Wednesday, May 26, 2010

CORNICES 1800's






I have posted about these very cool WHITE parts to my grandmothers house that was built back in the late 1800's BUT I want to do it again. I want you to understand how important they are to her home and to me and to my posterity.

A cornice is a hand made or machine made structure that is placed around the parameter under the roof of a house, church, or building of any kind. In this case it was placed under the roof of the front porch and back porch. It use to be considered only for the wealthy and it definitely is an extra expense. However, the architectural cornice is not just an aesthetic enhancement, it's also a wise investment. You can lower energy bills, divert rainwater, prevent streaking and staining and help stop potentially damaging water infiltration. You can make it as simple or ornate as you want, thus, controlling the cost. Very interesting to me that simple folk in Ephraim Utah in the late 1800's were using it.

My grandmother Allred (my mothers mother) was 12 years old when her family met the LDS missionary's while living in Denmark. One of the missionary's was from a place called, Manti Utah. I haven't been able to dig for the conversion story, but I will.
Grandma's family decided to move from Denmark to Utah. The missionary's helped them raise the money to travel and in 1907 they set sail for America. Grandma's youngest brother (Oggy) turned 5 while sailing on the ship. The ship landed in Boston and no one was allowed to disembark because of the Black's disease that had spread, (the skin turns black and it falls off). It was a few days before they decided that those that didn't have the disease could leave and Grandma's group was some of them.

From Boston they took a train to Manti where they were met by my great great grandmother. She had moved by herself from Denmark and had set up housekeeping in Manti. She was never married to my great great grandfather, I guess he didn't want to join the church - so - she left him and came to America.

She later married a JC Nielsen and had her children sealed to them.

A shop was build in front of my great great grandmas house for my great grandfather to work from. He was a Tailor. Shortly after their arrival to Manti, they all came down with the blacks disease, they all survived!

Grandma's house was torn down in the 1980's. I didn't know about it, but my beautiful cousin, who is living in Ephraim, saved these cornice's for me. I was off living in Georgia so it was several years before I got them. There are three reasons that I love them so: First, because my cousin Debbie thought of me and saved them and Second, because they belonged to my beautiful grandmother. AND Third, because they are a part of an architectural history that I love.

I look forward to all the times I will have to share what I know about these two cornice's off my grandmothers house.

14 comments :

  1. I loved this story and the pieces of history you get to keep. You can't go wrong with the architectural chippy pieces.

    Thanks for sahring with us.

    Kathleen

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  2. Love it! And how dear to your heart these are, I just love them and the story...thanks for sharing it! Come say hi :D

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  3. So wonderful that you have these pieces of family history. So much to remember and share with your family, this is beautiful.

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  4. Cindy~
    The cornices from your grandmother's house are beautiful and what precious heirlooms for your family! Thank you for sharing them for White Wednesday!
    Thank you for visiting me today, as well. Hope to *see* you again!
    Blessings!

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  5. I LOVE that white, chippy painted cornice, and that it came from your grandmother's house is even better!! I can think of a dozen places I could put that in my house...so pretty! :)

    Thanks so much for visiting my blog today and for your warm welcome to White Wednesday! I'm enjoying meeting so many people with like minds. :) Hope you'll visit again soon!
    Bye for now,
    :) ~ Jo

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  6. My parents own an old restored Victorian mansion and there are original cornices everywhere. Most beautiful!

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  7. Love those cornices on so many levels. Did you know Dave's family is from down that way? His mother was an Ivie and they settled Scipio. I should go look and see if I can get house parts too. So fun. Love that family history. Mimi

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  8. I have some bed posts that I bet you would love! Not sure I would want to part with them though...

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  9. Wow! You have really done your research. What a great post. So interesting - I love Ancestry. Its so hard to get the facts straight when dealing with records but you did a fabulous job. I didn't know about the Blacks disease - sounds horrific. Im glad your family all made it through. The cornices are awesome as well. Thanks for a great read.

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  10. Very interesting. Beautiful and functional, always a great combination. And how great it is that you have a big of family history:)
    ~Debra
    Capers of the vintage vixens

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  11. Hi Cindy, That is a great story on your family history. And the cornices are a pieace of the story. Thank's for sharing...Julian

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  12. Hi Cindy!
    I’m so happy you will be joining me for the Where Blogger’s Create party this year!
    I think it’s going to be great fun and is already bigger than last year!
    Jo is offering some great prizes isn’t she??? I’ll be in touch!!

    Karen
    My Desert Cottage
    Valentine Design

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  13. Cindy I am so glad that these were salvaged from the house and that you have them now. What a wonderful story of how your family came west and settled in Utah.
    hugs

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  14. That's amazing that she had the foresight to do that. I know when we sold Grandma's house, I didn't think to take some of the wainscotting, or anything that might have been of value.

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