USA > Illinois > Jasper County > Sainte Marie > History of Sainte Marie, Saint Mary's Church and Sainte Marie Township, Precincts 1 and 2, Jasper County, Illinois, celebrating [the quasquicentennial] Sept. 1, 2, 3, 1962 > Part 7
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Leon J. Willien was born Oct. 8, 1840, in Alsace-Lor- raine, France, son of a noted physician and professor in the University of Strassburg. His early education was under the instructions of a French tutor. He married Mary Fleming. Their children were: Dr. W. F. Willien, Leon, Mrs. Helen O'Mara, Mrs. Gertrude Reiman and Hermine.
Dr. Willien studied at St. Louis Medical College in St. Louis, Mo., then spent three years at the University of Strassburg, graduating from that famous school of
surgery in 1864. He practiced in Jasper county and Effingham, Illinois, until he went to Terre Haute in 1872. He was a founder of St. Anthony Hospital Medical Staff in 1882 in Terre Haute and a pioneer abdominal surgeon of the Wabash Valley. His office was at Seventh and Chestnut streets in Terre Haute. He died June 17, 1919, after a year's illness.
He was a meniber of the Vigo County Medical Society in 1874; was president of the Indiana State Medical So- ciety in 1881; was a member of the American Medical Association, the Aesculapian Society, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons in 1913. He was physician to St. Mary of the Woods College for 35 years, a Catholic and a Democrat.
Dr. Willien published six books on medicine. One was the earliest ever published by a Vigo County, Indiana, doctor. His income was large but he was so generous with his family that in liis old age lie was forced to con- tinue in general practice to make a livelihood, not that he desired otherwise, for he was untiring in his devotion to the practice of medicine. In stature he was short and of a quick, nervous temperament. He discussed medical subjects ably, fluently and in perfect English but with a pronounced Alsatian accent. He was noted for his devo- tion to professional ethics. In December, 1887, he report- ed to the Vigo County Medical Society concerning his extensive visits to hospitals in Europe.
Like all busy people Dr. Willien nceded an occasional vacation. He dearly loved to come back to Sainte Marie to tramp the woods and prairie fields hunting for deer, wild turkey, grouse, quail and prairie chickens. He was often heard to remark that he didn't know which he en- joyed the most, tramping the woods and fields in the fresh air, or sitting down to a table loaded with good country food and fruits of the hunt, in the homes of his relatives and friends in Sainte Marie.
Dr. Willien's mother returned to Sainte Marie in her old age and made her home with the Sisters of St. Joseph, who kept aged patients as well as orphan children, in the building that was later used as a school.
History of Sainte Marie Paper
A newspaper was established in Sainte Marie by Otis Stanley of Newton in 1900. Called the Sainte Marie Tribune, it was published Friday of each week and the subscription price was $1 per year.
In the Jan. 9, 1903, issue, we noticed an advertisement of Charles Barthelme, general merchandise, offering boy's no-rip shoes for $1.25 per pair, also A. A. Strutner's ad: "Cool beer. Your jug trade solicited."
S. F. Stanley advised you "Don't Go Hungry. While in Newton Stop at Stanley's restaurant for a good hot nieal, including soup, price 20c, north of Cox's saloon."
In the Nov. 11, 1904, Tribune was an advertisement of the C. H. and D. railroad, "Two through trains to St. Louis World's Fair, landing you and your baggage at the gate."
Spitzer and Litzelman, implement dealers, advised the public they had a new shipment of Flint wagons and scoop boards. In a December, 1910, issue, the Sainte Marie Dramatic club announced it was putting on a show, "Pennsylvania Kid," Dec. 31, New Year's Eve, admission 25e.
In November, 1911, M. L. Keavin of Newton adver-
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The Sainte Marie of 1962
CELA
Top left, Tony's Tavern; top right, George's Tavern; second row, left, Gowin's Mill, right, Stone Earth- moving; third row, left, Michl Garage, right, Hoffman's Barber Shop; bottom row, left, Kocher Implement Co., right, American Legion Home, Post 932, first home owned by a post in Jasper county.
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tised a sale of Amoskeag gingham at 41/2c per yard and hope muslin, 10c and 12c values, at 634 c per yard. Men's odd pants, peg top, were offered at $1.90 per pair.
