Making Quilts — Remembering History

SALLY JEANNE HAINES SAULMON (1938 -----)

ROCKY FORD NATIVE, WIFE, MOTHER, GRANDMOTHER, QUILTMAKER, PHOTOGRAPHER

THE BACK STORY ---

MY GREAT, GREAT UNCLE ASA T. HAINES (1852-1927) WAS THE FIRST HAINES TO COME WEST IN 1876. HE WAS A LOGGER IN MAINE WHEN HE LOST A LEG IN A LOGGING ACCIDENT AND WAS ADVISED TO COME WEST WHERE HE COULD RIDE A HORSE. THE LOCAL MASONIC LODGE IN PARKLAND, MAINE GAVE HIM $100 FOR HIS TRIP. AFTER TRAVELING BY TRAIN, STAGE COACH, TRAIN AGAIN, AND FINALLY ON FOOT WITH HIS PEG LEG; HE HOMESTEADED SOUTH OF ROCKY FORD. (PHOTOS #1 & #2) AFTER HIS BROTHER, FRED D. HAINES (1854-1938) WAS WIDOWED IN 1889 IN MAINE, HE CAME TO ROCKY FORD WITH HIS TWO SONS: EUGENE D (1876-1934) AND MY GRANDFATHER, IRVING FRED (1880-1946), TO BE RAISED ON THE PRAIRIES SOUTH OF ROCKY FORD. IN 1897, FRED SENT FOR EVELYN E. MERRILL (1868-1950) IN MAINE TO BECOME HIS SECOND WIFE. THEY LIVED IN ROCKY FORD WEST ON PATTERSON VALLEY ROAD FOR MANY YEARS BEFORE RETIRING TO RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA. (PHOTO #3). EUGENE D. MARRIED IN 1904 MARIE C. MOELLER (1882-1967). IRVING F. MARRIED IN 1905 ANNA LOUISE CHRISTINE MOELLER (1884-1971). MARIE AND LOUISE WERE SISTERS AND THEY ALL LIVED IN ROCKY FORD THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. IRVING AND LOUISE WERE PARENTS TO RALPH (1906-1969), RICHARD (1921-1999), AND MY FATHER, MONROE (1913-1997). THE FAMILY FARM WAS TWO MILES SOUTH OF ROCKY FORD ON HIGHWAY 71. THERE IS LITTLE INFORMATION ABOUT THE MOELLER SIDE OF THE FAMILY EXCEPT THAT KARL HEINRICK MOELLER (1845-1923) AND HIS WIFE, CHRISTINE LOUISA HENRIETTA SUMANN (1842-1914) CAME TO THE UNITED STATES FROM GERMANY PRIOR TO 1884 AS MY GRANDMOTHER, LOUISE CHRISTINE, WAS BORN IN 1884 IN LEAVENWORTH KANSAS. KARL HEINRICK MOELLER WAS AN EXPERT IN THE RAISING OF SUGAR BEETS IN GERMANY AND CAME TO THE UNITED STATES TO HELP ESTABLISH THAT INDUSTRY. KARL AND CHRISTINE WERE PARENTS TO EIGHT CHILDREN IN ADDITION TO MARIE C. AND ANNA LOUISE CHRISTINE.

BOTH OF MY PARENTS WERE BORN IN ROCKY FORD, MONROE HAINES (1913-1997) AND LOIS JEANNE MADDEX (1919-1992). THEY WERE MARRIED AT THE ROCKY FORD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN 1937. MONROE WORKED IN THE FARMING AND RANCHING INDUSTRY; LOVED THE LAND AROUND ROCKY FORD AND SOUTH ALONG THE SANTA FE TRAIL; AND WAS WELL READ AND CONSIDERED AN EXPERT ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE AREA. LOIS JEANNE (KNOWN AS JEANNE) WAS VERY INTELLIGENT, SKIPPING GRADES AT PATTERSON VALLEY SCHOOL, GRADUATING FROM ROCKY FORD HIGH SCHOOL AT AGE 15, AND FROM HUTCHISON JUNIOR COLLEGE IN KANSAS AT 17. JEANNE LIVED ON THE DE LONG FARM UNTIL SHE WENT TO RFHS AT AGE OF 11 WHERE SHE BOARDED IN TOWN. SHE LOVED HER CAREER BEGINNING AT THE RF DAILY GAZETTE, THEN BURRELL SEEDS, AND FINALLY AT THE FARMER’S HOME ADMINISTRATION. SHE RETIRED FROM THE FARMER’S HOME ADMINISTRATION AFTER 35 YEARS OF FEDERAL SERVICE. I WAS BORN IN 1938; AND EVEN THOUGH I WAS AN ORIGINAL LATCH-KEY KID, SHE WAS ALWAYS A MOTHER FIRST.

