I have several collections. I am pretty sure you would call me a collector. No, I am not a "hoarder"! Yikes, I hope I don't fall in that classification. My kids tell me I am too clean and I like things "tidy" so I don't fall in the dreaded "hoarder" circle. But I most definitely have an obsession with the things I collect.
My Milk Glass Collection continues to grow.
In-spite of me telling myself, "Do not buy any more!"
Ha, that's a joke!
And my Salt and Pepper collection is also something I keep collecting.
Oh, did someone say Tea Cups. Yes, yes! But they now have to be
Three Legged.
Or of course very old, or belong to someone I love.
Well, I could go on and on about things I collect. Including my family and friends. They actually are my favorite collections and my most cherished. But, there is something I cherish very much.
It belonged to my Great-Great- Grandmother, Riah Brockhouse Beddoes. I never knew her, nor do I know very much about her or my Beddoes family. My mother's father Richard Bliss Beddoes died when my mother was very young. And of course as you all know my mother, Bonnie Bliss Beddoes Daley died when I was very young. Therefore I don't have a lot of stories about my Beddoes family, and many of their possessions went to other family members. But. . . . .
My family kept in contact with my Grandfather's Aunt. Eliza Beddoes Curtis. If fact I remember her. I went to her house often with my Grandmother.
In Great-Great-Aunt Eliza's possession was this beautiful old water pitcher and glasses. Which had belonged to her mother, my Great-Great Grandmother Riah Beddoes.
It is beautiful, it is delicate, it is old. I figure it is over
150 years old. It came with Riah Beddoes from England.
She and my Great-Great Grandfather William Beddoes came to
American in 1860. They sailed from Liverpool, England with two little girls.
They landed in New York City, and took a train to Cincinnati, Ohio, and then made
Their way to Winter Quarter, Nebraska. There they purchased a hand-cart
And made the long treacherous trip to Salt Lake City, Utah.
They eventually settled in Salem, Utah.
In that small little handcart they could only have 14 pounds per person.
This water pitcher must have meant a lot to Riah, because she
brought this water pitcher and glasses from England to Utah.
Under very difficult circumstances.
My Great-Great Aunt Eliza took tender care of this beautiful amber set of glasses and pitcher. When Aunt Eliza died at the age of 92, my Grandpa's cousin inherited all of Aunt Eliza's things. One day cousin Flora came to see my Grandmother and she gave her this beautiful family heirloom. She told my Grandmother that Aunt Eliza wanted her to have it. Now how on this earth did I ever have this passed to me. I am sure it was through the heavenly angels of my Beddoes family. My Grandma Dot Beddoes died when I was 17 years old. My two Aunts inherited her things, and I only received a few things that had belonged to my Grandma. I am the oldest Granddaughter, and I lived with my Grandma. When they were divided Grandma's things, they decided to draw names to see who would get this cherished Family Heirloom. And my name was drawn! I knew then and I know now, My Great-Great Grandmother Riah Beddoes, and my Grandma Dot Beddoes wanted me to have this. And I believe Aunt Eliza wanted me to have it also.
I protect it, I cherish it. I love it. It is a symbol of my Beddoes heritage. It is kept in my curio cabinet so everyone can see it. . .but never touch it. . .the glass is thin, it is old and very delicate. It is mine. . just as my Beddoes family is mine.
The Beddoes Family Heirloom
Some may say "oh, it is just things, or stuff." I say yes it is. . .but it once belonged to someone who cared about it. . .who cherished it. Who took great lengths to preserve it. "Things" are reminders of People. People who walked this earth, just as we do, they loved, they cried, they had losses, they had heartaches. They worked, they had challenges. But through it all they experienced joy, happiness and great blessings from God. Only things? No, things had a life too. They were part of a persons life. And very possibly gave them much happiness in having something.
Yes, my most valuable and cherished collections is my husband and our children, our grandchildren, our posterity. My parents, my grandparents and the list goes on and on. My friends I have "collected" along my journey here on earth are treasures to me also. "Man is that he might have joy."
My collections bring me joy. . .and this particular family heirloom brings me abundant joy. It belonged to my Beddoes family, of which I am a daughter of. . .
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