In 1904 A. F. Alblinger, age 17, who had been type- setter for Otis Stanley, took over the Tribune with J. J. Rider as typesetter and continued to publish the little newspaper, recording the births, deaths, goings and com- ings, good news and bad news of the little community.
In 1905 the paper was moved to the building where the old post office was, and the Bell telephone company put in their switchboard in one room while the paper was printed in the other. This continued for several years.
In 1917 when World War I was raging, August F. Alblinger was one of the first young men from Jasper county called to the Army. The Tribune was discontinued and is now only history.
Sainte Marie has been served for years by The New- ton Press, a twice-a-week newspaper published in the county seat, and since Dec. 23, 1959, by The Newton Press- Mentor, the county's only newspaper.
Swine Testing Station Spreads Fame
Sainte Marie's latest claim to fame is an institution which actually has brought fame to all of Jasper county.
This is the feed and carcass swine testing station operated for the past eight years by the Jasper County Swine Herd Improvement Association on the Andrew Sheridan farm at the west edge of the village along Route 130-A.
Mr. Sheridan serves as herdsman for the association and has won the confidence and respect of all concerned with the station.
Proof Positive
The station operates under all the strict rules and regulations of the Illinois Swine Improvement Association, and the facts and figures compiled and thoroughly checked each year provide the irrefutable evidence which put Jas- per county at the top of the modern pork production world.
A field day is held each year at the close of the test- ing station period. Part of this field day is held at the station itself. The group of interested persons also goes to the Hartrich meat processing plant to check the car- casses of hogs which have been slaughtered.
Low Grade Hogs Scarce
It is interesting to note that leaders of the association always have found plenty of home-grown Jasper county hogs to grade No. 1, but to get a low grade hog to use for comparisons they have frequently had to go all the way to another county!
(Editor's Note: The name of the other county is omitted to avoid embarrassment to those farmers who haven't had tender-lean pork production preached to them by The Newton Press-Mentor for 10 or 12 years.)
Stores' Role in Life of Sainte Marie
At one time there were four general merchandise stores on the square in Sainte Marie, those of Joseph Lein- hart, Pictor Bros., Charles Barthelme and I. Kolb.
This Barthelme store was first operated by Francis
Schneider, then was taken over by Charles Barthelme in 1895. Nowhere else could you get such a bag of candy for 5c as at Barthelme's store.
Retires in 1914
Mr. Barthelme retired in 1914 and his younger bro- ther, Ed, took over the business. For 42 years Ed Bar- thelme was busy waiting on customers and making friends. In 1946 the store burned to the ground.
Before the ashes were cold, another building across the street, owned by Mr. Barthelme, was open, a new stock installed, and again he was in business. It is now known as "Ed Barthelme's Sons." Gilbert and Francis (Gil and Bud) Barthelme took over the Barthelme store in Febru- ary, 1947.
The other three stores have long been gone.
A number of new stores were started, flourished for awhile, then went out of business.
Meat Processing Plant
Hartrich Brothers, Albert and Harold, bought out the Robards Bros. grocery store and started a meat process- ing plant. Their hickory smoked hams and sausages are known for miles around. Their meat processing plant is also on the Xavier Picquet place.
Albert and Harold Hartrich are great grandsons of one of the first pioneers, Theodore Hartrich.
Other Businesses
There are still taverns in town where you can get a cool beer, but the jug trade is obsolete.
There is a barber shop where you can get a good hair cut, as well as two beauty parlors.
Interesting Bits of History
The church at Sainte Marie was named Assumption at first, later changed to St. Mary's. * * *
In about 1907 C. E. Lamoth built a grain elevator near the C. H. & D. railroad. Cars could be loaded right from the elevator. It was an important business in its day. In about 1912 it burned to the ground and was not replaced. * *
Miss Georgiana Spitzer, now Mrs. G. C. Brown, was organist at the church for almost 40 years.
*
Mrs. Bernadette Zuber was president of the Mother's Club when the hot lunch program was started in the school in Sainte Marie in 1947.
