Grandma Pet was my maternal grandmother. Her name was Amelia Grayer born in Scio Township, MI on 14 Sep 1885. She spent most of her life living in Ann Arbor, MI where she had a tourist home at 520 N. Main Street. Amelia married my grandfather, Grover Cleveland Ream on 26 Sep 1912 in Ann Arbor, MI when she was 27 years old.
photo of my Grandmother Amelia Grayer Ream of Ann Arbor, MI
I was born in 1954 and also lived in Ann Arbor, MI. I visited Grandma Pet’s home regularly and was always delighted to be there. Grandma was an exceptionally loving and kind woman and adored all 5 of her granddaughters.
A visit to her home usually included watching the Lawrence Welk show. We especially liked the Lennon Sisters who would often make a guest appearance on that show. Other shows included seeing Minnie Pearl on a show called “Hee Haw.”
Grandma’s large front porch housed several rocking chairs. As young girls, we could sit on the front porch and watch the parades that came down N. Main Street including the marching French Dukes. A riddle jar made for lots of fun. Grandma saved jokes by cutting them out of the newspaper and putting them into a glass jar. We could reach our hand into the jar and read our joke out loud. We loved to laugh. Grandma loved to laugh.
Food on the porch might be a purple cow (a vanilla ice cream float with Grape Nehi soda.) Grandma delighted in making the foods that each granddaughter liked the best. For me that was her french fries – she would make those while also making Nifflies (a German noodle dumpling of sorts) for my sisters.
Spending an overnight at Grandma’s house was special. We would sleep together in her bedroom off of the dining room and each evening, Grandma would recite the 23rd psalm in her sweet soothing voice.
We all knew we were loved.
In the Dining Room at Grandma’s house was a large piece of furniture referred to as a high-boy. Above the high-boy was a curio shelf that housed her collection of miniature pitchers. We did not play with these, but we were often held up high enough to look at them. The other items of interest on top of that high-boy were candies. I especially remember the Neapolitan coconut candies that were strawberry, vanilla and chocolate flavored. Yum!
The little pitchers ended up in my possession. For many years, they have remained packed carefully in a box between wood shavings. Recently, I opened the box and picked several to put out in my tiny house. Good thing they take up so little real estate. I am also excited about giving some to my sisters and cousins. We all loved Grandma Pet. She was magical.
The front porch was a great place for a row of rocking chairs facing N. Main Street, Ann Arbor, MI Grandma lived next door to Bones and Madalyn who were like a bonus extra grandparents.I found these photos on the internet in 2012 – much of the house had remained the same as I remember it from the 1950’s and 60’s.
Willaim Fred Wisthoff was my 2nd great grandfather. His birthday was 30 Jun 1833. His daughter was my great grandmother “Grandma Grayer.” William was born in Prussia. Later, in sources relating to his burial, it is stated that his birthplace was Germany.
Christian Fike was my 4th great grandfather. His birthday was 3 Jun 1760. His direct descendant was Hattie Fike who married Benjamin Ream. He was born in British Colonial America.
George was my 4th great grandfather. My ancestry records from Ancestry.com show his birth was 18 Jun 1729 in Broetzingen, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany. One of his descendants was my great grandfather, Juan Hess. (note that the birthplace listed above is from Family Search)
Alexander Jackson was my 5th great grandfather. He was born on 12 Jun 1729. He was born in Ireland. One of his descendants was my great grandfather, Juan Hess.
Jonathan Jones was born in 1722 in British Colonial America. One of his descendants was my great grandmother Dorothy “Dora” Bishop Hess who was married to Juan Hess (Dora and Juan were my great grandparents.)
Abigail was born in June of 1640 in British Colonial America. One of her descendants was my great grandmother Dorothy “Dora” Bishop Hess who was married to Juan Hess (Dora and Juan were my great grandparents.)
Deborah was born in June of 1646 in British Colonial America. One of her descendants was my great grandmother Dorothy “Dora” Bishop Hess who was married to Juan Hess (Dora and Juan were my great grandparents.)
This story is about the quality and the quantity of doll clothes that I owned during the 1950’s. The doll in the photo above (believed to be a Betsy Wetsy) was one of my 1950’s baby dolls. She is 14″ tall and in remarkably great condition for her age. Many of her doll clothes were handmade by my Great Aunt Babe.
Aunt Babe was actually Helen Mae Mayer (nee Grayer). She was born 20 May 1890 in Webster Township, MI. Her parents had both come to this area near Ann Arbor from Germany.
I am not certain if all of this doll’s clothes were handmade by Helen, but I am fairly certain that most of them were. My Aunt made her livelihood as a seamstress and so it is obvious that she had the materials and the skill to provide a large wardrobe for each of my dolls. I believe that she worked out of her old west-side home in Ann Arbor, MI.
