Aunt Effie

I appreciate all your interest when I show

you some of the pictures of my ancestors I inherited

and the stories of their lives.

I told you last week about 3 of my Aunts

that I am so intrigued with.

So today I want to introduce your to

Effie Lenora Wilson Larabee

born 1869 and died 1937 at what I 

consider a young age of 68.

She was only four years old when her Mother passed away.

I wonder if she remembered her Mother?

She was very close with her sister my Great Grandmother

Here is her family

Aunt Effie is on the left and my Great Grandmother on the right

with their father and 2 brothers

She married the local school teacher 

Robert Larabee

she was 22 and he was 30

1891

They lived near my Great Grandparents

This is there home, with them working out in the yard of their new home.

Aunt Effie and Uncle Robert never had any children.

But they so loved their nieces and nephews.

They traveled with my Great Grandparents

Here they are in Colorado

Niagara Falls August 1911

Aunt Effie, Uncle Robert, Great Grandparents James and Catherine

Wawona California

They seem happy in the company of each other

How cute, she is tempting him with an apple.

They were such a handsome couple.

Times were so happy, then the depression came then

illness came.

Uncle Robert became ill in 1934

I have the letters she wrote when he was away in the hospital

and she was visiting him. The pain in her letters for her 

beloved Robert. I even have trouble reading them,

the sadness in her words just leap off the page at you.

She would live 3 more years after his death.

Days spent with my Grandmother and her sister.

I am sure this was the only Christmas they were not together.

I found this only last week in a box.

They lived in Ashmore and Charleston is only 10 miles away but it might as well

of been an ocean away that Christmas.

1934 Christmas present to her sister was their Mothers bible.

I am now finding poetry she has written.

This is was sent to her brother John.

He must of given it back to her for now I have it.

I also now realize the bookcase that was always

in my Grandparents dining room, that my 

brother now has belonged to Aunt Effie.

All these things I learn by reading

                                            Aunt Annie's (her niece) diaries about our family.

This is the last picture I have of Aunt Effie

she was coming thorough Union Station in 

St. Louis and had it made.

10 Mar 1937

She died in November and 

was laid next to her beloved Robert.

Before I knew her through Aunt Annie diaries, she and

Uncle Robert were mythical to me.

I would see all those travel pictures and postcards from them

and think what an interesting couple.

I think they were......

Sticking To The $20 Budget

When I do get to go antique hunting, I try to stick to a $20 budget these days.

I guess in a way I am surprised at what I do find!

I am behind on showing you my finds.

A couple of weeks ago I had a day off and ran to a couple of resale shops.

Here are my finds for $20.

Found these Pyrex Spring Blossom refrigerator dishes, marked at $3.99 a piece.

They match my bowls I got as a wedding present years ago.

Did not think I should pass them up since they match!

They were in great shape and I will use them.

No chips in the lids, no scratches on the containers

I have seen many of you find these mugs, when I found this one for $1.99

I figured it deserved a home at 1515.

Yes, another little pitcher to add to my collection. I think it will stay at 1515.

I loved the lilies on the front, the flowers are gorgeous and this little gem

was $4.

I can never pass them up if they are marked under $5

delicate beauty

And then I found this tin for $1.99

It look familiar too

Now I know why...........

Matches the one I have in the utility room at 1515! It was my Grandmothers and 

it holds the chalk for the chalkboard door.

So I did not feel to guilty when I passed over a $20 bill for all these things.

And they all will be used!

And one more purchase.

When we went to the Patterson Springs Bed and Breakfast for

our Charleston Riot meeting.

Mr. loves honey and the B&B owner has a beehive at her home.

I bought it because their farm, sits directly next to my ancestors land.

They arrived in 1830, and there is a story in the County History about

my Great Great Grandfather trying to by a beehive off of his

neighbor.

Could these bee........the same hive? 

probably not but, it made it more intriguing to buy!

Do You Ever Wonder........

When I am gone from this life will I be remembered?

For those of you with children and grandchildren, it probably has never entered your mind.

