Catching up on postings once again.
Week 8’s prompt from Amy Johnson Crow for 52 weeks 52 ancestors is Heirloom. Growing up there weren’t many items that many would describe as “heirloom’s” but there were several pieces of furniture that had been passed down to family members. One such piece is the “washstand”.
According to Naomi Parish Phillips, the “princess dresser” was purchased after a good rice crop by her father James Monroe Parish for her mother Edrina Graham. Edrina passed away soon after receiving the gift.1
The “princess dresser”, which is now called a washstand, remained in the Parish family household and was used by family members. It was eventually inherited by another Parish family member, Nell Parish Smaihall. Nell placed the washstand in her daughter’s, Larnell, bedroom for.many years. As with most heirlooms the was cherished and children were warned to take great care when playing nearby as to not damage the chest.
Nell surprised everyone when on the eve of her granddaughter’s wedding by announcing the washstand was being given to the bride, Melinda Dosch, as a wedding present. Melinda has lovingly and proudly displayed the washstand in every one of her homes.
1 Phillips, Naomi (Parish). “My Life Story”, 1972, Copy privately held by the Dosch Family Archives (Address for Private Use) Magnolia, Texas. 2015.
