The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1917-06-02
INTERESTING RELICS
OF BY-CONE DAYS
ATLANTIC COUNTY HISTORICAL
SOCIETY ENTERTAINED BY
MISS HARRIET FRAMBES.

One of the most interesting events
of the year for the Historical Society
of Atlantic County occurred on Friday
evening, when Miss Harriet Frambes
entertained them and their friends at
the Hotel Sothern in Atlantic City.
Miss Frambes was assisted by Miss
Sarah A. Risley, of Pleasantville. She
also was assisted in receiving by her
sisters, Mrs. Sallie Sickler and Mrs.
Lafayette Cake.
About a year ago Miss Frambes
entertained the Society, giving al ex-
hibition of old hand woven coverlets.
This year in addition. she gave a dem
onstration of spinning and had on
exhibition old Samplers, daguerreo-
type pictures, Spinning Wheels and
many fascinating affairs familiar to
our grandmothers but strange to us.
The regular business meeting was
first held, when three letters of inter
est were read by Mrs. Hubert Somers.
One told of the cost of fitting out the
Schr. Enterprise and showed that War
prices were known even in the Revo-
luton. Another vas written by Rich
ard Somers to his brother in 1903 and
referred to the Schr. "Nautalus" of
1876 tons and the guns being mounted
on her decks. The third was quite a
gossipy letter from one David Jones
to his cousin.
After the business meeting all re-
paired to the spacious dining room,
where it seemed you had stepped back
into colonial days and our great
grandmothers were holding a fair.
The walls were hung with old Sam
piers and pictures, while draped about
were hand woven linen sheets, blan-
kets. "Home Spun, and the old hand
woven coverlets. the colors of which
were as bright today as though just
woven.
Arranged at convenient places were
s~inning wheels all ready for fair
danes to spin the fine flax into thread
and the soft rolls of wool into yarn.
A paper on "Flax" was read by Mrs.
Charles w. Blake, of Pleasantville.
The event of the evening was the
demonstration of Spinning which fol-
lowed.
Miss Frambes herself took the
Cards. Few are familiar with these
useful cards or have seen the close
matted wool "carded" into soft fluffy
rolls ready for the spinning wheel.
All watching Miss Frambes were fas-
cinated. Mrs. Esther Sweet presided
at the wool wheel. Watching the
grace and beauty of movement as she
stepped back and forth, turning the
large wheel with one hand and guild
ing the wool with the other, one WON
dered why girls of the present day
did not practice spinning.
Mrs. Hiram Mathis was in charge
of the Flax Wheel, and looked charm
ing indeed with her hair dressed in
Martha Washington style, her filmy
lace ~"kerchief", and even the colonial
bit of black court plaster on her
cheek. Miss Frambes also assisted in
the spinning. The following friends
loaned spinning wheels: Mrs. Hiram
Mathis. Mrs. James Parish, Mrs. Wal
ter w. Clark, Mrs. G. o. F. Skinner,
Mrs. John ]. Smith, Miss Harriet l.
Frambes, Mrs. Joshua Hurley, Mrs.
Thos. E. Scull, and Mrs. Charles w.
Blake.
Of particular interest was the
Hackle, a ~reat iron comb used to
comb out the Flax and separate the
"tow",fr o the fine threads. Also a
hand reel designed by John F. Hall.
Also an old reel used by Mrs. Edmond
Somers. and a pair of "Swifts". There
were also samples of Flax, Flax Seed,
Growing Flax, "Retted" Flax, "Heck-
led" Flax, and white and linen thread.
Also samples of "Unwashed', "Scour-
ed", picked" and "Carded" Wool,
each shown, and a pair of Sheep
Shears.
After the Spinning demonstration,
everybody looked at everything and
truly delightful social hour.
There were old brass as we'll as
glass candle sticks and a "Betty
Lamp" burned bravely on the Side
board.
Interesting were pictures of six
generations, four in daguerreotype.
They were: (1) Deborah Ireland, (2)
Margaret Adams, 90 Elizabeth Ann
Baker, (4) Mary Ella Price, (5) Ed
mond Somers, 60 Edmond Somers,
Jr.
There were thirty-one of the old
Samplers. all worked on hand woven
linen by little girls, for the most part
under twelve. They were beautifully
done, and the little fingers had put in
many varied and intricate stitches and
designs. Each contained a quaint
verse and was signed by the little girl
working it. giving her age and the
date. Samplers worked by some of
their family were loaned by the fol-
lowing friends: Mrs. Walter w. Clark,
Mrs. Piercey, Mrs. M. V. B. Scull,
Mrs. Elphra Sooy, Bernard M. God
frey, Mrs. Job Stebbins, Miss Sarah
A. Risley, Mrs. J.. Byron Rogers, Miss
Hannah Frambes, the Misses Price,
Mrs. R. NJ. Somers, Mrs. Annie Amole,
Mrs. DR.. Silvers, Mrs. Lavinia Town
send, the Misses Parker, Mrs. Jacob
Metzler. Mrs. Martha H. Lake, Mrs.
NJ. A. Devine. Mrs. May Townsend,
Mary Chew Frambes, Miss Harriet l..
Frambes, Mrs. A. J. Phillips, Miss
Cornelia Frink, Mrs. Anna NJ. Tom
~linson, and Mrs. Maria Collins Thorn
as.
There wore seventeen double wo-
ven" and sixteen "single woven" Gov
erlets. All woven bv hand in the ear