The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-02-05
BED WITH HISTORY
IS ABOUT To PASS
BENEATH HAMMER
Relic of Puritan Days Bears
Mute Witness to Strife of
Early CoIonists With
the Indians

Passing from one generation to an
other since it was completed 226
years ago, a bed of the hand-carved
Princess Mary design, is soon to be
sold at auction by the Birmingham
Auction exchange to the highest bid
der. W. e. Ballard, official of the
exchange values the bed at $1,000.
Date of the sale at which the bed
will be sold has not been definitely
set, although it will be held within
the next so days.
History. of the bed, according to
Ballard is one that brings forcibly to
the minds of students of history the
days when the Pilgrims landed on
Plymouth Rock, of the bloody Indian
fights and of the steady move west
ward of the white men. The bed
bears a mute memento of one of the
fierce battles with the redskins, in
which it's owner at that time was
participant, that being a broken foot
board which, according to its history
was broken when the .lifeless form
of white man. attacked by the In
dams, was violently thrown against
it by a member of one of the savage
tribes. The foot board has since then
been replaced by Cak. The remainder
of the bed is constructed of cherry
and is as it was the day it was COM
pleted, its only real blemish being
the broken foot board, which has
been given the appearance of genu-
inc cherry wood.
The ted, according to it's history,
was started by James McClique, an
Irishman, who landed in the new
world IN search of fame and fortune
from mis- native country in February.
1875. Beds being unavailable at the
time of his arrival, the hardy Irish
man decided to construct one for
himself, and Immediately began work
on the bed, having no machines or
saws of any nature with which to
hue the wood, but only bowie
knife and an ak, fashioned after the
style of those days.
Later in the same year, finding
only a meager existence in the col
onies, McClique, together with one
John Smith, decided to go farther in
quest of gold, taking with them the
bed, which at that time was in the
early stages CT construction. Travel
ing in OK carts over the rugged noun
tains of North Carolina, Tennessee
and Kentucky, the wanderers finally
located on the present site of the
city of East st. Louis. During their
travels. McClique and Smith would
labor with their oxen during the day
light hours, and return to their work
on the bed at night in the hours be-
tween their evening meal and their
retiring hour. In the majority of
instances one of the travellers watched
while the other slept, and in this
manner work on the bed was speeded
and a form of diversification given
to the enc on guard duty during the
long hours of vigil. The beds his
tory said that fortunately the trav
elers Were not attacked single time
during their journey, which occupied
two years, by Indians.
ON his deathbed. McClique willed
the bed, which at that time was his
most cherished possession, to his
friend, John Smith. Smith, after using
the bed until his death. decreed that
it should remain in his family, some
Of whom came to Alabama, bringing
the piece @ antique furniture with
them.
Through survivors of the Smith
family, the Auction Exchange came
into possession of the bed some time
ago, and has had it in their display
rotm at &c South Twentieth street
since. The bed Will continue on dis
play until the date of sale, Ballard
said.