Karen Solomon showing handmade bedspread. Photo courtesy of Andy McConnell
Charles Forshaw
On March 1 the Robson Genealogy Club sponsored an Heirloom Show that was open to all Robson residents. There was a variety of different heirlooms shown by Robson residents and club members during the evening, each heirloom described with a wonderful story. Some of the items presented included a family Bible handed down from the mid 1860s and the story behind its travel.
John Lodge told of how men in his dad’s general store, many years ago, would gather in the store and look over the knives in the display case. Times were hard as far as money was concerned, and making a wish list and in some cases trading knives with others was the general norm. Seldom did money change hands as bartering was usually the way trades were made.
Steve Russell told of a simple candy dish that belonged to this grandmother and why it had such a meaning to him. She would only put candy out in the dish when she knew that he was coming to see her; no one else had that privilege of having candy. Also Steve showed an old 1865 shotgun that was given to him by his grandfather who lived in Oklahoma. This gift seemed to cause quite a stir in the family after his grandfather’s death.
Harold Lippold presented an old oriental teapot that belonged to his grandmother. The teapot had etchings on the sides of the metal pot.
A rolling pin that was made by Karen Wesselmann’s father was displayed. The rolling pin was made at the home of her grandfather who had no modern tools in making the pins for his daughters. This particular one was inherited from her mother.
Gorman Wiseman showed items that were related to the Civil War era as well as a very old Minute Book that was kept by his grandfather. His grandfather started a Civil War veterans society in the Childress, Texas area, and this book contained the names of its members as well as detailed minutes of many of their meetings.
The Solomons showed and told of family items that had been passed down to them. Stan showed old pocket watches that belonged to his grandfather and wife Karen’s grandfather. Then it was Karen’s time to show a bedspread that was crocheted by her grandmother over many, many years. Their stories and those or other contributors comprised the Heirloom show for the evening.
See, if you were a Genealogy Club member you would have heard, as Paul Harvey would say, “Now you would know the rest of the story” behind the heirlooms. The club meets the first and third Tuesdays of each month in the CATC Room 104 at 7:00 p.m. Come and join us.