This is not really Ionia County, but it is an item of interest. You just never know what stories are behind some of those old quilts! Pam Swiler Thank you to Shirley Hodges for sharing this... >Thanks to Bev Hart for sharing the following with us. Since I know that >many of you are quilters or have friends who are, I want to share the >following with you. > >Shirley > > > > > Shirley, here is the contents of that GL newspaper article which I thought > > was interesting. > > > > Internationally recognized quilt and women's historian Linda Otto Lipsett > > will present a program entitled "Two Pioneer Women and Their Quilts" > > Thursday, April 25. > > > > The first quilt to be shown is a friendship quilt made in Ludlow, Vermont. > > Linda will portray nineteen year old Ellen Spaulding Reed, who received > > the quilt as a combination wedding and going away gift. The program tells > > of her plight out west and reads a letter Ellen has just written to her > > parents in Vermont. Although Ellen dies tragically, her quilt and the > > story continue as her husband remarries and country plunges into the Civil > > War. > > > > The second part of the presentation features Elizabeth Roseberry > > Mitchell's graveyard quilt. Linda shares with the audience the results of > > five years of research and extensive travels to tell how the quilt was > > made. The original quilt is part of a collection of the Kentucky > > Historical Society. Linda does a first-person presentation in period > > costume telling Elizabeth's pioneer story gleaned from an original letter > > and the Mitchel family bible. > > > > Linda is the author of five books and immediately following her > > presentation she will be on had to to a book signing as well as answer > > questions. > > > > The program begins at 7 p.m. in the courtroom of the historica courthouse, > > 100 W. Lawrence Ave. Charlotte. Admission $8. Tickets available at the > > Courthouse Square Office (5l7 543-6999) or from ticket chairperson Ruth > > Hankins 5l7 327-6207.