FAMILY ITEMS AT OUR HOUSE

Growing up, there were many family items that had been passed down and were around our house.  I remember a large family Bible and Blue Willow dishes that we used for good - both of these items came to us via Grandma Jennie Applebach. There was a wool handwoven rug that I was told had been made by my gr-grandma Bertha Findley (I have this item now). There were cookie cutters and all kinds of glass "dust catchers" from my Grandma Reba Garner, and many of these are now in my home.

I recently was able to get a copy of Jennie Applebach's will, and in it she gave the family Bible to my father.  The Blue Willow dishes were also in the will as going to my cousin Keith.  I do not know how those dishes ended up at our house, so hopefully the next time I go to Lancaster, I will be able to ask Keith how that came about.

I remember the Bible as being a large book that usually sat on the coffee table in the living room.  It had several pages with writing in the front. It was "delicate" and we rarely opened it or used it - I remember the Christmas story being read from it for many years. There was no real reason to use it as we all had our own Bibles.  My father had many Bibles that seemed to be all over the house.

The dishes fascinated me though as they were so obviously handmade.  They rippled a little at the edges, and the painted scenes were not exactly the same on any of the plates.  There were bowls, cups, small plates, dinner plates, and I believe a large platter. Someone told my mom that they were very valuable because they were made in the 1800's but we continued to use them for holidays.

I have no idea what happened to the Bible or dishes as I have not seen them since 1980 when my father packed up many things from out house into his car and headed east to Lancaster.  When he returned, none of those items were with him and he refused to admit what he had done with them. I have wished many times over the years that I had copied what was written in those pages so that those at least would not have been lost.