‘Daughters’ share family heirlooms

By Deborah Buckhalter

Published: May 19, 2008

A little silver spoon battered by decades of use, a rusty branding iron, an album full of old postcards, handmade quilts and other family heirlooms took center stage when the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution met Monday for lunch.
DAR Regent Dorcas Jackson brought the post cards, saying they were collected by her aunt and passed on to her.
The treasure was so old that its etched leather-bound cover had long since separated from the inside pages, but Jackson brought it anyway to show along with the cards.
The postcards and seasonal cards dated from the very early 1900s through the late 1940s.
Some were elaborately decorated; one which featured a peacock was adorned with real feathers, for instance, and one with a feathered hat had feathers, too.
Jean Brooks brought a small, well-worn spoon that her great-great-uncle, a silversmith, had made for his niece, who was Brooks’ grandmother. The spoon dates to the late 1800s, and was probably made in Tennessee. Brooks said the maker had lived and worked in Memphis and Nashville.
Mary Robbins brought a quilt that her father’s twin sisters had made and given to her.
Carolyn Jordan brought a quilt she’d made for an annual family reunion, one that has been held for the past 100 years. Its design had symbolic elements, and as a final touch she had family members sign squares. One of the youngest, who was just learning to write at the time, scrawled his name and his brother’s name in his childish hand, adding an endearing, enduring flourish to the piece. There’s already a good-natured argument brewing in the family about who will wind up with the quilt years from now.
Jordan also showed a large family scrapbook that a cousin had done, which included pictures from three generations of her mother’s family, copies of handwritten notes and letters, and a picture of the family crest.
Glenda Bowden brought an 1888 cattle brand that was used to mark “woods cows,” so called because they grazed on open range and woods. Forged by blacksmiths, the brand belonged to a relative.
One of the organization’s seven newest members, Christy Bloech brought a small vase from her great-grandmother’s collection to share.
Members of another local organization will showcase their treasures at a luncheon meeting today. The Chipola Regional Arts Association will meet at Jim’s Buffet and Grill in Marianna at 11:30, putting on its annual ‘antiques road show’-style meeting. It is open to the public, and visitors are invited to attend and show their treasures as well. Items do not have to be family heirlooms to qualify for that session, nor strictly antique.

SIDEBAR: Look for more information on some of these heirlooms and other treasures in the Floridan’s upcoming edition of Unforgettable: A door into our treasured past. The special section will publish on June 29, and the Floridan is currently inviting the public to contribute photos and stories to this edition. The deadline is fast approaching, however, so please take a moment to send your items in via email to: editorial @jcfloridan.com. Write ‘unforgettable’ in the subject line. If you need help with the pictures or words, staff will be honored to help. Contact Deborah at 526-3614 for assistance. Please try to have your material in the office by the end of the business day on June 6.)