Grandma Thompson and the Silver Spoons

First we start out with Clara Fitch Snow ,the daughter of James White and Lucretia Stearns Fitch. Clara was born in 1856 and died in 1949.  She has three of the first families in her tree.  She did something invaluable for our history. She wrote a letter when she was about 70 years telling her grandchildren of their heritage.  The story about grandma’s spoons was part of the story. The Clara Snow letter is in the Olmsted Historical Society archives.

The Thompson Family

      “Jonathan Thompson Jr. the son of Jonathan and Jemima Baxter Thompson.  Thompson was born Jan. 8, 1768. He married Priscilla daughter of Betsey Sears,(I do not know her father’s Christian name,)  “  Skip

“ Before her marriage, Grandma Thompson worked for twelve weeks and earned twelve silver dollars. She gave six of these to a jeweler to pay him to make six spoons from the other six. Some of these spoons are still in the possession of some of her descendants.”

Skip

“When she was seventy-eight a great-grandchild was born who was named Priscilla Stearns Fitch. The Christian names were in honor of her grandmother who had died a few months before, and was Grandma Thompson’s daughter. It was March a south wind was fast melting the winter snow.  Vespasian Stearns, the little Priscilla’s grandfather, was going was going to give her a sheep for her name.  Great-Grandma reasoned thus; the best way to take that sheep over is on a sled. Pash will probably go over in the morning before the snow is gone.  It is a good sigh to have the first present of silver. “I must get there with one of my spoons before he gets there with his sheep”.  Now Great-Grandma Thompson lived about five minute walk from Grandpa Stearns’. To go by the road she must pass his house.  It was a long mile and a half to the little baby’s home.  She rose early and walked through the woodsin the slush so that he should not see her and insist on her riding.  There was a creek which she could ordinarily cross on a fallen log.  The creek was now swollen by the spring freshet that the log had been washed away.

Nothing daunted, she found a long pole and selecting a narrow place, vaulted over the swiftly flowing current and proceeded on her way.  She reached the baby’s home with wet feet, skirts drabbled to the knees, and very much out of breath.  Throwing the spoon, which she had earned before her marriage, into the baby’s cradle she said “There, I did get here before Pash did anyway.”  Grandpa Stearns arrived soon after with the sheep.  Of course they rode home together, after Grandma’s clothes were dry.

Ed Note: Priscilla Sears parents were William and Betsey Wood Sears.

Ed Note:  Grandma Thompson lived east of the School.  Pash lived north of the school, and James W Fitch live about 1 mile south on Fitch Rd.

Today a friend of OHS, Jeff Blazak who does historical treasure hunting did a part search of the Thompson house property in areas that had a high potential of finding things.  He came in with what he had found so far. The surprising item was a coin silver spoon with the date of 1832 on it. It lends a bit of credence to the above