52 Weeks of Abundant Genealogy: Family Heirlooms

The prompt for Week 6 of 52 Weeks of Abundant Genealogy, from Amy Coffin at We Tree, and hosted by Geneabloggers, is: Family Heirlooms

For which family heirloom are you most thankful? How did you acquire this treasure and what does it mean to you and your family?













The family heirloom for which I am most thankful is the antique wash basin set that was originally a wedding gift to my father's maternal grandparents, Andrew and Lena (Piehl) Yeager in September of 1903. The smaller pitcher, glass, and covered dish that are pictured above, sit on a piece of furniture in our living room. The wash bowl and larger pitcher are on top of our old piano.

To my family, this wedding gift that once belonged to Great Grandma and Grandpa Yeager is a connection to our family's past. I think often of how hard they both worked, in order to support their big family. Grandpa Yeager died when I was very young, but I had the opportunity to spend time with Grandma Yeager. She was a quiet, gentle soul, and she loved her family dearly.

The way this lovely set came to me was through my cousin Ruth. Long after my great grandparents had both died, I got together with Ruth, and she shared many Piehl and Yeager family stories. One day after we had lunch together, Ruth said she had a special surprise for me. She did not go into a lot of detail, but she said that somehow this antique set was given to her, when someone else in the family was downsizing. (I think this set may have been in several different homes of family members though the years.) She wanted me to have it, because it was from my line of the family, and she knew how much I loved our family heritage.





Thank you so much Grandpa and Grandma Yeager, and cousin Ruth B., for this lovely family heirloom!

So far, I have never learned the identity of the donor of this lovely wedding gift to my great grandparents. Grandpa and Grandma Yeager spent many years together, and they had family celebrations on both their silver and golden wedding anniversaries.