Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1892-12-22

A sl-AcKsMITH,s MUSEUM.
The Collection of a Detroit Epthusias
Who Has Spent Years on 1t.

The Collection of Detroit Enthusiast
Who Has Spent Years on It.
Henry 3. Smith, of Detroit, has collected
an interesting museum of local and gen.
eral character. He began life as black
smith at Murfreesboro, Tenn, and settled
In Detroit in 1868. He worked hard for q
little more than a bare living, and still
found time and means to gather the things
which interested him, and which now
form valuable collection. AS he himself
explains it, he always watched the sec
ondhand stores of Detroit and other cities
very carefully. Whenever he heard of an
auction sale of the effects of an old or
prominent citizen he made it point to be
on hand. That was the source from which
many valuable relics were obtained, in
Guiding those of General Cass and the
Campau family.
For many years past he picked up every
thing of historic interest which came with
in his reach. He has embodied in his mu-
scum the Bella Hubbard collection of coins,
that of Herbert Bowen, the Young collec-
lions, that of d. Farrand Henry, the Bern
stein and Mrs. Salmon collections, and
many others of equal note. He also picked
up many valuable odds and ends at New
York auction sales. His collection includes
a very complete assortment of the relics
collected by General Lewis Cass. In it are
old newspapers dating back to 1899. an
ancient warming pan, old brass andirons,
tall brass candlesticks, candlestick trays
or walters and ponderous shutters.
From the Abbott homestead he has and
irons, trays, snuffers, candlesticks and
tongs, bought from the Jew dealers after
they had been sold at auction, and from
the old Campau home the old iron coffee
mill, candle molds, fatirons, three tin and
two pottery teapots, sugar bowl and cream
pitcher. A copper stewkettle of unique
design was made in England in 1760, and a
small hair trunk was owned by Mrs. John
e. Warren in 1850, and given to Miss S. M.
Warren, Detroit descendant, in 1852.
There is a brass tealsettle that once be-
longed to George Washington, and another
that was used by Mrs. James X. Polk, and
unique brass candlestick that was used
by Sir William johnson. There is map
of the city of London in 1907, enc of Detroit
in 1855, one of Washington in 1850, valu
able old steel portraits of Washington
General Harrison, grandfather of the presi-
dent; Daniel Webster, Edward Everett and
Henry Clay. These were executed many
years ago and are very rare.
Mr. Smiths museum Includes an almost
iunumerable collection OF relics of the wars
of the Revolution, 1912 and the rebellion.
There are four trees which contain cannon
balls and grapeshot, Il very ancient and
curious English barshot, 10 less than six
ty-four different styles of pistols, ranging
IN age from the invention of such weapons
down to the present time, one being a
twelve chainbered old French blunderbuss:
the saber carried by General John Morgan
during his famous raid, Il banjo made from
IN old picpan and pieces of wood by a
Union soldier in Libby prison, and what
he claims to be the key of Libby prison it
self
He has also collection of coins number
ing some 6000 pieces. New York Collector