City Man is Direct Descendant of Pierpont Pioneer Picnic Founders
By David Blood, News Herald Reporter
William Hallet, Jr.. 274 Harbor Street holds a scrapbook kept by his Grandmother Mary Hallett. The book contains information about Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Russell, original founders of the Pioneer Picnic which begins its 76th year on Friday. (News Herald photo. August 25, 1966)
City Man is Direct Descendant of Pierpont Pioneer Picnic Founders
By David Blood, News Herald Reporter
Conneaut holds claim to a direct descendant to the original founders of the Pioneer Picnic which begins its 76th year Friday at Pioneer Picnic Grounds, Pierpont.
William Hallett, Jr. 274 Harbor Street, is a great great grandchild of the original founders, Mr., and Mrs. Alfred Russell.
Mr. Hallett has in his possession an old scrapbook kept by his great grandmother and Russell’s daughter, Mary Hallett, which covers events in the 1800s and early 1900s.
Although the book lacks information on the original picnic, it contains much information considering Russell’s beginnings in the area with a newspaper article on the couple’s 62nd anniversary.
Mr. and Mrs. Russell were married in Vienna, Trumbull County, in 1837 and moved to Pierpont in 1841. According to the newspaper article, at the time the highways of Ashtabula County had not yet been laid out and much of their journey was through woods with only marked trees as a guide. Part of their trip took them along the old “Turnpike” to Gould. They traveled east from there to what is now Pierpont.
The article goes on to say the couple first began housekeeping in a sheep shed owned by a Mr. Dighton until they built their own log house. The couple had six children.
Mr. Hallett believes that the picnic, which is still held today, originally started as a family affair. According to legend he said, a few neighbors attended the picnic at first and it just kept growing and growing.
This year’s picnic is a two-day affair starting at 2 p.m. Friday with a baby show for infants from six to eighteen months.
Other activities include a concert by the East Springfield Federated Church Teen Choir and a hobby show. A Junior Miss Bathing Contest will be held that night with a competition open to girls between eight and fourteen years.
Saturday’s program will start at 1 p.m. with pony races. On the afternoon agenda are an antique display, horse and pony show, and a concert by the Conneaut Valley School Band.
Capturing Conneaut History with the Conneaut Area Historical Society 