HER PARENTS WERE ALSO FROM PIONEERING ROCKY FORD FAMILIES WEST OF ROCKY FORD ON PATTERSON VALLY ROAD. HER MOTHER, EDNA ELIZABETH (LIBBIE) DE LONG (1899-1988) WAS BORN IN ROCKY FORD; WAS MARRIED IN 1918 TO LOVELL MADDEX (1898-1961) AND DIVORCED IN 1921. AT THAT TIME, LIBBIE RETURNED TO HER PARENTS FARM WITH MY MOTHER AND HER YOUNGER SISTER, CHARLENE. LIBBIE MARRIED AGAIN IN THE 1920s TO ELLIS LAMAR (BILL) BILLINGSLEA (1885-1973) AND THEY MOVED TO KANSAS DURING THE DEPRESSION WHERE THEY SOLD AND REPAIRED SEWING MACHINES FROM THEIR CAR. LIBBIE’S PARENTS WERE CLINTON EUGENE DE LONG (1869-1942) AND LORA ISABELLE (BELLE) VAN GALDER (1876-1950). THEY MARRIED IN 1895. I DON’T KNOW WHEN CLINTON CAME TO ROCKY FORD FROM ILLINOIS. HE WAS FROM A PROMINENT BANKING FAMILY WHO CONSIDERED HIM THE BLACK SHEEP AND SENT HIM TO COLORADO TO MAKE HIS OWN WAY. HIS FARM ON PATTERSON VALLEY ROAD IS A COLORADO CENTENNIAL FARM AND STILL OWNED BY HIS DESCENDANTS. LOVELL’S PARENTS WERE NELLIE ROE AND LOUIS MADDEX, ALSO FROM THE PATTERSON VALLEY AREA.

I WOULD ASSUME THAT WITH THE ROCKY FORD HISTORY ON BOTH SIDES OF MY FAMILY AND WITH BOTH PARENTS, ONE GRANDMOTHER, AND MYSELF BORN IN ROCKY FORD QUALIFIES ME AS A TRUE NATIVE OF ROCKY FORD. NEITHER OF MY CHLDREN WERE BORN IN ROCKY FORD; BUT WHEN WE LIVED IN ROCKY FORD IN THE 1970s, THEY BOTH ATTENDED WASHINGTON GRADE SCHOOL. MY GRANDFATHER, MY FATHER, AND I WERE ALSO PRODUCTS OF ROCKY FORD’S WASHINGTON GRADE SCHOOL.

SINCE MY MOTHER WORKED FULL TIME OUTSIDE OF THE HOME, I SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN THE SUMMERS WITH MY GRANDMOTHER HAINES IN ROCKY FORD AND WITH MY GRANDMOTHER BILLINGSLEA AND GREAT-GRANDMOTHER DE LONG IN KANSAS; PLUS, MY GREAT-GRANDMOTHER MADDEX CAME TO STAY WITH ME DURING MY EXTENDED ILLNESS IN THIRD GRADE. MOTHER WAS CAREER ORIENTED; BUSY, TROUBLED, AND STRESSED AT TIMES, BUT WE WOULD SPEND WEEKENDS WORKING TOGETHER AROUND THE HOUSE AND YARD, AND GOING SHOPPING, EATING OUT, SEEING THE SIGHTS, GOING TO CONCERTS – SOMETIMES IN PUEBLO, COLORADO SPRINGS, OR THE ENTIRE WEEKEND IN DENVER; AND TRAVELING TO KANSAS TO SEE THE GRANDMOTHERS. WE HAD A WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP FOR 55 YEARS WITH GREAT MEMORIES. I ALWAYS KNEW SHE WOULD SUPPORT ANYTHING I CHOSE TO DO WITH MY LIFE. (PHOTO #4)

ALL OF THE GRANDMOTHERS WERE HOMEMAKERS. TIME AT THEIR HOUSES WAS ON A DIFFERENT SCHEDULE THAN AT HOME. THE MORNINGS WERE FULL OF WORK AROUND THE HOUSE AND GARDENS, BUT THE AFTERNOONS WERE FOR “FANCY WORK”. THEY SEWED, EMBROIDERED, QUILTED, CROCHETED, TATTED, HOOKED RUGS, ALL CREATIVE ENDEAVORS. EVIDENTLY, A GREAT INFLUENCE AS I GREW UP WANTING TO SPEND MY LIFE DOING “FANCY WORK”. (PHOTO #5)