Many small businesses, such as drug stores, restaur- ants, meat markets and cream stations, dress and millin- ery shops were started through the years, flourished for awhile, then went out of business.
*
A new steel bridge was built across the river in 1919.
* *
H. T. Kirts was the first commander of Legion Post 932 in Sainte Marie.
Mrs. Clare Hartrich was the first president of Ameri- can Legion Auxiliary in Sainte Marie.
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People You Know in Today's Sainte Marie
Top left photo shows the past church committee chairmen, left to right, Mrs. Ferdinand Hartrich, Mrs. Mil- dred Helregel, Mrs. Angela Hahn, Mrs. Bernadette Reis, Mrs. Bertha Ritz, Mrs. Ann Sheridan, Mrs. Geraldine Gowin, Mrs. Charlene Bolander, Mrs. Helen Radke and the present chairman, Mrs. Celeste Keller.
Top right photo shows the Quasquicentennial officers, left to right, James Geltz, treasurer, Mrs. E. C. Alblinger, secretary, Mrs. Ferdinand Hartrich, general chairman, and Paul Faltemier, assistant chairman.
Lower left photo shows the Mothers Club and Altar Society officers, left to right, Mrs. Mildred Helregel, Dorothy Kaufmann, Viola Litzelman, Rose Schwartz, Dorothy Huber and Johnnie Moran.
Lower right photo shows the Home Bureau Day Unit, left to right, Mary Jean Ping, Johnny Moran, Eufala Bigard, Mrs. Ferdinand Hartrich, Charlene Bolander, Bernadette Reis and Ann Sheridan.
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Our Fine Modern Post Office
Sainte Marie's fine modern post office was formally dedicated Sunday, Oct. 15, 1961.
The U. S. Postal Department has given mail service to Sainte Marie for over 124 years, with an established Post Office for 123 years.
Since the establishment of the first Post Office here in 1839, the location has been changed five times, but this is the first time new quarters have been furnished.
Records show that the first mail to be delivered in Sainte Marie was contracted Oct. 17, 1837, to William Barrick. According to the contract, mail was carried from Lawrenceville, Ill., (via Stringtown) Sainte Marie, Newton, Greenup and Campbell to Coles court house, a distance of 73 miles and back, once a week; the salary $365 per year. The mode of transportation, at first, as were other mail contracts, at that time in Illinois, was by horseback, later by stage and wagon, also by boat up the Embarras River.
The first official Post Office in Sainte Marie was established Nov. 23, 1838, with Joseph Picquet as post- master. He served for 16 years.
From Nov. 23, 1838, the name of Saint Marie was official, but on June 20, 1892, the spelling of the name was changed to Sainte Marie, the French settlers request- ing it have the French spelling.
Since the establishment of the Post Office in Sainte Marie in 1838, there have been 11 postmasters, four hav- ing served at different intervals by reappointment. Fol- lowing is the list of the postmasters and the date of appointment :
Joseph Picquet-Nov. 23, 1838; Joseph Schifferstein --- April 18, 1854; Cornelius Crowley-Jan. 27, 1864; Joseph Schneider-Oct. 19, 1860; Cornelius Crowley-Jan. 25, 1871; Joseph Schneider-Feb. 7, 1871; Cornelius Crowley -May 7, 1872; Mary Crowley- March 10, 1874; Mathias Laugel-Nov. 13, 1874; Joseph Schneider- Nov. 13, 1876; John J. Rider-Sept. 23, 1885; Xavier Picquet-May 26, 1889; John J. Rider-May 3, 1893; Xavier Picquet-May 8, 1897; Ruth Picquet-March 15, 1898; Josephine Lamotte -July 20, 1914, and Lena (Alblinger) Kirts-July 5, 1918, to date.
The office was 4th class from 1838 to July 1, 1930, when it was changed to Presidential classification, later relegated to 4th. In 1944, because of the increased volume of mail, it was raised to third class, which is its present status.
Since C. H. & D. railroad was discontinued in 1919, the mail service has been through Star Route carriers.
Clerks who have served in the Post Office are:
Eloise Barthelme from Sept. 12, 1932, to Jan. 31, 1946. Eugenia Kirts, March 1, 1946, to Aug. 16, 1947.
