The signature blocks for this quilt were prepared for James and Idella (Wheeler) McConnel, who were married December 31, 1907. The blocks were prepared the spring of 1908 and they were presented to them in May when they traveled from their home in High Valley, Valley County, to Caldwell, Canyon, County, to visit family and friends. Their first child, Paul, was born at this time. (see family sheet)
When Mom passed away, my sister, Pearl Eidemiller, found the blocks neatly stacked in a box. They were never put into a quilt top, so my sister and I decided we'd do something about that. What a job! It took a lot of planning for proper arrangement and what to do about piecing so many different sized blocks. I would have thought there should have been a suggestion about the size of the block to be made, but apparently that was not suggested by anyone. At least the quilt blocks featured the same pattern!
The quilt is a big, king size quilt, which measures 88 inches by 111 inches. There were 49 odd-sized blocks. The 49th block was put into a pillow. We worked on until the summer before Pearl's 90th birthday celebration -- we wanted it to be a part of the celebration.
A complete list identifying each block in the eight rows is included with the quilt. Mom used to talk about many of them who were their very close friends. Several were relatives, and, of course, could be identified easily. My sister, Pearl, knew some of them from Church and locals that still lived in or around Caldwell. All of those whose blocks were included were identified. Since Pearl grew up and later lived most of her life around the areas in which these people lived, she could identify with reasonable certainty who they were even though she was quite young when some of them died. There were only three of the 48 that she didn't remember personally. It's reasonable to assume they were friends that the folks knew in High Valley and Roseberry when Pearl was too young to remember them. The 49th block that we made into a pillow was embroidered by Maude's seven-year-old daughter from her first marriage, Laura Hubler.
The signatures as they appeared on the
embroidered blocks with the identification in parantheses from the
list:
Row 1: Ben C. McConnel, (James' Father)
Mrs. Lizzy McConnel, Boise, Idaho, March 1909 (James' Mother)
Title Blocks: J. E. McConnel
Mrs. J. E. McConnel
(the title blocks were oversized and we don't know who embroidered
them - probably Grandmother Wheeler)
Oliver I. Wheeler (Idella's Father)
Laura E. Wheeler "We love Him because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19 (Idella's Mother)
Row 2: Mae McConnel, Boise, Idaho, March 1909 (James' sister, Mabel)
Bessie McConnel, Boise, Idaho, March 1909 (James' sister)
Roy McConnel (James' brother)
Miss Queen M. Wheeler, "Love one another" John 13:34 (Idella's sister)
From sister Daisy "Be ye thankful" Col. 3:15 (Wright - Idella's sister)
Maude Billingsley, March 9, 1909 (Idella's older married sister)
Row 3
W. N. McConnel -- Caldwell, Ida, April "Fool" day (James' brother)
Mrs. Bessie McConnel (James' brother Walter's wife)
Minnie McConnel (James' brother Arthur's wife)
Kenneth Ross (a friend of Idella's family, later married her sister Queen)
Elmer Wright (Idella's sister Daisy's husband)
J. J. Billingsley, brother 4/12/09 (brother-in-law, sister Maude's husband).
Row 4:
E. A. O. Mc 1909 (Elmer A. McConnel -- Olin may be son, a cousin)
Mrs. M. G. McConnel (wife of James' cousin Mervin)
Mrs. Fred McConnel (Ellen, wife of James' cousin Fred)
Ora Mumford (Idella's neighbor and special friend)
Earl Wright (Idella's sister Daisy's son)
Lula Smith (Earl's cousin)
Row 5
Weary Willie May 1 1909 (family friend - nickname, name was Will Newland)
M. S. Newland (friend)
D. Mumford (Ora Mumford's father)
Mary Mumford Ora's mother)
Arthur Mumford (Ora's brother)
J. D. Horrace (friend)
Row 6
W. C. Lesley (friend)
Mary Lesley (W. C.'s wife and Idella's piano teacher; later rode to Grange meetings with Pearl's family to play the piano for the meetings)
David Lesley (Mary's son)
Velma Lesley (Mary's daughter)
Viva Lesley (Mary's daughter)
Effie Palmer (family friend)
Row 7
Carrie P. Scott, Caldwell Ida (friend)
Mary McDowell (friend)
Mrs. R. S. Bacon (friend)
Mary C. Brown to Ida 1909 (Idella's friend)
Annie Rosenberg (family friend -- unknown to surviving children in 2000)
Gertrud Stewart (unknown to surviving children)
Row 8
Mrs. H. W. Stewart (mother of Gertrud)
Mrs. S. C. Marsh (neighbor and friend)
M. J. McCamley (Jane was a special friend of Idella's)
S. E. Birnett?? (unknown to surviving children)
A. White (unknown to surviving children)
Emma R. Mealer (friend - unknown to surviving children)
Pillow Cover
Laura F. Wright (Idella's 7-year old niece; the only one who was not an adult at the time; making a total of 49 blocks.)
This wonderful treasure has been passed on to one of Jim's and Idella's granddaughters.
Cultivators of the earth are the most valuable citizens. - Thomas Jefferson