Friday, May 27, 2011

Cove City

Today, daddy and I are going to a funeral in Cove City.  This is a small town in eastern North Carolina where both of my grandmothers grew up. My daddy's mother moved to Kinston at the age of 16 with her mother, three sisters and one brother. Their father, my great grand father, died in "Cove" and is buried there. The rest of the family moved to Kinston for work purposes I believe. So my daddy grew up in Kinston and so did I.


My mother's family lived in the Cove City area. Daughtey's Chapel and Wintergreen where she spent her young years. After her father died, (she was 15 and the oldest) her mother and four sisters moved into  "Cove" and lived with my great grand parents. My mama moved to Kinston after HS graduation and met my daddy and married.


So, my grandmothers grew up knowing each other and all attended the same church. But my parents did not know one another. I believe they had heard of one another...


When my grandmother from Cove City would come to Kinston to visit us, she would also want to visit with "Gladys"...I thought it not at all unusual for my grandmothers to not only be together but to like each other....I was grown before I realized what a special thing it was to have grand mothers that were friends!!!!


Gladys Rachel Heath Davis Wiggins (left)   Paternal     
Dugette Estelle Wetherington Johnson (right) Maternal
 This picture was taken circa 1965 at our home on 612 Meriwether Lane , Kinston, NC


Both of these ladies quilted and sewed as did my mama...I have quilts from both grandmothers...


This first is a top only...my mama could tell me which fabrics were from her dresses!!



This second one is a nice old utilitarian quilt circa 1890-1920's . Perhaps a quilt that she was given for her first home...perhaps from Craven County or Sampson County, where her husband's family the Johnsons were from.


This is the label I made for the back of this quilt...



This third quilt is also from the early 1900's and is called Eight Hands Around...

I will have to upload Mema's quilts later...

2 comments:

  1. I hope my grandchildren will be as proud of what I make for them! What a wonderful legacy!

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a lovely post - I wish SOMEONE in my family would learn to quilt - no desire or time in their lives. Thank you for sharing your wonderful story and pictures. Judy C

    ReplyDelete

Please comment