Geneva Shedlebower, Aug. 21 to Oct. 18, 1947.
Mary Moran, Nov. 10, 1947, to Oct. 1, 1949. Averil Keller, Nov. 1, 1949, to date.
The new building is 25 x 41 ft. with a rear loading ramp of concrete 21 x 17 ft., some 10 inches high. A crushed rock driveway leads to the rear. The exterior of the building is of Norman brick.
Large panels of glass enhance the front as does the planter filled with colorful flowers. A two-tone color scheme is intensified by 12 double tube fluorescent lights. Temperature control is available with an automatic gas furnace and a 21/2 ton air-conditioner.
Ample hot water is available. The floor covering is vinyl floor tile.
Building contractors were Albert Russell, George Russell and T. V. Michl. The building is owned by John Alblinger and leased to the Post Office Department.
Personnel of the Post Office moved into the new building Oct. 1, 1961. Few were the pieces of equipment moved from the old quarters to the new as the Post Office Department has installed all new and modern equipment.
Beloved Sainte Marie Doctor
This is the late Dr. G. C. Drown, a beloved Sainte Marie physician for many years.
Dr. Brown also became widely known through his work as superintendent and physician in state hos- pitals.
His widow yet resides in Sainte Marie.
Home Bureau
Home Bureau was first organized in Jasper county in 1945. The home adviser came from Effingham to hold meetings in Jasper.
Two years later Jasper hired a home adviser of its own, and a number of new units were formed. At present there are 20 units, each sponsoring a 4-H Club.
There are three Home Bureau units in Sainte Marie Township: Home Sainte Marie Day, Sainte Marie night, and Bend unit. Home Bureau has added much to the lives of the homemakers in Sainte Marie Township.
History of Our 4-H Clubs 4-H Clubs for Girls
The first 4-H Club in Sainte Marie was organized by the late Mrs. Merle D. Yost in 1929, at the time she and her family lived here. The leaders were Mrs. G. C. Brown and Miss Elizabeth Picquet, (now Mrs. A. C. Bolander).
There were 10 members, and now they are grand- mothers with grandchildren in 4-H. Down through the years there have been many clubs and leaders. Leaders that are and were outstanding are Mrs. Elmer Kocher, 11 years as leader, Mrs. Winifred Michl, 9 years, and Miss Christine Alblinger, 7 years. Miss Alblinger is a teacher at Newton Community High school.
Other leaders of the 4-H clubs are Mrs. Frank Zuber, Miss Agnes Pictor, Miss Frances Hann, Miss Eugenia Kirts, Mrs. Mayme Hartrich, Mrs. Frances Barthelme, Mrs. Marcella Menke, Mrs. Eufala Bigard, Mrs. Dorothy Huber, Miss Sylvia Geltz, Miss Joyce Alblinger, Mrs. Mar- tha Stone, Mrs. Geraldine Gowin, Mrs. Emma Cameron,
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The Sainte Marie of 1962
Top row: Left, American Legion Post 932, Memo rial service May 30, 1962, in Saint Mary's cemetery, and right, Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Bigard, garbed in the manner stylish for the Quasquicentennial celebration; center row, left, St. Valentine Church in the Bend, Precinct 2 of Sainte Marie Township; and right, Mr. and Mrs. Dick Hunzinger and family, all decked out in proper array for the Quasquicentennial; bottom row, left, the Rennier homestead in the Bend, and right, modern parish hall of St. Valentine Church in the Bend.
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Mrs. Celeste Keller, Mrs. Mildred Schmidt, Mrs. Renee Spitzer, Mrs. Ada Mae Moran, Mrs. Maxine Hartrich, Mrs. Marcella Menke, Miss Shirley Stone, Mrs. Melba Rose Sheridan and Mrs. Marcella Strutner.
Officers of the Helpful Little Hands 4-H Club in 1962 are as follow: President, Judy Litzelman; vice-president, Carol Swisher; secretary, Kay Barthelme; treasurer, Bon- nie Hunzinger.
Requirements of the Helpful Little Hands 4-H Club are, to be 10 years of age by July 1, completing a record book and turning it in to the local leader, giving a talk or demonstration at some meeting of the local club, and making an exhibit of the project at a local or county exhibition.