I WAS ALWAYS FASCINATED WITH THE FAMILY QUILTS. (PHOTOS #6, 7, 8, 9). GRANDMOTHER BILLINGSLEA HELPED ME IN 1950 TO MAKE A QUILT FOR MY DOLL. I WAS ELEVEN YEARS OLD. (PHOTO #10). AS A CHILD, MY FAVORITE TOYS WERE MY CRAYONS AND A PIECE OF PAPER. I LOVED TO DOODLE AND OBSERVE HOW THE COLORS INTEREACTED. I WAS SADDENED BY MY 6TH GRADE ART TEACHER AT WASHINGTON SCHOOL TELLING ME I WOULD NEVER BE AN ARTIST BECAUSE I COULDN’T DRAW OR PAINT. BUT, IN ADDITION TO MY GRANDMOTHERS, I HAD A GREAT 4-H SEWING INSTRUCTOR (MARY ALICE TRECHTER) WHO TAUGHT ME THE INTRICACIES OF THE SEWING MACHINE. I ALWAYS HAD AN APPITUDE FOR MATH, AND WAS BLESSED WITH HAVING EUGENE TRECHTER (THE HUSBAND OF MARY ALICE) AS A ROCKY FORD HIGH SCHOOL MATH TEACHER. HE WAS FUN AND A WONDERFUL TEACHER. HE TAUGHT ME THE JOY OF THE GEOMETRIC SHAPE. FROM THAT POINT ON TO THIS DAY, MY BRAIN IS FILLED WITH THE POSSIBILITIES OF THOSE SHAPES. IN COLLEGE I TOOK SOME ADVANCED MATH CLASSES WITH THE PROFESSORS TRYING TO CONVINCE ME TO BE A MATHEMATICIAN.

I NEVER HAD MUCH AMBITION TO WORK OUTSIDE OF THE HOME, AND FORTUNATELY HAVE BEEN BLESSED BY MARRYING THE RIGHT MAN IN ROCKY FORD IN 1958, ROBERT WAYNE SAULMON (1938 ---). HE PROMISED ME THAT IF I WOULD WORK TO HELP SUPPORT US WHILE HE WENT TO COLLEGE FOR FIVE MORE YEARS, I WOULD NEVER HAVE TO WORK OUTSIDE THE HOME AGAIN. WE BOTH KEPT OUR PROMISES.

I WAS GOING TO BE A HOMEMAKER AND MAKE QUILTS!!!

DURING THE FIRST YEARS OF OUR MARRIAGE, I DID WORK OUTSIDE THE HOME WHILE BOB WENT TO SCHOOL. THEN WE HAD OUR CHILDREN, MICHAEL MONROE SAULMON (1968 ---) AND JENNIFER JEANNE SAULMON (1972 ---). I STUDIED ABOUT HISTORICAL QUILTS AND READ OCCASIONAL ARTICLES ABOUT CURRENT QUILTMAKING. I DABBLED IN TEACHING MYSELF BY MAKING UTILITY QUILTS TO USE IN OUR HOME. THE UTILITY QUILTS THAT WERE MADE BETWEEN 1958 AND 1980 ARE GONE – USED UP – DISCARDED – RELEGATED TO THE RAG BAG!

IN 1980 AS A YOUNG FAMILY, WE MOVED FROM ROCKY FORD TO CANON CITY, COLORADO. MY LIFE AS A QUILTMAKER CHANGED DRAMATICALLY. I MET SEVERAL LIKE-MINDED QUILTMAKERS AND WE WERE CHARTER MEMBERS FORMING THE ROYAL GORGE QUILT COUNCIL. I ALSO BECAME A MEMBER OF COLORADO QUILT COUNCIL, WHICH HAD MONTHLY MEETINGS ALL OVER THE STATE. IN ADDITION, I TOOK A CLASS IN COLORADO SPRINGS ABOUT BASIC QUILTMAKING, AND ATTENDED A QUILT SYMPOSIUM IN 1982 SPONSORED BY COLORADO QUILT COUNCIL WITH AMAZING NATIONAL TEACHERS. AT THAT POINT, I WAS OFF AND RUNNING BASICALLY SELF-TAUGHT BY OBSERVING AND ANALIZING QUILTS AT MEETINGS AND EXHIBITS TO DEVELOP MY PERSONAL STYLE. SINCE 1983, I HAVE DESIGNED ALL OF MY OWN PATTERNS AND QUILTS. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN INSPIRED BY TRADITIONAL QUILTS, BUT STRIVE TO USE ANY INSPIRATION TO MAKE IT MY OWN CREATION.