Both of my sisters certainly knew this Great Aunt and also knew that she made doll clothes.
Wedding of Helen Grayer to Walter Mayer 10 May 1911
This is a photo of Walter and Helen on their wedding day 10 May 1911. She was 20 years old. Walter and Helen never had their own children, but they became very much a part of our lives as their grand nieces. Walter passed away in 1957, when I was only 3 years old, so I have no personal memories of him, but I have heard of many lovely stories of his calm and fun nature.
My Great Aunt did quite well in her profession as a seamstress. Her income was good even during the Great Depression. One of her older sisters was my Grandmother, Amelia Ream (nee Grayer).
My Grandmother, was widowed when my mother was only 5 years old. At the time of my Grandfather’s death my uncle was only 13. My Grandmother became a single mother that also cared for my Great Grandmother. Money was very tight for my Grandmother especially during the lean years of the Depression. My Grandmother’s occupation. running a tourist home on N. Main Street in Ann Arbor, did not provide enough income for many of life’s luxuries.
My mother grew up feeling in debt/gratitude to our Great Aunt Helen because Helen had made sure that my mother, as a young girl, could have lovely clothing and toys. Helen provided my mother with those things that could not have been afforded to her otherwise. My mother’s feelings of indebtedness to my Great Aunt were powerful. Later in life, my mother would go on to have to care for my Great Aunt Helen and as she cared for her, my mother never forgot the gifts she had received from her during her childhood.
Our family would spend a great deal of time in the company of Great Aunt Helen. This is probably how Aunt Babe became familiar with our dolls.
I am now an old woman (69) and I want to donate some of the childhood items I have held onto for all these many years. I actually don’t feel attached to this Betsy Wetsy baby doll, but I feel so in awe of some of her clothes. For those of you who know me, you will also know that I am a “clothes horse” and I continue to adore fashion.
I know that my Great Aunt made an impressive number of doll clothes. She also made an impressive number of clothes for me and my sisters. I had a nurse costume (pictured below) and a cowgirl outfit that were part of my personal childhood gifts from her.
Aunt Babe would have been 63 years old at the time I was born in 1954. I believe that by the time she was making doll clothes for my dolls, her workmanship was not the same caliber as in her career days- my mother told me that she had never needed to take measurements for her clients. She could perfectly size them and could begin cutting fabric without even a pattern. I think that some of the doll clothes reflect that she was aging and hurrying to finish projects. Still, the clothing was pretty amazing.
In this close up photo of a snap, you can see that her stitches are not delicate but instead quick and functional.
You can see that the snap is sewn on with large stiches.
Here are some of the clothes that Aunt Babe made for my baby doll.
My 1950’s Betsy Wetsy doll in an outfit sewn by Aunt BabeA corduroy coat and hat made by Aunt Babe for my Betsy Wetsy doll
I believe that Babe must have loved corduroy because she used it to sew several of our childhood outfits and jackets.
A little blouse for my doll made with lovely vintage print fabric
Look at the fun vintage fabrics and prints! Also, note that the shirt has a collar and a working button!
A nightgown made from another vintage print. It fastens at the back.A close up view of the fabric of the nightgownThe inside of some of the clothing had rough snips and cuts
This close up photo of the nightgown’s back side shows the linen of the sweet fabric and also the quick sewing job on the snap.
Polka dots with puff sleeves and some smocking
The doll shoes in this photo do not go to this baby doll…I believe they are actually one of the toys that my Great Aunt purchased for my mother in the 1920’s.
These doll shoes belonged to my mother who was born in 1925.Another example of the amazing prints in vintage 50’s fabrics
This close up photo shows some of the stitching…
Complete with a collar
I know that this fabric showed up in other dresses/clothing during my childhood. It is amazing…right? The other photos show that some of the clothing was prepared quickly and without great precision.
The stitching looks a bit rushed …This dress resembles my mother’s square dance dressI believe that my Great Aunt used a pattern similar to this to make a dress for my mother.
This dress resembles a square dance dress that I believe Aunt Babe made for my mother. I am not sure that this doll dress was handmade?
My mother’s childhood shoes are pictured with my doll dress
I think my mother told me that these were her childhood shoes. They may have been purchased for her by Aunt Babe. My mother was born in 1925.
The shoes are very old and obviously well worn…
Below is a doll sized romper and doll socks.
A closer look at these very old doll socksA handmade doll romper
It was fun to take these photographs of these doll clothes. It will be a nice memory of them as I find the actual clothing a new home.
telling life stories 