The 4-H girls' projects are cooking, baking, room im- provement, sewing, outdoor cooking, and photography for 1962. Achievement programs included picnics, parties, special programs where two or more clubs get together and invite the whole conimunity, barbecues and meals cooked and served by the 4-H ciub to their parents and leaders.
There are 33 girls in the Helpful Little Hands 4-H Club for 1962. Twenty-three of them are taking a sewing project. 'The first year sewing project is called "You Learn to Sew', in which they make a simple gathered skirt. The main objeet is to learn to use the sewing machine. The following years their project is titled "You Make Your Own Clothes". If the girls stay in 4-H three to four years they may go from simple sewing to tailoring. Cooking classes are made up of the following proj- ects: "You Learn to Bake", "It's Fun to Cook", "Meat in Your Meals', "Adventures in Cooking", "Pastry in Your Meals", "Yeast Breads" and "A B C's of Cooking".
Other projects in our club consist of "Flower Arrang- ing" and "Candle Making". There are 10 girls in these two projects.
Under usual circumstances the girls are allowed to take as many projects as they can properly handle. Due to the great number of girls in this club (the largest club in Jasper county) the girls were restricted to as many projects as they had years in club work. For instance girls who had four years in club work were allowed four projects, etc.
The Helpful Little Hands have Mrs. Melba Rose Sher- idan as their leader and assisting in sewing classes are Mrs. Bernita Barthelme and Mrs. Marcella Strutner.
Miss Carolyn Swope, our Jasper county home adviser, remarked to the author just recently while talking about 4-H, "Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could get together the 4-H Alumni of Jasper County ?" And indeed it would.
Boys' 4-H Clubs
The boys' 4-H Clubs in Sainte Marie don't date back as far as the girls', nevertheless they have been doing some very good work and their leaders, past and present, are to be commended for the time and patience they have expended on the 4-H clubs.
Officers of the Chore Boys are: President, Anthony Reis; vice-president, Ed Kaufmann; secretary-treasurer, Florent Ochs; assistant secretary, Eddie Faltemier; re- porter, Eddie Reis. Projeets covered this year are: Crops, Swine, Photography and Dog Care. Through the gen- erosity of Sainte Marie Legion Post 932, the 4-H Chore Boys have always held their meetings there.
This year's 4-H leaders are Theodore Kocher, Law- rence Helregel and Vic Ochs. Past Sainte Marie Chore
Boys 4-H Club leaders have been Kenneth Stone, Louis Ochs, Norbert Ochs, Robert Helregel, Norton Reis, Rich- ard Ochs, Ted Kocher, Victor Ochs and Harold Harris
4-Leaf Clover Girls 4-H Club
This year leaders of the 4-Leaf Clover Girls are Audrey Ikemire, leader for two years, and Mrs. Winifred Michl, leader for 11 years.
Officers are: President, Mary Ellen Kraus; vice- president, Mickey Tracy; secretary, Tamra Ikemire; treasurer, Brenda Schoffstall; and the other girls are Brenda Michl, Sandra Seaney, Diana Tracy, Rose Marie Boehl, Marlene Boehl and Kay Seaney.
Projects are handicraft, table covers for beginners, you make your own clothes, yeast breads, freezing, flower arrangement, you learn to bake, adventure in cooking, you learn to sew and ABC's of foods.
Past leaders have been Mrs. Winifred Michl, Mrs. John Fisher, Mrs. Shirley Kraus and Mrs. Audrey Ikemire.
The Bend 4-H Club
The adult leaders of The Bend 4-H Club are Noel Ikemire, John R. Michl and Hamer Stone.
The club officers are: President, John C. Michl, vice- president, Gregory Ikemire; secretary, Pat Stone; treas- urer, Ralph E. Michil; reporter, Jerry A. Michl; recreation leaders, Pat Stone and Gregory Ikemire.
Projects in the club are Swine, Gardening, Crops, Entomology and Photography.
Old Homes Represented Happy Families
In writing the history of Sainte Marie township, Pre- cincts one and two, I've come across some unusual stories. There are a number of frame houses around here that are more than 100 years old, but there were three brick houses, each outstanding in its own way.
