The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-02-08
INTERESTING RELICS.
q. T. Widner Has Set of Spoons that
Belonged to Washington.

J. T. Widner, father of mail carrier,
Tom Widner, has rare collection of
relics, among them being documents dat
ing back to the time of George the Second
and a set of Silver spoons supposed to
have belonged to George Washington
The spoons consist of a set of six small
soup ladle all solid silver. The large
spoons have the initials of &c. W. en-
graved on the handles. The engraving
Mr. Widner tells the following story
about how the spoons were secured: "A
man named Graham who was my great,
great uncle, kept a tavern in Philadelphia
while the seat of government was sit
uated at that place. President Washing
ton boarded with him and he became
quite friendly with the family. When he
left he presented Mr. Graham with the
silver spoons upon which the initials were
engraved.
II came into possession of the spoons in
1876 through an aunt that came to my
place in Ohio from Pennsylvania" said
Mr.. Wilder. land they had come down to
her through three generations. She died
at the age of so and transferred the ar
ticles to me. At the time of her death
she also had in her possession center
table and writing desk which were also
supposed to have been the property of
Washington. / allowed them to be sold
value"
Quite as interesting as the silverware
ceiVed in the same manner from his aunt
There is no doubt whatever about their
and the ink has faded and in some cases
the writing cannot be traced with the
The following documents and articles
are included in the collection:
Two patents for grants Of land each
bearing the signatures of King George,
Second of England and similar docu-
ment very legibly signed by King George
Third. The original manuscript of two
wills bequeathing slaves, when slavery
was permitted in Pennsylvania Patents
for grants of land made in 1909 Parch-
1nent deeds for transfers of land made
Vania- in 177G; a. parchment transferring
certain lands and dated May 9, 1742. The
boundaries of the land are sl1etched by
lines giving the angles and distances in
the present day. A patent conveying land
in 1889 and one dated a year later A
copy of the Ulster county Gazette, date
OF January 1880, with an account OF the
funeral of George Washington, the
speakers address, President Adams re
ply and the names of the pall-bearers. A
certificate of an oath of allegiance taken
June 49, 1777 by William Long the
great grand uncle of the owner of the
relics. Patents signed by Presidents
Jackson ard Martin Van Buren,.
Two baby caps each over $50 years old
"A German bible, 153 years old, published
in 1343. An old English bible with COM
church letter of conmendation, 160 years
old; many other papers, ranging from 100
to $50 years old. A homemade pocket
book of cloth with the date of 1850 worked
In its outside cover, also a leather pocket
book that is much older
Mr.. Widner is not a relic collector and
his acquisitions are the legacy of anceS-
tors who were careful to preserve them
They all bear the name of some rela-
tive of the family. Mr. Wilder saws the
relics are not for sale and he expects to
keep them long as he lives and turn
them over intact to his son.