Echoes From Elvira Jan/Feb 1995 By: Shirley Wolfe, Museum Curator QUILTS The first time I met with the JCGHS in the Paul Powell house, Rosemary Orr asked it I had seen the "stuff" in the basement. No, I hadn't, so Rosemary escorted me down-stairs. One of the first things I saw was a (obviously very old) crazy quilt, made of what appeared to be silk, and perhaps wool, random shaped peices embroidered with names and set together with "briar--stitch". "How lovely that is!", I thought. An understated thought. It was folded and lying on an old stool. The names on the topmost block read: "Joshua Renfro, Clara Renfro, Lyston Renfro, in memory of Lennie Renfro." I said aloud, "What is my husband's Aunt Clara's name doing on an old quilt?" When I lefted another fold, I read, "Rev. George A. Dunn, Lizzie Dunn, James Wendell Dunn, Maunie, IL." "Good grief! Those are my grandparents names! And my uncle!" "Oh my, what is this!" Later, with permission, I speread it on the floor and photographed it. Then when I was appointed "curator", I brought it home to see how it could be both preserved and displayed. Meantime, I spent much time on the phone and visitng various elderly people trying to find out who had made it and when. However, when I spread it out on my living room carpet, and actually started wrting down the names embroidered on it, I discovered the answer to both questions. On a faded white silk piece was embroidered in faded yellow, "Made by the Ladies Aid Society of Central M. E. Church, 1909." I tacked it at the junctures of the pieces to a large piece of heavy cotton muslin wiht a rod pocket at the top and it now hangs on the wall in the basement of the Paul Powell house, our present museum quarters, where visitors can see it, but not touch. It is covered with clear protective mylar plastic. If you're in the vicinity, drop in. We have two other old, old quilts for you to see. Another beautiful one, of wool patches, is embroidered with the maker's families names with appliqued flowers and designs and was made by Miss Blanche Poor, granddaughter of S. D. Poor. (His book about early Johnson County Life is one of our Society's books for sale). The other is probably the oldest...made of heavy wool and, possibly, linsey-woolsey squares...probably from old coats, skirts, and trousers. We have not yet found the origin of this one... At another date, I will tell you more about "our" museum...some of the artifacts therein, and our plans, we hope, for a bigger and better one. Names embroidered on the old Central M. E. Church "Friendship Quilt". Adenia, Alma--Brookport, IL. Alford, Lois Alford, Harmon Bain, Harry Bain, Mollis--Lincoln, Ark. Bain, C. A. Bain, Guy--Muskogee, Ok. Bain, Minnie Bain, William Belcher, A. M. Bennet, Ora Bennet, Odell Bennet, Harry Bivens, Sally Boyles, T. M. Brown, Sarah Brown, Flora Brown, J. E. Brown, Maude Brown, Ruth Cagle, Dave Cagle, June Cagle, Rhoda Cagle, Gip(?) Cagle, Alta Cagle, Dave Jr. Cagle, Kate Cagle, Ernie Cavanaugh, Virgil--Rosewell, NM Clay, Fred E. Clay, Sarah M. Clay, Minnie Clay, Stella Cochran, Myrtle Comer, Charles Cowper, Gussie Crews, J. H.--Fairfield IL Culver, Elijah Cummins, T. N. Cummins, Alice Cummins, Maude Cummins, Grace E. Cummins, Robert--Birmingham Iowa Cummins, Ellen Cummins, Rev. J. P. Cummins, Mother Cummins, Anna Cummins, Mr. & Mrs. J. B. Cummins, George Cummins, W. F. Cummins, Sarah Dungann, Lawence Dunn, George A. Dunn, Lizzie Dunn, Wendall--Maunie, IL Elmore, Dr. English, Rebecca English, Carrol Farris, Alice Farris, Amanda Finks, Rev. W. O. Finks, M. O. --Shelbyville, IL Fisher, Lewis Fisher, Robert Fisher, Naomi Fisher, Ruby Fisher, Martha J. In memory of Fisher, Jim Fitch, Lelia Fitch, Claudius Fitch, Valeria--Metropolis, IL Fitch, Ward Fitch, Clarence Fitch, Gladys Fitch, R. W. Fitch, Ona (or Ora) Fitch, C. S. Fitch, Robert Fitch, Lizzie Fitch, Rosa Fitch, Alice Fitch, Charlie Fitch, Clarice Fitch, W. A. Fox, J. A. -- Fortworth TX Gave, Willie Gann, Annie Gann, Alice Gann, Rachel Fitch In memory of Grubbs, Irene Groubbs, Eva Guinn, Mabel Guinn, Ed Guinn, Cynthia Hard, Calvin Harris, Daisy Harris, Wilma Harris, Douglas Harris, Marie Harris, Ester Harris, T. M. Helm, Aunt Callie Hollick, Robert Hollick Florence --Canadian, TX Homer, Hallie Homer, Lee Homer, Charlie Homer, Joyce Homer, Frannie Homer, Hollie Hooker, Millie Hooker, Arthur House, Lissa Howell, Sam Howell, Arvil Howell, Anna Howell, Anna Howell, Ida Howell, Jane--Elida, NM Howell, A. D. Johnston, Nan King, Ruth--Lincoln Ark. Lemley, Clara--Brookprot, IL Marberry, D. T. Marberry, Ethel Marberry, Emma Marberry, Clint Marberry, James Parker Marberry, Maude Marberry, Mary A. Marberry, Frank Marberry, Ethel Mathis, Harriet Mathis, Dudley McClanahan, Mr. & Mrs. J. M. McClanahan, Mr. & Mrs. H. F. McFatridge, Susanna McGinnis, Mildred McGinnis, Georgia--Buncombs IL McGinnis, Fannie McGinnis, Burnett McKinney, Archie Miller, Mae Mitchell, Ella Murphy, W. T. Murphy, Bertha Murphy, Nolia Murphy, Verlie Murphy, Janie NcFatridge, John (McFatridge?) Nelson, Rolla Newly, Thomas Poor, Blanche Poor, B. F. Reid, Mary Reid, T. Reid, Mary J. --Metropolis, IL Rentfro, Charles Rentfro, Clara Rentfro, La Vern Rentfro, Lennie -- In memory of Rentfro, Lyston Rentfro, Josh Ridenhower, Minnie Ridenhower, Ruth Ridenhower, Roy Ridenhower, Mary Ridenhower, William Ridenhower, Myrtle Ridenhower, Rob Ridenhower, R. R. Ridenhower, Alice Ridenhower, Alfred Ridenhower, Oscar Robins, Bertie Robins, Belle Robins, Dorothy Robins, Opal Sharp, B. R. Sheffer, Powell Sheffer, Frank Jr. Sheffer, Paul Shelton, Lillie--Metropolis, IL Smith, Bee Stagner, Madie Stagner, J. N. Stophlet, Gus Strophlet, Bertha Stout, Ed Stout, Violet Stout, Hugh Stout, Bertie Stout, Ward Stout, Thomas Stout, Flora Sullins, Essye Sutliff, Emma Taylor, Gertie Taylor, Ed Taylor, Vena (Vina?) Trovillion, John Warmack, Thomas Whitworth, Grace Williams, Bettie Williams, Drummer Evangelist Wilson, Eliza Horacheck, Elmer--Havana Cuba There were two names and one block that had been cut out. One block consist of several names. END Shirley Wolfe is descended from the CUMMINS, DUNN, MARBERRY, and SMITH et al families