The Material Legacy

Chamber Pot

Used by family of Alton Cardinal on trips, etc. 1950. [Johns Bros, England]

Round Table

The round table was made by my grandfather, Joseph Cardinal (1830-1913), and came to my father after Grandpa's death.

As I remember it, the table was a dark color. It was later painted black, and then, still later, gray.

My son, Peter, now has the table.

Doll

This doll was given to my mother, Lillie Strahl Cardinal (1877-1948), by her father, Hermann Strahl (1830-1880), for Christmas 1879 when she was two year[s] old. Because her father died one week later on New Year's Day 1880, she treasured the doll all her life. Shortly before she died, Mother asked us to give the doll to our daughter, Phyllis, when she became age two.

The doll's head, hands, and feet are china. The body is stuffed with sawdust. She is a blue eyed, black haired lady fifteen inches tall.

Doll Trunk

The doll trunk was my mother's. I'm not sure of its age, but I think it may be as old as the doll (1879). At any rate, it dates back to Mother's childhood, in the City of Fort Howard.

The trunk is [a] small version of a traveller's trunk with lock, leather handles, rollers, metal fittings, and simulated leather (paper) exterior covering. The inside is complete with tray and paper lining. Dimensions are: 14 inches long, 9 inches high, and 8 inches deep.

Doll Furniture

The doll furniture belonged to my mother when she was a child. She was born June 12, 1877, and live on North Ashland Avenue in the City of Fort Howard until she was thirteen.

Match Box

This match box was used by my parents for many years. I don't know its origin, but I remember it in the basement at 132 South Oneida Street, Green Bay, Wisconsin, from the mid-1920's. It was mounted near the furnace and remained there when the house was sold to Carl and Marian Sippel in 1950 or 1951. They continued to use the box for matches in the basement until 1982. They gave it to me for Christmas 1982. It continues in use for matches beside our Franklin stove.

The box is wall-mounted of cast iron, and is of self-closing design. It measures about 3¾″ × 2¼ × 1″ – just right for a handful of wooden kitchen matches. These words are cast on the lid: Self Closing – for matches &c. – Patented Dec. 20, 1864 – D.N & Co. – New Haven. The bottom is made rough as a place to scratch the matches. The remainder is coated with black enamel.

In 1983, I removed the original enamel and recoated it with new black enamel.

Field Tools

These tools belonged to my father, Gilbert Cardinal, prior to 1920. Most of them were probably in 1917 when we moved onto a farm at Oneida, Wisconsin.

• Double-bitted axe (handle replaced about 1965)
• Scythe
• Wooden hand hay rake (I turned replacement teeth in 1985)
• Garden spade
• Two three-tined pitch forks
• Corn knife
• Post hole digger
• Buck saw
• Lantern
• Short-handled square shovel (this was discarded by C&NW Ry in 1920's)

Shop Tools

Acquired by me during high school years (1927-31) or before.

• Work bench (made for me by my father)
• Vise
• Claw hammer (marked Alty on handle)
• Push drill (Mr. Punch)
• Auger bits for brace (6/16″, 8/16″, 10/16″)
• Countersink bit
• Twist bit (¼)
• Brace
• Marking guage
• Try square
• Large screw driver (square shank, wood handle) (bought for me by my Uncle Sam Cardinal)
• Screw driver set (3 in 1)
• Wooden handle containing may tools
• Jack plane
• Carpenter chisels (½″ ¾″)
• Spoke shave
• Hand cranked grinder