By nature, I am not much of a saver. If something doesn't have a use, if I haven't worn it in five years, etc., give it away or throw it out. And because of that tendency of mine, I have actually gotten rid of a few treasures.
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| My grandmother Madge, about 25 |
When I was still a kid, my mom had an old treadle sewing machine out in the garage. It had been her mother's. Mom had an electric sewing machine in the house. The one in the garage was junk in her mind. Oh, I wish I had that old junk sewing machine now. Not because it would have great monetary value, but so I could look at it and remember that my grandmother used to sit at it and make clothes for her daughters a hundred years ago.
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| My grandfather Walter, about 21 |
But I have managed to hang onto a few possessions that matter. Two of them reside in my lighted curio cabinet, among my china and crystal and collection of Cherished Bears. One is the pocket watch that belonged to my father. Dad was killed in a plane crash when I was 4 months old, and I like having something that was his. The other is the wrist watch that belonged to my maternal grandmother. She was a tiny thing. Just barely 5 feet tall. And she still wore a corset in her 70s (I remember watching her put it on).
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| My grandparents w/3 daughters (Calif.) |
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My mom had few possessions by the time she passed away at age 96. She'd divested herself again and again, first when she sold the home where I grew up, next when she sold her last home, next when she moved in with me in her 80's, and again when I downsized from a large, two-story home to a smaller one-level. But I discovered a few gems as I went through her things after her passing, one being letters written in Swedish from my maternal great-grandfather to my grandfather.
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| My mom & aunts (Idaho) |
But I think what I love most among the things I kept from Mom's keepsakes are her dad's property tax receipts from 1909 (Iowa) through 1914 (California) because they revealed something I hadn't known before. The stories I knew about my maternal grandparents were mostly about their lives in Idaho where they moved around 1920. They rented homes and farmland while raising their daughters. It wasn't until their nest was empty that they bought a 40 acre farm with a teeny-tiny house on it. Anyway, I thought they'd always been poor.
Well, it turns out that Grandpa owned land in Iowa, then moved to California where he owned a lemon grove. My one surviving aunt told me that it was her illness and hospitalizations as a child that nearly bankrupted the family and forced their move from California to Idaho. More info I hadn't known before.
Grandpa was 25 years old when he made his last tax payment in Iowa in February 1910 (almost 102 years ago!). The receipt (different from the one shown above) includes a list of taxed personal property. What a treasure for this history-nut! Grandpa owned and was taxed for: 1 colt (2 yrs old); 3 horses (3 yrs & older); 3 heifers (2 yrs old); 4 cows; 1 steer (2 yrs old); 5 swine (over 6 months); and 1 other (musical instruments, watches, jewelry, threshing machines, engines, old grain, etc.). Net value of the personal property listed was $644. Quite substantial for a man of 25 in 1910.
My paternal grandparents and my maternal grandfather were all dead before I was born. My maternal grandmother lived with us until her passing when I was 12. But she left something I prize most of all. An example of her faith. The most persistent memory I have of Grandma is of her seated in her chair near the fireplace with her Bible open on her lap.
Time rushes by. Those old watches no longer keep time. The land my family once possessed belongs to someone else. Only what's done for Christ will last.
~robin
Robin, thank you for sharing about you family this morning. Those little things we have from our family members are so precious. I have a few things that my grandparents have given me, such as a set of bowls that I love to use when I make cheeseballs and one of the ornaments that was placed on the first Christmas trees they had. I also found some Czechoslovakian crystal ornaments (gave two to Grandmother and kept two for myself) since her mother and grandmother immigrated from there.
ReplyDeleteBut I have also thrown out things that I wish I hadn't. My mother's sister died in 1997...and MANY years before that, had given me a Barbie tea set. Over the years, pieces chipped and broke, so when we moved in 2000, I ended up tossing it. In the last few years, I've really regretted it. Would you know that when I went to a flea market with a close friend in the Fall, I found the same set, in the original box?? I snapped it up like there was no tomorrow! No, it's not the one that Aunt Cathye gave me, but it represents it and I am thrilled to have it! :-)
Nice post Robin,
ReplyDeleteI can also recall a few pieces of furniture that was in my paternal grandmother's house (she lived next door)that I would LOVE to have now, since I am a collector of sorts. On a trip back home years ago before Grandma's home was sold, I did manage to get the old cast iron tools she used in her wood stove at one time. For some reason she kept them even though she had an electric stove. I scooped them up and now have them displayed on my fireplace hearth. My siblings and I are also in possession of lots of old photos that we love to look at when we get together and re-tell the stories we've heard over and over again.
It reminds us that we came from strong "stock"...survivors.
It also is an encouragement to know that they believed and trusted in God...I am thankful for my heritage.
Have a great day!
Oh Robin! what a wonderful legacy you have been left..the History of your family. You must truly be ecstatic!:)
ReplyDeleteThey say that "Memories are Keepsakes for ever!" You may have disposed of some of the material posessions, but what a "treasure trove of memories" you have....Just perfect for an historical writer!:)
Just imagine what priceless little gems will come to the surface when you least expect. You could even write an historical novel about your own family. How cool is that?!!
I was very fascinated to read about the tax receipts, belonging to your Grandpa.
When my mother moved into Residential Care, my sister and I prepared her house for sale. The treasures we found left us quite breathless with excitement.
We too came across tax receipts, bills of sale,old wills made of parchment( not like the imitation that you get today)but the thing that stood out most, was the neatness and precision of the writing and figures that we discovered in an old ledger, beautifully bound... a far cry from the little bit of paper that spits out of the electronic register. I don't think our grandchildren will become half as excited over a flimsy bit of paper do you?
