Sunday, January 30, 2011

Genealogy Dishes

My great grandmother Margaret Benne was born in 1848 in Bremen, Germany and came to America as a young girl. She met and married my great grandfather, Frederick Wahaus, who was also from Germany. This is not a wedding pic, but the only one we have.  I was interested in doing a tablescape and documenting their dishes to add to the family genealogy.


The family knows these were her dishes, but no one knows when she got them. The patent date on the back says 1909.


Replacements.com have none in stock, although they did tell me the pattern number, but they have no name.










There are dinner plates, salad plates, and berry bowls. There are 3 different size platters, gravy boat, vegetable bowls, covered butter dish, cream and sugar, and coffee cups and saucers.

The sugar bowl is missing the lid, but otherwise all the dishes are intact.





 


The cups and gravy boat have little flowers inside the rims.
 
 
 
To keep it all in the family, I used my mother's Fostoria Chintz goblets, and her silverplate flatware.
 
Mama remembers going to her aunt's house, where her grandmother lived, and having chicken dinners on these plates. Great Grandmother Margaret Wahaus was blinded in an accident when she was a young farm wife and mother. My grandmother, ( born in 1888 named Louise) as a little girl, ran past her mother out the screen door while Margaret was carrying a large pan of lye soap she was making. The lye flew up in her eyes and she was blind from then on. From all accounts, she continued to be a successful farm wife and mother. Mama and the other grandchildren marveled at how she always knew who each grandchild was, and they couldn't fool her.
 
Thank you for looking at a little dish genealogy with me. What about you? Do you have genealogy dishes put away somewhere?
 
I am joining Chari at

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh, how special to have these treasured dishes - they're so lovely! Your table looks beautiful!
Be a sweetie,
shelia ;)

Dreamgoddess said...

What a wonderful treasure you have and your table is so pretty! I have some of my grandmother's dishes, but they were well used by her and not all of them are in the best shape. Someday I'd like to do a "genealogy table" too.

Denise said...

I envy you your treasures for what they bring to the eye and what they bring to the heart.

Custom Comforts said...

What a lovely set of delicate dishes with a cherished history. What most of us wouldn't give to own such a treasure and heirloom. They are just beautiful and you are blessed to have them. Welcome to blogland ~ I'm your newest follower.
Cindy

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

Such lovely and precious heirlooms. Your tablescape is gorgeous. Thanks so much for joining TTT. Hugs, Marty

Tricia said...

I always love posts including pretty dishes and the stories behind them! Your dishes are just lovely, and they look wonderful on the blue tablecloth and with the gorgeous Fostoria Chintz stems!

Chari at Happy To Design said...

Hi Pat...

Ohhh my goodness...what a precious family treasure you have! To actually have the entire set of your great-grandmother's china! They are gorgeous too! Love the soft pink and powdery blue flowers...truly a gorgeous pattern! They set a lovely table! I just think it's fabulous that you created a tablescape with this priceless heirloom...photographing it for future generations! Awesome idea, Pat! I also love your mother's stemware...so very beautiful!

What a different day and time...right? Can you even imagine having to make your own laundry soap? That was a terrible accident...your great-grandmother being blinded by the lye.

Well dear lady, thank you so much for sharing your precious family treasures with us for the Sunday Favorites repost party this week...this was such a treat!

Have a super Sunday, Pat!
Chari @Happy To Design