This Glider Rocker belonged to Anna King.
The crewel work California Poppy pillow was made by Margaret Boothby for Dorothy Arthur.
Handed down...most families have unique, treasured items that have been handed down through the generations. These items serve as a bridge between the past and the present. Our family seems to have acquired an eclectic collection of rocking chairs over the years, each with attached precious memories of family members that used them and the stories that accompany each rocker. These are some of our handed down rocking chairs, as well as some rocking chairs that are still waiting their turn to be handed down in the future. Pull up your favorite rocking chair and a cup of tea and read on....
This first rocking chair belonged to my great great grandmother Anna Levers King (1862-1941).
Anna King with Spot.
Turn of the century, photograph taken somewhere in the Bay Area (on the ranch?) From the King Album.
This rocker is a platform glider rocker, first patented in the late 1880's. Anna's daughter Emma (my great grandmother "Nana"), took off the arms and added a padded back after it was handed down to her. She handed it down to her daughter Dorothy who took it all apart. Auntie Dot handed it down in a box to my mother, and luckily all the pieces and parts were still together. Mom had a furniture restorer in Grass Valley strip off the old black finish and remove the padded back which revealed the spindles. The rocking chair was given a new life and now graces Mom's living room. It is still used during get togethers. Because of the frame mechanism the chair gently glides back and forth instead of rocking. It still creaks a bit, but that just adds to the charm!
Fun Fact: Did you know that rocking chairs were considered to be feminine chairs uniquely suited to the needs of women? In the mid 1800's men were never seen in public in a rocking chair. Rocking chairs were generally limited to private use at home. Kovel's Antique Trader antiquetrade.com
Antique child's rocker from 1906. It has always been referred to as "Uncle Jack's rocker".
I have posted a picture of this next rocker before...it belonged to Master Jack Hansen and I am sure it was used by his little brothers Bob and Harold (my maternal grandfather) as well. It made its way to Mom's house; it has recently been handed down to little JackF. who is the great great nephew of Jack Hansen. I think Uncle Jack would get a tickle out of knowing that his rocker is still in use today by Jack and his little sister Audrey...
Jack Klemmet Hansen (1906-1986). He was photographed with his younger brother Robley (Bob) Hansen (1909-1986) sometime in the summer or fall of 1909. From the Hansen Family Album.
Little Mary's vintage cane rocking chair.
This precious little rocking chair was handed down from Little Mary Macioccos to my paternal grandmother Terry Boothby (Nino) and now to me. It is of unknown vintage and origin but looks like it may have been re-caned and stained at some point. Nino added the padding in the 90's to match her living room decor, and the padding has been there ever since. I requested Little Mary's chair in 1995 after Nino's passing; I have used this little rocking chair to rock my grandbabies and read them stories for the last 8 years. It is surprisingly comfortable and I fit perfectly! I am sure it was a perfect fit for Little Mary also.
The padding has helped protect the cane weaving over the years.
Mary Negri Macioccos was born in Rocca d'Arazzo Italy in 1909 and married Antonio Macioccos (also known as Nino) in San Francisco in 1929. Somehow, Nino and Little Mary became lifelong friends of my grandparents Nino and Sterl, and attended many family get togethers and dinners over many years. I have fond memories of Little Mary always laughing and joking with my Nino and Uncle Frank. Nino Macioccos passed away in 1973 and Little Mary passed away in 1990.
Can you spot Little Mary?
L-R: Nonna, Dottie, unknown couple, Nino, Little Mary, Aunt Dena and Uncle Frank in the back row, and Nino (Little Mary's husband) on the far right. Photograph taken at my parents' wedding held at the Grass Valley Methodist Church June 25, 1961.
Photograph taken at Nino's home in Sonoma, California during Easter celebrations. This may have been in 1986 or 1989, as there is a stork on the table next to the Easter Bunny...
Also pictured are Dottie (on the left) and Chet and Muriel on the right.
An Eastlake rocking chair that was in the Hayes family home and is now in the possession of StephanieE.
The Eastlake detail....
This Eastlake chair was in the home of Franklin and Sallie Hayes (my great great grandparents) at 3818 22nd Street, San Francisco. The home, built in the 1880's, was found to be structurally sound after the Great San Francisco Earthquake in 1906. The rocking chair, along with a matching side chair and another larger chair, were in the home until the death of Lester Hayes (my great grandfather) in 1969. All three pieces were restored by my grandmother, Betty Hayes Hansen, and then distributed to family members after that. The rocker was handed down to my sister.
Lester Hayes
Photograph taken before 1969 at an unknown location.
Mom's maple rocking chair
Photograph taken in Stockton, California 1962 right after my birth. We spent a lot of time together in this rocker...
This is Mom's maple Boston-style rocking chair that was purchased before my birth. Mom says she sat in about 50 rockers before she choose this one. This rocking chair was always in my parents' living room on Banner Mountain and must have a thousand coats of Pledge on it by now, liberally administered by my sister and myself every cleaning day. It is a beautiful rocker with many beautiful memories that go with it.
Mom's rocker is a Nichols & Stone Boston Rocker, circa 1961
This is my rocking chair, and was given to me by my husband for our first Christmas together. It is very similar in style to Mom's chair, but is a little smaller in proportion and fits me perfectly. I rocked both of my children in this rocker.
AmyA.'s rocking chair circa 1990 or so...
One last rocking chair to share in this post. This reproduction press-backed child's rocking chair was given to our daughter after she was born in 1989 by my parents. It has gotten quite a bit of use not only from our daughter and her collection of dolls, but from our granddaughter who uses it when she stays at "Nana and Papa's" house. I hope it lasts as long as some of our other rocking chairs!
I am sure I may have missed a rocking chair or two here and there, but these are the ones with the most memories. They have been taken care of, lovingly used and handed down to new generations. It doesn't matter how old or new they are, they all are family treasures that hold sentimental value and give us tangible connections to our loved ones. They help keep our family history alive.
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