They were the Jacques Picquet house in Sainte Marie the Joseph Petar Huber house on the sand hills east of town called the Ridge, and the Rennier homestead above the Rennier bridge in the Bend.
All three of these houses were built of what is slight ingly called, "soft brick." That is, they were made of native clay and burned in a kiln on the homestead grounds. But these old houses weathered many storms and with care could have sheltered several generations more. But modern home-makers took a dim view of 18x22 feet rooms, with 10 to 12 foot ceilings. They were hard to clean and heat, so the old homesteads went the way of so many of our pioneer possessions.
The Rennier homestead was begun by Valentine Krause in about 1870, but before the old gentleman could complete his fine house, he died. It is fashioned along the lines of the huge square brick houses in that very German city, Cincinnati, O.
It is three stories, and the basement comes out on the ground level on the south side. One can still faintly smell the fragrance of the old wine cellar. There are five sunny rooms on the first floor, all 15 or 18 feet square with 10 foot ceilings, the same number of rooms above, and then a huge attic. Along the full length of the east side of the house was a veranda overlooking the garden.
Around 1875 a young German farmer, Jacob Rennier, came into the Bend. He married Gertrude Krause, foster daughter and niece of Valentine Krause, and together
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Pilgrim Holiness Church
This is the Pilgrim Holiness Church in Sainte Marie. Trustees shown are Gerald Sheridan, Mrs. Della Murphy and Gordon Sheridan.
Greetings to All at Sainte Marie !
You've been our friends since 1949, and we hope to merit your friendship for many more years.
DON and IMOGENE LAMSON
BEN FRANKLIN
Newton, Ill.
Beaux and Boosters
These bearded beaux have helped boost preparations for the Sainte Marie Quasquicentennial.
Shown left to right are:
First row, Dick Hunzinger, I. D. Kocher, Joe Kocher, Lawrence Huber. Second row, Paul Faltemier, Paul Hartrich, George Swortfiger, Sam Zuber. Third row, James Geltz, James Cunningham, Maynard Kocher, "Bud" Stone. Fourth row, James Schwartz, Gene Bigard, Fran- cis "Yank" Schmidt and Wilmer "Hoover" Ochs.
Best Wishes From
General Telephone Company
of Illinois
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they finished building the brick house Valentine Krause had begun.
At first they lived in a log house, but when their third child, Matilda, was born they moved into the new brick home. Five generations of one family have slept beneath this roof. A story was told to me the day of the sale of the household goods.
When the eldest daughter was married there were so many wedding guests, the beds piled high with coats, caps and sleeping babies. 'ilre two little Rennier boys, finding no bed to sleep in, climbed into a huge old walnut wardrobe and made a bed of quilts they found there. Morning came and the dance cver, the frantic parents searched everywhere for the missing pair. They were stunned to see them come strolling out, Sunday suits all rumpled, wanting to know what the fuss was all about.
The homestead was a place where whole hams were put to boil in the wash boiler, mounds of chicken were fried, great loaves of bread were baked, crocks of butter were home-churned and sweet cream and great pitchers of milk came fresh from the spring house.
No need of a super market here for fresh fruit or vegetables, either.
The vegetable garden was a thing of beauty, with long rows of sweet corn, new peas, potatoes, lettuce and radishes, an asparagus and strawberry bed of long stand- ing, pyramids of pole beans hanging thick with wax and lima beans, a sea of cucumber and melon vines, raspberry canes and grape arbor all bordered about with sweet sum- mer flowers.
Here, too, you found the hop vines and bee hives. The orchard, too, was a picture. The apple, cherry and peach trees were well cared for, for a whole season of fruit was to be had here. Nut trees, too, were here, walnut, hickory, shell barks and pecans.
With their beeves, porkers, sheep and poultry, these were the independent and self-sufficient people who helped to make our country great.
A sale of the Rennier household goods was held. Standing back in the spring sunshine one could watch antique buyers with a gleam in their eyes bid in old wal- nut bedsteads, chests of drawers, spinning wheels, cob- blers' tools that were used to make wooden shoes, wool carders, looms for carpet and material, poke jars and wine jugs. You knew this was the passing of a way of life that is no more.
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