bye until I see you. Your little friend, Sarah Gibson.

Dear Santa Claus - I thought I would write these few lines to let you know what I want for Christmas period I want a nice ring and a stove and a set of dishes and some nuts and oranges, apples and raisins. Your loving friend, Eva Ashton.

July 2, 1910 – Appearing in the Nashville Banner:   A marriage which has just been made public, was that of Miss Eva Ashton of near Bordeaux and Mr. Wiley Sanders of Buchanan Street, which took place while the couple were seated in a buggy at the corner of Buchanan Street and Tenth Avenue, Elder M.S. Davis officiating. 

Modern addition:  Ashton G. ‘Red’ Sanders was a son of Wiley and Eva Ashton Sanders.  He was the owner of Sanders Marine & Harley-Davidson of Nashville and Sanders’ Honda  of Springfield. Eva and Wiley’s other children were Mary Elizabeth, Ruth M., Kathleen

Dear Santa -  I want you to bring me a drum, horn, some nuts, candy, a balloon and anything else you want to bring; Also a music box. Your little friend. Jim Dyer. 606 2nd St.

This young man was the youngest son of Joseph C. Dyer, the Nashville Depot Master and Lucy Ford Dyer. He was born in Nashville and like his father, he worked for the Louisville and Nashville Railroad for 30 years. He served in the Navy during World War I.  Jim married Miss Pearl Grizzard and they had the following children: James P Dyer (Jr) and Josephine. 

Sources: 1900 US Census, 1910 US Census, Nashville City Directories,  additional newspapers accounts, including obituaries. 

More Letters to Santa Claus from 1903 - One Hundred and Twenty Years Ago

 These letters were taken from the Nashville Banner, dated 24 Dec 1903.   Please note the toys, food and candies that these children are requesting.   Imagine how it felt to have your letter published in the BIG Nashville Newspapers.   Enjoy the letters. 

One the front page the editors shared the following: 

To Our Santa Claus Correspondents:

With today’s issue the correspondence with Santa Claus closes for this year.  The little people broke the record this time.  That Banner has published with the past week 2,153 letters to Santa Claus, more than has been published on any previous ear – another evidence that the little people know their friend, and the Banner is the great family newspaper of Tennessee.

My Dear Santa Claus – I am late getting in my letter but please don’t leave me out. Dear Santy, bring me lots of toys, every thing nice for a little boy just 5 years old. And don’t forget my dear sweet mamma.   J.W. Kelley, Jr. – McKenzie, Tenn.

Dear Santa – As my father is a subscriber to your paper I will write and ask you to bring me a story book.  And please bring my little friend Lizzie Myrtle Biggar a big doll.   Hallie Hays, RR No 1, Guthrie Ky.

Dear Santa Claus – I am a little boy 6-1/2 years old and would like for you to bring me engine and coaches and s storybook and some candy, nuts, and some fireworks and some nice fruits and please don’ forget my baby Brother he is 2 years old his name is Markin Silvester Brooks – bring him something nice and some good things to eat.   Your little friend – James Allen Brooks, West Nashville, TN (Illinois Ave/7^th St)  P.S.  Don’t forget mama and papa and grandma.  I go to Sunday School too!.

Dear Old Santa Claus – I am a little girl nearly four years old and I want you to bring me a doll and a set of furs and I want some picture books and Santa Claus I want a little stove and a little table so I can put my dishes on and some chairs and Santa Claus – I want a little rocking chair to nurse my doll and I want candy , oranges and nuts and Santa Clause don’t forget my little brother, he is nearly two years old. I want you to bring him a ball and rocking horse and that is all he wants except candies, oranges and nuts – We will be your good little children – Bunyon and Robbie Draughon – We live on Division Street.

Dear Santy Claws – I am a little boy 5 years old, and this is the first time that I have written to you, and I hope you will be kind enough to bring me lots of good things. I am a good boy.  Please bring me some candy, nuts, raisins, figs, oranges, apples and fireworks, and lots of nice toys and nice little trunk to put them in, and don’t forget little brother Oscar.  He has been sick, and bring him lots of good things and lots of toys.  He is a good boy 3-1/2 year old. I am a small boy and I can make my A, B, C, and I can make figures on my slate.  We have got two dogs, but will have them fastened under the house when you come so don’t be afraid of them.  My name is Phillip S. Colley and I live at 532 North First St., Esat Nashville.  Dear Santy, don’t forget mamma and papa, so goodbye.  Dear Old Santy, I forgot to tell you I want a nice overcoat if you please, and thanking the Banner for kindness in publishing my letter.  I will make papa continue to take it, for I think it is the best paper in the State of Tennessee, yours respectfully,  - Phillip L Colley

Stay tuned - we will be adding more letters each day