The holiday season is here! But all kinds of history happened, not just holiday celebrations.

I'm as caught up in the holiday preparation and celebration as many of you are today! But as I've seen multiple Christmas Remembered performances in Colonial Williamsburg over the last few weeks, as well as personal family situations, it's a reminder that December has been filled with all kinds of history, not just holiday-themed stuff.

So here it is! A "this day in history" post 2 days before Christmas.

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Ludwell Paradise House, Colonial Williamsburg December, 2024

Historical summary of December 23rd

As you may know by now if you've been reading along, I love lists. And bullet points. Especially on short posts meant to inspire questions and encourage readers to take a deeper dive into anything that draws you in.

(And if you haven't been following and just found this blog- subscribe of course!)

Here it is: a few December 23rd items I found that fascinated me personally.

• 1620- Construction starts on the Plymouth Settlement! Click here to read the details on getting the settlement up and running a week after the Mayflower gets to the shores of Massachusetts.
• 1783- On this day, George Washington resigned as commander-in-chief. If you want to read his resignation in full, click here to be directed to my favorite primary source site, the Founders' Archives.
• 1795- General Henry Clinton, who fought alongside George Washington in the Seven Years (aka French and Indian) War, died. But he didn't continue on the same side as Washington; he famously stuck with the British and was at the forefront of famous battles we Americans lost including Bunker Hill and New York, both pivotal for the British. Also lost on December 23rd: WWII veteran and auto racer Wendell Scott in 1990. Scott was NASCAR premier league's first African American driver. And in 2015, Alfred G. Gilman, American scientist and 1994 Nobel Prize for G-protein discoveries.
• 1823- “A Visit From St. Nicholas,” was published in the Troy Sentinel newspaper in New York by an anonymous author. I recently saw a display about an amazing collection the Swem Library at the College of William and Mary holds. Click here to read about it and here to read the poem and dive deeper.
• 1867- Madame CJ Walker was born and a whole new perspective on women in business is on the horizon in a post-Civil War United States. Sharing her birthday: Joseph Smith, founder of the Church of Jesus Christs of Latter-day Saints in 1805 and Susan Lucci of All My Children fame in 1946. If you're a big fan of this soap, click here for a "family album."
• 1997- American film icon Woody Allen married his step-daughter Soon-Yi. It was a big deal at the time. If you want a bit of entertainment, check out her Rolling Stone interview from a few years back by clicking here. (heads up: it's not G-rated)
• 2015- Sticking with the "entertainment" theme- did you know Richard Marx (and yes, I had his CD in college) is married to Daisy Fuentes? They tied the knot a bit later in life after both had pretty successful careers in the industry.

Online view of Swem's collection

Closing words from history: mourning a heavy loss

In December of 1799, President Washington succumbed to illness. I love the line "her country's father" - maybe it was commonly said, maybe the tradition of calling him that came from this letter from the Senate to our second President.

To read the letter on Founders Archives, with notes and citations, click here.

To John Adams from United States Senate, 23 December 1799

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December 23, 1799
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To the President of the United States:

The Senate of the United States respectfully take leave, sir, to express to you their deep regret for the loss their country sustains in the death of General George Washington. This event, so distressing to all our fellow–citizens, must be peculiarly heavy to you, who have long been associated with him in deeds of patriotism. Permit us, sir, to mingle our tears with yours: on this occasion it is manly to weep. To lose such a man at such a crisis is no common calamity to the world. Our country mourns her father. The Almighty Disposer of human events has taken from us our greatest benefactor and ornament. It becomes us to submit with reverence to Him who “maketh darkness his pavilion.”

With patriotic pride we review the life of our Washington, and compare him with those of other countries who have been pre–eminent in fame. Ancient and modern names are diminished before him. Greatness and guilt have too often been allied; but his fame is whiter than it is brilliant. The destroyers of nations stood abashed at the majesty of his virtue. It reproved the intemperance of their ambition, and darkened the splendor of victory. The scene is closed, and we are no longer anxious lest misfortune should sully his glory; he has travelled on to the end of his journey, and carried with him an increasing weight of honor; he has deposited it safely, where misfortune cannot tarnish it, where malice cannot blast it. Favored of Heaven, he departed without exhibiting the weakness of humanity: magnanimous in death, the darkness of the grave could not obscure his brightness.

Such was the man whom we deplore. Thanks to God, his glory is consummated: Washington yet lives—on earth in his spotless example—his spirit is in heaven. Let his countrymen consecrate the memory of the heroic general, the patriotic statesman, and the virtuous sage. Let them teach their children never to forget that the fruit of his labors and his example are their inheritance.

Samuel Livermore, President of the Senate, pro tempore

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There is a huge practical disclaimer to the content on this blog, which is my way of sharing my excitement and basically journaling online.

1) I am not a historian nor an expert. I will let you know I’m relaying the information as I understand and interpret it. The employees of Colonial Williamsburg base their presentations, work, and responses on historical documents and mainly primary sources.

2) I will update for accuracy as history is constant learning. If you have a question about accuracy, please ask me! I will get the answer from the best source I can find.

3) Photo credit to me, Daphne Reznik, for all photos in this post, unless otherwise credited! All photos are personal photos taken in public access locations or with specific permission.