IN 1983 DURING A COLORADO QUILT COUNCIL SHOW AND TELL, A WOMAN CAME UP TO ME AND ASKED IF SHE COULD BORROW MY QUILT. I HAD NO CLUE WHO SHE WAS, BUT IT TURNED OUT THAT SHE WAS AN EDITOR OF QUILTER’S NEWSLETTER MAGAZINE, AND SHE WANTED TO PUBLISH MY QUILT, PRAIRIE LIGHT, IN THE MAGAZINE. (PHOTO #11). THAT BEGAN A 22-YEAR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MAGAZINE AND THEIR SISTER PUBLICATION, QUILTMAKER, WHERE MY QUILTS WERE FEATURED IN 21 ISSUES. I WAS CONNECTED THROUGH THE MAGAZINE TO AN EDITOR AT AMERICAN QUILTING SOCIETY. THROUGH AQS, I AUTHORED THREE BOOKS; KEEPSAKE SIGNATURE QUILTS, 2003; TRADITIONAL TWO BLOCK QUILTS, 2005; AND TERRIFIC TWO BLOCK QUILTS, A LATER CONDENSED REPRINT OF TRADITIONAL TWO BLOCK QUILTS. MY QUILTS WERE ALSO PUBLISHED IN FOUR BOOKS BY OTHER AUTHORS. THE QUILTS WERE EXHIBITED IN NUMEROUS NATIONAL EXHIBITS WITH SEVERAL AWARD WINNERS AND IN NINE ONE-WOMAN SHOWS.

I WAS BUSY FULL TIME BY THEN MAKING QUILTS FOR PUBLICATIONS, TEACHING CLASSES, TRAVELING, ATTENDING SYMPOSIUMS, AND WORKING LATE INTO THE NIGHT SEWING. OUR CHILDREN, MIKE AND JENNI, WERE GROWING UP, AND I ENDED UP INADVERTENLY WITH A CAREER I NEVER DESIRED.

THE CAREER ENDED BY MY CHOICE FOR SEVERAL REASONS

BOB RETIRED AFTER A 44-YEAR CAREER AS A CIVIL ENGINEER. HE WAS HOME ALL OF THE TIME, BUT WE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS! THEN THERE WAS HURRICANE KATRINA IN AUGUST 2005. I WAS ON A BOOK SIGNING AND TEACHING TRIP IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. NO HURRICANE THERE, BUT IT WAS CLOSE, SCARY AND RAINING VERY HARD. THE SYMPOSIUM CLOSED UP AND I MADE ARRANGEMENTS TO RELUCTANTLY IN THAT WEATHER TO MAIL HOME THE 30+ QUILTS THAT I HAD WITH ME; AND TO WAIT IN THE AIRPORT TO GET OUT OF THERE. I MADE IT HOME TO COLORADO, BUT IT TOOK A COUPLE OF ANXIOUS WEEKS FOR THE QUILTS TO ARRIVE. I REALIZED THEN THAT I DIDN’T ENJOY THE BUSINESS SIDE OF QUILTMAKING. MY EDITOR WANTED ME TO WRITE ANOTHER BOOK. I DECLINED AND DECIDED TO GET OFF THE TEACHING/TRAVELING MERRY-GO-ROUND. I NEVER INTENDED TO HAVE A CAREER IN QUILTMAKING – THAT JUST HAPPENED. WITH ME IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE PROCESS OF CREATING, AS I JUST LOVE DESIGNING, FIGURING OUT THE MATH, PLAYING WITH FABRIC, AND SEWING. WHEN A QUILT IS DONE, I COULDN’T CARE LESS ABOUT THE FINISHED PRODUCT. THEY ARE STORED AWAY AND I RARELY THINK ABOUT THEM. THE MAIN REASON I QUIT MAKING QUILTS AT THAT POINT WAS A FAMILY EMERGENCY. IN APRIL 2006, OUR DAUGHTER WAS DIAGNOSED WITH STAGE FOUR BRAIN CANCER. OUR GRANDCHILDREN, CAITLIN JEANNE COSAT (1996 ---) AND WYATT LEE COSAT (2002 ---), WERE YOUNG AT THE TIME. JENNI SURVIVED, BUT IT WAS A LONG HAUL; AND I SPENT ALL OF MY TIME TAKING CARE OF THE KIDS. I DID MANAGE TO STEAL AWAY ON TWO PLEASURE TRIPS TO EUROPE IN 2008 AND 2011 SOAKING UP SO MUCH INSPIRATION. I WAS SURPRISED TO REALIZE THAT I HAD NO QUILT PRODUCTION FROM 2005 UNTIL 2012. THAT’S A VERY LONG PERIOD OF MY LIFE; AND, I VOWED TO RESUME MAKING QUILTS AS SOON AS TIME ALLOWED.

