Piecing Together the Past

Today’s genealogical adventure isn't about my family, but a tale of a family heirloom-in-the-making finding its way home. As I post this blog, this story is still unfolding so I will provide updates in the future.

This is a story about locating a proper owner for beautiful vintage quilt blocks, retold via excerpts from email exchanges I had with another genealogist. Enjoy!


Monday, January 23, 2006

Tracee~

As a fellow family historian, I have an exciting story to share with you. I was at a wonderful estate auction this weekend in Julesburg, Colorado. One lot consisted of a box of fabric scraps and included a partially completed yellow and white name quilt. I bid $10 and came home with a new research project and several crafting projects. Of course as an amateur genealogist, my goal was to find a proper home for the yet-to-be completed quilt. I figured that if I couldn't discover any interested descendants, I would have a very beautiful quilt for myself.

After analyzing the contents of my cardboard box, I realize that I have fifteen 8 1/2 inch "name" quilt blocks as well as solid yellow squares of fabric to complete the quilt. The families embroidered on the squares include:

* Bohling, Henry
* Bohling, William
* Bryan, J. H.
* Farquharson, Jim
* Feldkamp, W.C.
* Lewick, Alvin
* Luck, F. J.
* Lyne, Tom
* Maher, William
* Meili, Henry
* Panzer, Herman
* Rohwen, Henry
* Servien, William
* Whiteside, Eva
* Zier

Basically, I have enough pieces to complete a 40 x 62 inch quilt if one were to add a single block naming the final quilter (perhaps documenting the history and creation of the quilt)! Clearly my box of scraps has the potential to become an awesome family treasure when finished.

I hopped onto to the internet and hunted throughout the United States. I reviewed the 1930 censuses and tried to find a common link between these families. I ultimately discovered that all of the names embroidered on the quilt blocks were farm families from Lincoln County, Kansas and many were pioneers to the area. Upon further research, I noticed that you were one of the County Coordinators for the Lincoln County GenWeb site and that your grandfather was Alvin Lewick!

Eureka!

Last night, I continued to research the families, but wasn't unable to determine the exact common link between the names. I suspect that these families may have all contributed to a common church fund raiser. Perhaps you will know. Most of the wives are fairly young and had children, so it makes sense that these women would have been friends. However, I don't think these blocks were intended to become a friendship quilt as all but one block name "Mr. and Mrs." so-and-so.

Let me know if you or someone in your family is interested in this quilt. I would be thrilled to send it to you in the next day or two. Of course, I'll include my research notes. If quilting isn't your thing, just let me know. My feelings won't be hurt. I'll donate it to your local historical society.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Relatively yours,

Kate Johnson


Tuesday, January 24, 2006

Kate:

Eureka is right! I'm a genealogist, historian, AND QUILTER.

(Pause for amazement!)

Yes, yes, yes, I would love to have this! Those names all seem to be families from Valley Township. Bohling, Bryan, Maher, Panzer are all names in my tree; lots of marrying between these families since these people were pretty restricted to their own neighborhoods back in the day. Maybe it was a quilt intended for a teacher or a preacher or something? Hard to say, but I would LOVE to have it and try to "finish it up."

It was so good of you to track me down; I can't tell you what it means to me. I hope you are repaid in karma a hundredfold!

Thank you seems so inadequate, but thank you thank you thank you!

Gratefully,
Tracee


Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Kate:

I am going to a workshop this weekend to get some advice on finishing the quilt. I [hope] to start researching the names today... I think that the marriage dates for these couples will help us narrow down the date of the quilt quite a bit and that I will have to do at the courthouse when I go to Lincoln, which will be in May. I can do some of it through obits but the marriage records will be quicker and more helpful, I think. So we'll see!

Tracee