Or has it?

For those of us that do not children, I feel like when I am gone

that it's....

Since my cousin gave me my Great Aunt's pictures, papers and letters

I feel very close to 3 ladies. And I tell myself 50-70 years after they 

are gone...they are not forgotten.

They did not have children either, somehow I am like a sponge trying to soak

all the information I can about them.

Aunt Emma

My Great Grandfathers baby sister, youngest of 12.
I think she was so pretty.
Never married, probably due the fact she contracted
polio and was in a wheelchair.

She lived with her father in the family home on the farm after her mother died.

Her house still stands down the street from 1515.
After her father died she moved off the farm and lived at this house from
1900-1941 until her death. Her sisters when widowed would come live with her.
She lived the longest, dying in 1941 just after my Great Grandfather
I have the stories about her and now I have her things.

her autograph book
But recently I was was reading about what her niece wrote about her.
The written words of Aunt Annie brings these people to life.

"Aunt Emma was always cheerful. She welcomed us whole-heartily when we went to see her and we did that often. She liked to hear the news of the kindred. She enjoyed a funny story, a joke and we had many good laughs together. 
She always enjoyed being outdoors, even as a child. While living at 810 Jackson, she often sat on the front porch. She exchanged greetings to those that passed by. Many stopped by to visit and there were always plenty of chairs on the front porch. One little boy about 10 often visited and like to play chicken or other similar games with her. 
After she died, he asked if he could have a picture of her. A studio photograph of her was given to him.
That pleasant companionship of a child and elderly lady, reminded her nieces and nephews of how pleasant and kind she had always been to us, which we could recall from our earliest memories.
The happiest times I had with her companionship centered around music.
She taught me to play the organ. In later years I especially enjoyed playing duets with her after she bought her piano."

Sitting on her front porch with her sister, sister in law and nephews.
Look at her flowers, the elephant ears!


The last picture I have of Aunt Emma is with my Great Grandfather at the 1940
Galbreath Reunion.

Aunt Emma, you are not forgotten.
As we drive or walk by your house...
As I listen to cousins talk about visiting you or staying the summer with you...
I guess as long as you make a impact on others lives you will not be forgotten.
Thanks for the lesson.

Next week...........Aunt Effie

Love of Vintage Silverware

I must confess, I love vintage silverware.

The Victorians had a piece for every dish I think.

I have shown you all the pieces I inherited and those I have bought.

But when I was at 1515 last week, I realize I have amassed a collection their too!

I purchased this set at an antique mall for a reasonable price for the silver and chest.

It is Malibu by Oneida circa 1934.

I need a place setting for about 24 for the Christmas party.

 I hate dragging my silver chest from home back and forth.

It is a rather plain pattern compared to what I have but for the

price of less than $40 who can complain.

I have purchased more on ebay.

Not all the pieces match, but I don't mind the mix and match.

I just try to keep them somewhat similar.

But then I do find matching pieces too.

Ice tea spoons out all the time, because we are always drinking alot 

of Ice Tea at 1515

Again, mix and match. Seems you can pick up 6-8 pieces under

$10

The glass sugar and creamer belonged to my 3rd Great Grandparents (he was in the Rev War)

so I do not use them, but they make a great spooner.

I was excited to find these pastry forks!

why?

They have a W on them..my Grandparents and my maiden name initial!

I have some other forks for desert.

This pattern is so pretty

(now I know all the patterns but forgot to write them down)

Look at the wave design of this fork?

Mix match....I do not mind at 1515.

It is fun to pick up reasonable pieces.

It adds some elegance for our Sunday Dinners we have been having when I am home.

The new crock pot I got for Christmas is working out there well. We can run around all day and

come home to a great meal.

Yum!

Enjoy your Sunday!

Remember Me?

I knew July was going to be busy, and it has been!

Get together's for my family and Mr. and more work on the planning for the civil war anniversary in Charleston.

I guess it rained at home and I miss it!