I NEVER STOPPED THINKING ABOUT QUILTING DURING MY HIATUS, AND WOULD OCCASIONALLY WORK ON A QUILT I STARTED IN 2006. I WOULD FINALLY FINISH IT IN 2015 NAMING IT MERRY-GO-ROUND. IN REALITY, I WANTED TO NAME IT “I’M FINALLY OFF THE MERRY-GO-ROUND!” (PHOTO #12). RESUMING MY QUILT LIFE, I REALIZED THAT MY EYESIGHT WAS FAILING AND ARTHRITIS WAS INVADING MY FINGERS; THEREFORE, I KNEW I WOULD HAVE TO GIVE UP THE HAND QUILTING PART, WHICH I LOVED. WITH MACULAR DEGENERATION AND BLINDNESS IN ONE EYE; MY SIGHT LINE TO MY MACHINE SEEMED TO STILL BE DOABLE, SO I HAD TO GET OVER MY PREJUDICE OF MACHINE QUILTING. IT TOOK A LOT OF PRACTICE, BUT I THINK IT FINALLY BECAME ACCEPTABLE; AND I HAVE HAD QUILTS IN PROGRESS CONSTANTLY SINCE 2015.

IN THE 1980s, I HEARD A QUILT HISTORIAN SPEAK ABOUT DOCUMENTING QUILTS FOR THE FUTURE. SHE RECOMMENDED THAT AT LEAST ONE PHOTO OF EACH QUILT SHOULD BE PHOTOGRAPHED OUTDOORS, AS THE LIGHT ALLOWS THE COLORS OF THE QUILT TO BE ACCURATE. IN 1991, MY FATHER WANTED ME TO GO WITH HIM TO THE 1876 HAINES HOMESTEAD; I AGREED IF I COULD TAKE ALONG QUILTS TO PHOTOGRAPH. THESE PHOTOS FROM THAT DAY HAVE TURNED OUT TO BE SOME OF MY FAVORITES. (PHOTOS #13, 14, 15). THE JUXTAPOSITION OF GOD’S MAGNIFICENT CREATIONS, MY PREDECESSORS’ ENDEAVORS, AND MY MEAGER CREATIONS INTRIGUED ME. THAT BEGAN THE SECOND CHAPTER OF MY QUILT JOURNEY OF PHOTOGRAPHING QUILTS IN THE BEAUTY OF SOUTHEASTERN COLORADO. NOW, AFTER THOUSANDS OF QUILT PHOTOS TAKEN ALL OVER THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE STATE, I STILL CONSIDER MYSELF AN AMATEUR, HOBBY PHOTOGRAPHER. FANCY CAMERAS FRUSTRATE ME, SO I STILL USE MY OLD SONY POINT AND SHOOT CAMERA. BOB AND I ENJOY GETTING OUT LOOKING FOR LOCATIONS; BUT FINDING, AS OCTOGENARIANS, IT IS MORE DIFFICULT TO LOCATE HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE PLACES. PHOTOS #16-31 ARE A SAMPLING OF SOME OF MY FAVORITE QUILTS AND LOCATIONS. I HAVE DOCUMENTED 233 OF MY QUILTS OVER THE YEARS.

THE FUTURE

MY BRAIN ALWAYS HAS AND WILL BE FULL OF GEOMETRIC SHAPES. THE IDEAS KEEP COMING, SO I WILL CONTINUE TO QUILT; AND, WE WILL CONTINUE TO GET OUT AND PHOTOGRAPH THE QUILTS AGAINST THE BEAUTY OF THE PLAINS AND MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHEASTERN COLORADO AS LONG AS WE ARE ABLE.