Magnolia

The house that my Great-great Grandfather, Q.T. Webster built sometime around 1896 in my hometown of Lonoke, Arkansas is in the process of being restored.

It takes a visionary person to look past the vast amount of work that needs to be done to see the great potential in this house. I love the metal roof and all the ornate Victorian trim around the porch and the windows & doors. Notice that it is about 3 feet off the ground. That is to help with termite control. My mother always said that the wooden foundation is from hand hewn logs and the nails of the original house are square. The house has been added to over the years of course, as modern conveniences like indoor plumbing became available!

I remember visiting my Great-great Aunt Blanche in this house when I was a little girl. All the Webster women were extremely talented & Aunt Blanche was no exception. She was a writer and a seamstress and a painter. She painted the china I mentioned in another post for her brother's wedding, my Great Grandfather S.E. Webster. http://bondia2000.blogspot.com/2009/03/heirlooms.html

The woman who is restoring the house read this excerpt from our weekly paper the Lonoke Democrat dated May 10, 1934.

"Mrs. Blanche W. Edwards has opened a book and gift shoppe in the office of the late J.M.Gates in the McCrary building. In her display she has a doll named Magnolia and she takes orders for these dolls which are originally clever & any girl would love to have one for her boudoir. She made three dozen for the M.M. Cohn company to be used during Cotton Week."

M.M. Cohn was the "Nordstroms" of Little Rock. And Cotton Week was a big celebration held annually back when cotton was still 'king' in the south.

After reading about the Magnolia doll the current owner of the house asked me if I had ever seen one and in fact I have one that Aunt Blanche made for my mother. I also have a handwritten card from Aunt Blanche explaining the origins of the doll.

The Webster family is of early English origin and arrived from England to South Carolina about 1785, moving to Lonoke County, Arkansas in 1852. The Websters brought their slaves along and much loved was their black Mammy "Aunt Caroline" and this little Negro doll, Magnolia is a copy of her grandchild.

I know she isn't politically correct these days but I still love her. I love the little braids and ribbons in her hair and the pantaloons. In her pocket is a sachet with a little tiny silk flower attached. I love the sense of family history in this little heirloom. I'm proud to have her in my boudoir!