January 5, 1985 – Another of mom’s stories on her giving things away. (She always said that to be sure the person gets what you want them to have, be sure and give it to them while you are alive and can see it has happened. My folks did that.)
A few years after we were married, Dad’s folks got new kitchen linoleum and a cabinet. They put the old small cabinet in their basement and gave us the top half of the cupboard to use in our basement. The bottom half of the cupboard went to Dorothy I. in Ft. Wayne.
In her new house Dorothy I. wanted a cupboard, so Dad suggested putting the old one back together. Our piece needed a lot of fixing which Dad did & gave it to her one birthday. Gram lived here (1974-1980). Dorothy I. had it all refinished & it is beautiful.
Blue vase, white flowers wedding gifts from Bob & Thelma Brown
Thimbles – To Theresa, Large, bent, many holes, belonged to my Grandmother Melinda Jane Howard. She died 1935.
Sterling Silver – My mother gave to her niece Vera Elizabeth Howard who died when I was 7 or 8. Aunt Dora gave the thimble to me. (Probably because it was small & so were my fingers)
Sterling Silver – purchased at antique shop in Plum Tree. Star on inside & size 9 brass thimble-belonged to Verna Howard.
Bent thimble probably steel. I gave to Gram when she lived here as she had lost hers. She mashed it so it would stay on her finger.
The aluminum one with streak of red is one Theresa Mae used.
Have an assortment of steel thimbles I bought to use at one of my circle projects. They are in sewing machine or on spool holder. I use whichever one happens to fit.
Other thimbles around are gifts from people who think I collect. I don’t – family ones are the only ones I’m interested in.
Since Theresa is the seamstress, she may have them all, if she wants. Somewhere in the house is a little thimble rack to hang on the wall.
Theresa has the family ones except Sterling silver. It is in my sewing machine drawer. My mom gave to Vera. Vera’s mom (Aunt Dora) gave to me when Vera died. My finger was only one small enough to use it
My mother’s butter paddle.
My mother’s glass churn (I told Theresa she could have it)
Copper wash boiler. My folks gave us this. We used it to heat water on wash day. If clothes needed to be boiled, it was used.
It also held a large amount of cans so was used to cold pack meat, corn, and other vegetables. (Verna has this.)
Ray Adler is a longtime attorney with offices at The Adler Building, 136 S. 9th St., Downtown Noblesville. He is also one of the owners of The Hamilton County Reporter Newspaper.