It has been dry enough that my neighbor had her tree trimmed and to clean up the twigs, all the workers had to do is ........blow it! No grass you see!

But I am back in Charleston this weekend working on the Riot planning.

We had our monthly meeting yesterday but on Saturday we met the folks

from the Matson Slave Trial.

All of this is Lincoln history.

We met at Patterson Springs Bed and Breakfast

They have only been open since February.

The home belonged to the B&B owners Mother.

After her mother passed away they kept the property and opened it.

The place is dripping with history.

It is hard to get a good picture, because it is in the woods.

Built in 1880, and became a place to go for the 3 mineral springs on the property.

The turn of the century it was the place to be. They had Chautauqua's there, even

President Taft, Billy Sunday and William Jennings Bryant came.

It actually was in the low 80's so they had lunch set up on the porch for us.

beautiful old china

a delightful summer lunch with watermelon for desert.

Cousin Susan went along and my idol Nancy Easter Shick.

Nancy has written so many wonderful books about Coles Co., and Lincoln.

I wish I had half of her knowledge, it has been such a dream of mine

to get to know her as a friend.

We had a good meeting and I am looking forward to attending the

annual Trial and Tribulations in September.

This is about a trial in which Lincoln defended a slave owner.

The only time he ever did that.

I am so glad it was nice enough to sit on the porch

This would be a wonderful place for a quiet get away.

Then on Sunday I spent the day scanning things.

On Saturday prior to going to the B&B we spent

the morning in Nancy's archives. I picked up a file

and notice a picture and I immediately knew it 

was my Grandmother's house she grew up in!

I was able to get some history after they sold the farm in

1931 for $115.00.

So it was Sunday...

we needed a Sunday dinner, so I put a Swiss steak in the crock pot

so we could have it after our Riot meeting.

The twins brought local tomato's

Cousin Fred brought me flowers...

Then we took a ride around town, went to DQ for some 

mini blizzards and then checked out the Coles County

Fair. It is the oldest fair in Illinois.

Today I am meeting with a local TV station.

Then back to St. Louis and work, and OT the rest of the week.

Next weekend it looks like Mr. brother will be in from San Antonio. 

So more family time but......they love for me to take them 

antiquing!

Going to go take some pictures of my most recent finds so I can give

you a more interesting post.

I hope you clink on the links to read about the local

history.

Tale of Two Families

Mr. and I had a wonderful evening last night.

His cousin got as many of the family cousins together that she could.

There were 13 along with my MIL and her BIL.

As I listened to the stories, I realized how different they were from my family

There is alot more first cousins than with my family!

19 of them, from 5 siblings

German Catholic

They still have parents living

only 8 of us from 3 siblings

German/Scottish Protestant

Our parents are all gone

They seem to only get together at funerals, the last time the 7 of us were together was at my cousins funeral.

Mr.'s Grandfather was a first generation born American and his Grandmother 2nd generation.

Coming to America in 1876.

My Grandad and Grandmother both had ancestors who fought in the Revolutionary War.

We have been in the same county in IL since 1828.

They parents grew up in the city of St. Louis

The house the parents grew up in is now a famous St. Louis

Irish pub. Last summer we were eating there and I said to Mr. " I think we are eating in your grandparents backyard"

My family is small town, farmers with the exception of my Grandparents who lived in town.

They lived at 1515 almost 60 years.

We still enjoy the same back yard today.

Hearing about "city" life is interesting and different.

They finally moved in the 1940's from where they were so they would have an indoor toilet.

Where my farm family had an indoor toilet even in the 1890's.

Now you would think my family on the farm would be the one with no indoor toilet?

But then a theme began to emerge.........

during the depression families lived together....same at 1515

Looking at pictures of the cousins growing up, there were alot of Holidays and

summers spent together............same at 1515

They worked hard and loved each other.........same at 1515

The men served in WWII, came home and married their

sweethearts and started a family.........same at 1515

I guess our families are not that different

Catholic vs Protestant

Large vs small

City vs small town

Immigrant vs early American

I think we are probably just

The Typical American Family