Monday, February 02, 2004
GRANDMA STRICKLETT
Esther Bouvier, my grandmother, was born August 20, 1883, in her grandmother’s log house at DeSoto, Nebraska. Her parents were Oliver and Coralena Hoyleman Bouvier. The elder Bouviers came from Switzerland in 1855. The Hoylemans left West Virginia to homestead in Adams County, Nebraska. Grandma and grandpa were married December 24, 1902, when he was thirty three and she was nineteen years old. Grandpa always said he had waited for grandma to grow up.
They had six children, my mother Dorothy was the oldest, Mary Virginia , Peter, Inabelle, Corol Jean and Roger Bouvier. The four older children were born at DeSoto and the two younger children were born at Blair.
By the time I was born grandma was 49-years old. There wasn’t a lazy bone in her poor little thin body. I don’t think she ever weighed over 100-pounds in her whole life. I find it hard to imagine how she could wash for a husband and six children but it was a ritual that came around every Monday. There was a cistern immediately outside the back kitchen door. Water was put in a large copper boiler with a lid and then put on the cook stove to heat. When it was hot it then was separated into three other tubs with cold water added. The copper boiler was refilled and put back on the stove to boil the white clothes. Grandma’s laundry was the cleanest in town.
After the last tubful was rinsed the girls would take a woven rope out to tie to one tree and wrap around several others to hang the clothes. There was a tall wooden prop with a hook in the end that was put under the clothesline to hold the heavy wet clothes up high. As they dried they were brought in and folded to put away or sprinkled to iron. I can smell the wonderful aroma of her fresh clean clothes yet as they were brought into the house. The clothes pins were always put in a medium sized gray granite pan that was too chipped to cook in anymore. Grandma always recycled things that had lost their intended use.
Ironing day was Tuesday. She had several irons on the cook stove she would alternate as soon as one cooled down. A wooden handle was clipped into place and she could iron continuously. I was always close by and her ironing used to mesmerize me. Back and forth, back and forth ………..and on a detailed piece there were little short motions for tucks or gathers…..puffed sleeves were carefully ironed last.
Grandma had an old Singer treadle sewing machine and if she came across clothing that needed mending it was hung in a different place. She would sit at the sewing machine after ironing and stitch and patch with her feet moving according to the work. I loved to watch grandma do things and I stored a lot of knowledge from being nearby and taking note of her activities. She could sew bias tape on an apron or other article of clothing so perfect it was unbelievable. I have two of her aprons that have been handed down from my mother and her stitching is by far prettier than I can do on a newer sewing machine today. Those old treadle machines were very well made for the duties demanded of them. I was given my mother’s treadle machine when I married but being young and silly, I wanted a new one. A traveling salesman came around selling White sewing machines, and you know the story without me telling it. Yes, I traded in mom’s machine on a new one. Did it sew better? No…….and think how much I would like to have my mother’s machine now. Besides that I was introduced to a “payment plan” which never seemed to end.
They say “youth is wasted on the young” and for me……..it was true. At the time I wanted “new” stuff……..not “old stuff.” I cannot bear to think of the treasures I was given by the elder family members that I would trade off or give away. Thank goodness there were enough saved to cherish now.
My grandmother had a huge influence on my life and we will spend a great deal of time with her……..because the lessons are fresh and needy yet today. She was a woman who traveled the higher road and always demanded the best of herself. That isn’t a bad example to follow…………
More of grandma tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
They had six children, my mother Dorothy was the oldest, Mary Virginia , Peter, Inabelle, Corol Jean and Roger Bouvier. The four older children were born at DeSoto and the two younger children were born at Blair.
By the time I was born grandma was 49-years old. There wasn’t a lazy bone in her poor little thin body. I don’t think she ever weighed over 100-pounds in her whole life. I find it hard to imagine how she could wash for a husband and six children but it was a ritual that came around every Monday. There was a cistern immediately outside the back kitchen door. Water was put in a large copper boiler with a lid and then put on the cook stove to heat. When it was hot it then was separated into three other tubs with cold water added. The copper boiler was refilled and put back on the stove to boil the white clothes. Grandma’s laundry was the cleanest in town.
After the last tubful was rinsed the girls would take a woven rope out to tie to one tree and wrap around several others to hang the clothes. There was a tall wooden prop with a hook in the end that was put under the clothesline to hold the heavy wet clothes up high. As they dried they were brought in and folded to put away or sprinkled to iron. I can smell the wonderful aroma of her fresh clean clothes yet as they were brought into the house. The clothes pins were always put in a medium sized gray granite pan that was too chipped to cook in anymore. Grandma always recycled things that had lost their intended use.
Ironing day was Tuesday. She had several irons on the cook stove she would alternate as soon as one cooled down. A wooden handle was clipped into place and she could iron continuously. I was always close by and her ironing used to mesmerize me. Back and forth, back and forth ………..and on a detailed piece there were little short motions for tucks or gathers…..puffed sleeves were carefully ironed last.
Grandma had an old Singer treadle sewing machine and if she came across clothing that needed mending it was hung in a different place. She would sit at the sewing machine after ironing and stitch and patch with her feet moving according to the work. I loved to watch grandma do things and I stored a lot of knowledge from being nearby and taking note of her activities. She could sew bias tape on an apron or other article of clothing so perfect it was unbelievable. I have two of her aprons that have been handed down from my mother and her stitching is by far prettier than I can do on a newer sewing machine today. Those old treadle machines were very well made for the duties demanded of them. I was given my mother’s treadle machine when I married but being young and silly, I wanted a new one. A traveling salesman came around selling White sewing machines, and you know the story without me telling it. Yes, I traded in mom’s machine on a new one. Did it sew better? No…….and think how much I would like to have my mother’s machine now. Besides that I was introduced to a “payment plan” which never seemed to end.
They say “youth is wasted on the young” and for me……..it was true. At the time I wanted “new” stuff……..not “old stuff.” I cannot bear to think of the treasures I was given by the elder family members that I would trade off or give away. Thank goodness there were enough saved to cherish now.
My grandmother had a huge influence on my life and we will spend a great deal of time with her……..because the lessons are fresh and needy yet today. She was a woman who traveled the higher road and always demanded the best of herself. That isn’t a bad example to follow…………
More of grandma tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
