October 10, 2016 - This is a family heirloom story that is not yet complete.

          I have the beginning, the first chapter, the second chapter, but not the ending yet.

          This story starts way back before I was born, even before my parents were married.   My parents were engaged to be married the same year of my maternal grandparents’ 25^th wedding anniversary.

          Mom and Dad went to a fancy jewelry store on High Street in Clinton, Massachusetts, called Stewart & Henney to buy a special gift for my Mom’s parent’s special occasion.  They bought a sterling silver on crystal creamer and sugar set and presented it to Gramma and Grampy Nixon.  I understand it cost them way more money than they needed to expend at the time – I’ll tell you more about that later.

Fast forward 25 years or so:

          On my parents’ 25^th wedding anniversary, my grandparents return-gifted them the same sterling silver on crystal sugar and creamer set back to them.

          As a young woman growing up the very pretty sugar and creamer always graced our family table at all high holidays: Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.   Mom always washed and dried them special by hand and put them up for safe keeping.  I always admired them.

Fast forward several years:

          I was living here in Forest City, North Carolina, when I got a package in the mail from Mom and Dad near our 25^th Anniversary.  Not unusual getting a gift through the mail from my parents.

          When I opened the box I got such a surprise.  The 25^th anniversary sterling on silver creamer and sugar set that had graced my parents table during all the holidays all those years had been double wrapped and arrived safely.

          I immediately called Mom.  That day, Mom told me the history about Stewart & Henney jewelry store on High Street in Clinton, Massachusetts, and how the gift was way more than they should have spent, [they were on limited funds at the time], but Dad was like that. 

Mom said, “He does know WHEN to spend big money.”  I had heard that comment before in the past on rare occasions when Dad had given me an expensive gift.    I guessed when Dad dug deep – he dug really deep for the “important occasions.”  That gave me a new appreciation for the pearl college graduation pin, and a few other things that I thought were expensive at the time, but now I knew they were expensive.

Mom also mentioned that Stewart & Henney’s is now known as Duvarney Jewelers, but it is still located at the same location on High Street in Clinton, Massachusetts.  They still trade there.

The gift reflected 75 years of marriage at that point just as a celebration gift for three couples on their respective 25^th anniversaries.   It captured the history of my grandparents, my parents and now me.  I was more than teary eyed.  You sure can’t buy that kind of gift just anywhere – now can you?  My clever Mom knew that.

Every February I take the set out of my safe keeping and put it on display for the month, as that is our wedding anniversary month.

Right now the only married descendant in my family is my Brother Ken’s son who will carry on the family name.  He is married to a lovely wife and they have two sons – so that will be great lineage of the family name for future generations.

My plan is near their 25^th wedding anniversary to ship this sterling silver on crystal creamer and sugar set to them which will make a total of 100 years of 25^th anniversary celebrated marital bliss.

That is the plan anyway.  I pray it comes to fruition.  I’ve only 15 or 16 more years or so of enjoyment and safekeeping on my part until then. It will be a great day for our family heirloom history.

 . . . . as I said in the beginning . . . no ending yet.  Please be sure to check back with me then.