Edith Colwell Donates to Farmers' Museum - 1946

Mrs. M. Colwell Gives to Farmers' Museum

Numerous Items of Historical Importance

Bainbridge News & Republican, August 15, 1946

 

Mrs. Edith G. Colwell, of Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY] has just given to the Farmers' Museum, which is operated by the  New York State Historical Association, Cooperstown [Otsego Co., NY], a group of items which are of unusual interest.

 

An important item for the harness makers and saddlers display at the Farmers' Museum is the certificate of James Donaldson, great grandfather of Mrs. Colwell whose ancestors migrated from Scotland to Ireland and then to Russell Hill near North Sanford, Broome County.

 

The certificate reads "This is to certify that James Donaldson has been regularly admitted a member of the New York Saddler's Society on the 5th Day of November in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Eleven--signed by William Young, President, John B. Ebbets, Secretary."  Above the text is the Saddlers' coat of arms composed of three saddle horses surrounding a shield on which are placed three English saddles. Below is the motto "Our Trust is in God."  Beneath the text is a woodcut of fox hunters and their dogs.

 

For the country store is an early straw bonnet and a fine purple and black printed woolen petticoat worn by Mrs. Nancy Donaldson, of Deposit, around 1855.

 

Mrs. Colwell has given several books for the mid-century school house at the Farmers' Museum.  One is a Troy, New York chap book entitled "Frank and the Kite," published by Merriam & Moore.  Another is "The History of Sarah Brewer, a Poor Orphan," published in New York by O. Scott, 1847, L.J. McIndoe, printer.  For the wall of the country school house, Mrs. Colwell has given a copy of the Declaration of Independence, which was found in one of the oldest houses in Bainbridge, where it had hung until 1929. The house was occupied by Richard Griswold and his family from some time previous to 1836 until 1871.  This copy of the Declaration of Independence was published by Benjamin Owen Tyler, Professor of Penmanship, City of Washington, 1818.