Little Stories From the Past

Artifacts and Acres in the life of C.W and Johanna

I haven’t heard stories of 1882 – 1917, from the time Larson Siblings lived near Woodhull, through the year of the first reunion. Do you have any to share?  (pegisaksoncolorado@gmail.com).   But the listing of Chattels, or personal property, that Johanna inherited after C.W.’s death gives us a glimpse of what artifacts and acres surrounded life on the farm they rented from a Faline relative.  In those years nothing truly belonged to the woman in the household.  All property was in the man’s name.  She even inherited the spoons in the kitchen and her husband’s clothes.

The total estimated value of Chattels property allowed to the Johanna, the widow, was $929.75.  That was 1890, how much would that be in today’s money?

Skim through this list of articles and acres and create your own story of what daily life might have been for C.W., Johanna and the 8 Larson Siblings.

– sewing machine, washing machine,2 wash tubs, kitchen dishes, cutlery.      (I often heard from my grandmother, Anna, how she took care of clothes for her                         brothers.  Never grumbling, but told with pride.)

– 3 bedstands (for the family of 10), bedding, curtains, tables, 12 chairs

– 24 yards carpet, 2 Lamps, 1 lantern, family library and school books.     (Yay from this school teacher!  Johanna signed her name with an X, but she wanted the Larson Siblings to become schooled in America.)

– 100 lbs. meat, 5 dozen poultry, 2 sows and 8 pigs, 1 blind horse, 1 blind mare, 1 six-year old    horse, 1 sorrel mare, 1 bay mare, 1 two-year old colt, 4 cows and 1 calf

– shop tools, wood tools, 2 cultivators, 3 plows, 3 harrows, 1 corn planter, 1 stalk cutter, 4 pitch forks, 2 spades, 1 axe, 1 grub hoe and chain

– two-seated buggy, 3 sleds, one old buggy, 1 wagon, 1 old wagon, 1 hay rack, 1 mowing            machine, half-interest in a Champion Binder

– 30 bushels of corn,  1½ tons of hay, 65 acres of Indian corn (our yellow corn), 45 acres of oats, 24 acres of broom corn  (Henry County was known for making brooms and shipping them out.  You can see a demonstration of making brooms  in Bishop Hill.)

What images & insights can you create for daily life in the Larson family?        Calling all Second Cousins:  Please send any short remembrances of your grandparents to cwlarsonfamily.com

Remembrances of the Larson Siblings: Albert, Robert, Julia, Manuel, Felix, Anna, Oscar, Otto

ROBERT & AMANDA’S WEDDING GIFT – 1900    Remembering Robert and wife Amanda

Greg Larson, son of Lester, grandson of Robert, sends a picture of a beautiful clock that was given to Robert and Amanda on their wedding day. (Feb 17, 1900) A heart-warming memory is that Robert and Amanda  married earlier than planned so that they could provide a home for Oscar and Otto after Johanna Christina passed away.  (Need more research on this.)

HOBO CLOTHES HANGER – Remembering Anna Christine

After the Depresssion Days of the 1930s, there were still Hobos or Tramps who rode the railroad cars looking for a hand-out or some way to get a little money.  There was a railroad track for “The Dolly” train that ran through Woodhull and other little towns.  This track was a couple blocks from where Anna Christine Larson lived with her husband Will Larson.  (She never changed her name.)

I recall sitting in the parlor (the room for company) where Grandma Anna had a piano. She loved to play hymns and we would sing along with her.  A favorite was “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.”  One day, as we sat at the piano a Hobo came to the door.  Evidently there was a mark of some kind on this Larson house in Woodhull that indicated a Hobo would not be chased away.  Grandma would typically offer a sandwich.

On this day, the Hobo had something to sell.  He had created a clothes hanger made of heavy gauge wire, which could be used for clothing of a child’s size, or it could be expanded to hold clothing of an adult size.  I don’t recall how much was paid for this hanger, but I’m quite sure it was small change.  I have often wondered where he got the heavy gauge wire to make the hanger.  Someplace along the way?

We called this “The Hobo Hanger.”  It was probably used by Anna and Willie, perhaps also by my mother, Minnie, but as third generation, we’ve kept it as a valuable antique and a reminder of loving Anna and Willie, who would share even though they lost everything but the house in the Depression.

• WHAT CAN YOU SHARE, REMEMBERING YOUR ANCESTORS, AND PERHAPS A TREASURE IN THE TRUNK??  You can email info and pictures to cwlarsonfamily@gmail.com.  Or phone me with info.

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