Was your Grandmother's chair a rocking chair by any chance?
Wonderful Post Robin, thank you so much for sharing your exciting find with us.
Cheers,
Rosie
What a wonderful post, Robin! And how special you have those keepsakes from special folks in your life (even if you never actually met some of those special people). ~ This year I am determined to learn more about my biological paternal grandmother (my Daddy was raised by his stepmother, so she's the grandmother I knew---a sweet lady, but I'd still like to know about Daddy's biological mother too!). Anyway, that's one of my GOALS for 2012 (Lord willing!). ~ Hugs from rainy Georgia, Patti Jo :)
ReplyDeleteThis is so fascinating! What a rich heritage you have. I don't have anything tangible from my family history. And those pictures are incredible! No wonder you write historicals!
ReplyDeleteCatherine, I'm a good deal older than you, but I relate about the Barbie tea set. I had an amazing Barbie collection (including outfits I'd sewn for her when I was 12) that both my daughters played with after me. Foolishly, when they outgrew dolls, I gave it all away. I do wish I'd kept it all because of the memories.
ReplyDeleteOh, Veronica. Thank God that we come from "strong stock." I fear my ancestors were made of sterner stuff than I am. How wonderful that you have your grandmother's cast iron tools!
No, Rosie, my grandmother's chair was a rather square upholstered chair, a chair from the late 50's. I remember it was kind of a greenish-blue and that the arms were very worn. Probably because Grandma was a storyteller, and I would sit on the arms of her chair and listen to her all the time.
ReplyDeletePatti Jo, I wish you great success as you seek to learn more of the family history. I started doing the same about two years ago and have unearthed some terrific facts no one in my extended family knew before, i.e. one of my great-great+ grandfathers fought with Andrew Jackson in the War of 1812.
Kav, I'm sure you're right that my family has a lot to do with why I love history so much. And now that my cousins and brother and I are getting to be the senior members of the extended family (we have one surviving aunt before we take that exalted spot), I'm more and more aware that I need to write down things for my grandchildren and great grandchildren.
What a nice post! I don't have much that was my grandparents' either but I will always remember my Granny in her rocker with her Bible on her lap and my Grandma Grace singing/humming/whistling hymns and telling me that Jesus love me. Thank you for bringing those memories to my mind today! :')
ReplyDeleteWhat treasures! I love going into our dining room, what Mum terms our ancestry room, and seeing pictures of grandparents, great grandparents, aunts, cousins, uncles...on almost every available wall space! ;)
ReplyDeleteFor my 16th birthday, my Grammy gave me a handmade handkercheif made by HER grandmother, Agnes. Grammy, the dear heart she is, wrote out what she knew to be Agnes' story and gave that legacy with the heirloom. The handkerchief is in pristine, snowy-white condition, with one corner embellished with a thread-crocheted flower, and ruffle.
I intend to incorporate all this and more I have stored away in my hopechest, into my own writing someday. <3
I'm a sentimental packrat, Robin. I have the treadle sewing machine in my living room. I used to quilt on it; now it holds a phone and lamp. I have my maternal great grandmother's washstand, large charcoal portraits of my maternal great-great grandparents, a massive hand-carved savanarolla oak chair from my paternal great grandparents, embroidered and tatted handkerchieves and pillowslips.... the list goes on and on. I have the swan-armed rocking chair my paternal grandmother sat in where she "Called out" our names to the Lord each day. I cherish these things not only because I love antiques, but also because each thing carries with it stories of faith, resilience, and abiding love.
ReplyDeleteIt is disconcerting, though, to go into antique stores and find the things I played with. When did I grow old?
Cathy
Robin, I loved this post about your family members. It always fascinates me to see what women or men would wear or furnish their homes from days of the past.
ReplyDeleteI have many pieces of grandmother's furniture and her salt and pepper shakers collection(even little hunting dog ones...unfortunately as a little girl I played with them not realizing they would be of value later). I have her watch that she wore. It is dear to my heart. She was not rich in material items, but rich in Jesus.
Miriam
Bless you for sharing this. I am a pack rat that is WAY sentimental about everything. But like you the most treasured memories are the ones of my grandparents faith. My Granny who passed when I was 10 could hit the right key while singing if she tried but she loved to make a joyful noise to the Lord. :) I am sure she has a prime spot in the heavenly choir. My other Grandmother is still with us here on Earth, thank the Lord! She is such a strong witness to our whole family. She got her mother's Bible when she died. I had mentioned to my Mom a few years ago that I thought it would be really nice to have that Bible someday. She told Grandma and Grandma insisted that I go ahead and have it as she wanted to make sure I got it. She said she knew I would take care of it. In 2009 when tornado came within less than a mile of my apartment I was in the bathtub with my cell phone, weather radio, a blanket over my head and my Great Grandmother's Bible. That is quite a memory!
ReplyDeleteKristy, just think. Our grandmothers may have already met in heaven and are praising the Lord together.
ReplyDeleteMeghan, I love going into people's homes and looking at the photos on the walls and on top of dressers and bookcases. Things are just things, but oh those memories they bring up.
Cathy, I wish I'd been a sentimental pack rat when younger. I'd like to have some of those things back that I gave away without much thought.
Miriam, I'd love to have seen those hunting dog salt and pepper shakers.
Heather, picturing you in the tub during a tornado with your great grandmother's Bible is such a great one. Has me laughing and tearing up at the same time.
Thanks, everyone, for sharing your memories and keepsakes.
Robin & all, I don't know if you will see this or not. I posted on my blog the pictures of those salt&pepper shakers of my grandmother's. Please stop by to see them :)
ReplyDelete