Since September I have looking up names on the two Quaker quilts. I am now quite certain that Adaline Reeve made the second quilt (1935-1938) and probably made the first quilt (1916).
The first quilt was a birthday present for Dr. Maria Jessup who turned 70 years old in 1916. Adaline
Reeve considered Maria Jessup to be a good friend as well as a doctor. Dr. Ria delivered most of Adaline’s ten
children; when Adaline’s husband Hadley died it was Maria Jessup’s name on the
death certificate.
Adaline
Coppock was born 7 December 1860 in Marion, Indiana to Robert and Abigail
Coppock. When Adaline was 24 she married Hadley Reeve at the Fairfield Quaker
Meeting. Hadley Reeve was a widower with four young children so Adaline gained
an instant family. Her own daughter Nina was born the following year, and a new
child was added to the family about every two years for the next two decades. Adaline’s
last daughter Rachel was born in 1907; her first grandchild Richard was born in
1909.
Hadley
Reeve died in 1910 at the age of 61. Adaline was 50 and still had eight
children living at home on the family farm in Indiana.
Adaline’s
oldest step-son Floyd White Reeve married Ethel Inis Hadley in March 1908.
Their first child Esther Reeve was born in July 1909 and their second daughter
Mary Louise Reeve was born in Parmer, Texas in Dec 1910. Floyd and Ethel
started the westward migration of the Reeve clan to Texas. They must have written letters home to
Indiana telling of the charms of Texas life, because over the next ten years
many members of the extended family moved from Indiana to Texas, including
Adaline Reeve.
In the 1920 census for Parmer County, Texas, Adaline is living in a home with two of her sons and her youngest daughter. Next door is her step-daughter Mary Florence with husband and three grandchildren; on the other side is her daughter Alice with husband and two more grandchildren. So the close-knit family from Indiana are still together in Texas.
Now, I must admit, I don't know much about Texas. I grew up in Ohio and I know the east coast pretty well, but not Texas. So to all you family historians out there, what can you tell me about Texas in 1910 - 1920? Why would a well established Quaker family from Indiana pack up and move everyone to Texas? If you would like to comment I would appreciate some thoughts.
I am searching for Adaline's motivation.
