Readers Respond

Alice D. Murphy, Boston, Massachusetts: I have two beautiful quilts made by my ancestor Malinda McCorkle Bumgardner (1815–1894), as well as an October 1855 letter she sent from her home in Augusta County, Virginia, to her sister-in-law in Alabama. She wrote, "I sent a quilt [to the state fair] ... but don’t much expect a premium as I would have to excel in the state, but if it was my own county fair ... I think I would be sure of it. So, Sister, you may guess it is something right nice in the way of a quilt.” I looked up the results of the 1855 Virginia State Fair in the Richmond Dispatch and when I read, “Best Quilt: $5 Mrs. Bumgardner,” I literally danced around the room doing fist pumps.

Bob Wells, Caton, Michigan: My father, Bob Wells of Flat Rock, Michigan, raised a pig and showed it at the Monroe County, Michigan, fair, where it won a prize. He sold the pig afterwards and with the proceeds purchased an engagement ring for my mother. They married August 1, 1945.

Barb Whittlesey, Tucson, Arizona: My great-great-great-grandfather Daniel Long (1759–1869) was one of thirty people killed in an accident at the 1869 Indiana State Fair caused by the explosion of a portable steam engine being used in a demonstration of sawing logs. The debris spread over a quarter mile area.

Jill Rudnitski, Big Lake, Minnesota: My second great-grand-aunt Sadie Baldwin Graves, born in 1872 in Connecticut, married William Graves, a nationally renowned expert on chickens. William judged poultry at numerous county and state fairs. He even gave presentations on chickens at the World’s Fair in St. Louis in 1904. The couple moved to Orlando, Florida, in 1925. In 1932, Sadie won second place at the Orange County Fair for “most compelling chicken calling” and second place for “most intriguing husband calling” at the fair.

Sally Shaw, Vancouver, Washington: In 1939, my mother, Zelda Heitman Shaw, was chosen as the county rodeo flag bearer to represent Douglas County at the Nevada State Rodeo in Reno. She carried the U.S. flag on horseback at the opening ceremony. Three generations later, her great-granddaughter was also a Nevada State Rodeo “flag girl.”

Sue Meier, Seymour, Indiana: My grandmother Kate Sierp Waldkoetter loved the Jackson County Fair in Brownstown, Indiana, especially the rides! Grandma was also a part of the “lawn chair fair,” a group thst would sit and watch fair attendees. My mom, Mildred Sierp Hall, was in 4-H; she was the first member of our four-generation 4-H family to join. She entered food and sewing at the fair. I have dipped ice cream and helped in the antique, 4-H, commercial, and family arts buildings over the years. My girls brought many animals to both the county and state fairs. Our family would spend a week’s vacation at the fair and eat at a different food booth each night. My grandchildren are now following in our footsteps.