A delightful excerpt from some recollections by Fanny (Frances) Smith, one of Julie Smith’s daughters, written around 1900-1910. Here she is talking about her paternal grandmother (mother of Morris Smith), Lucy Morris in the mid 1800’s, Hartford.

“I remember her very well, after dinner she used to come out of her bedroom in her grey silk dress and lace cap with purple ribbons, and bring out the dainty knitting she loved. There is a chair with a red knitted seat in the Esperanza keeping room I saw her work on. When she died there were linen sheets among her things which she had spun and woven. She said her mother was never satisfied unless there were three spinning wheels going in the house at once.”

I can’t think of what chair that might have been, unfortunately. And I don’t think the spinning wheel has any direct connection. Still a lovely picture.