I don't know much about Mrs. Maggie Gibson. The photo on the left and one of her visiting with her chickens have her name written on the back. They were part of a box lot I picked up that also included a number of photos from the Tomah, Wisconsin area. They look to be from the early 1900's. My research did not turn up anything about her so let's have a think. A daydream even.
Maggie lived on her family's farm with her beloved animals. Her horses were strong and their day job included pulling equipment to maintain crops. Horses were an integral part of a hard day's work so it was important to keep them healthy. At the end of the day she took great care to brush them, specially the areas the harness covered.
She rubbed stinky liniment on their legs to soothe tired, achy muscles. Liniment was a great way for Maggie to warm her hands up in the winter too. If you've never tried it, liniment definitely creates some heat. Then the horses were off to sleep in a roomy stall with nice floofy straw bedding. A bucket of fresh water, hay and a bit of grain and all was set for a good night's rest.
The horses were also transportation for the family. In their free time they set off to the mills, church, shopping in town or visit friends. Maggie liked to travel at a quick pace. Those riding in the back of the wagon held on tight to avoid tumbling out. It was a challenge to keep hats and ribbons from dashing off. Specially when shrieks of laughter became part of the ride. All were glad to arrive safely in town.
Mr. and Mrs. Silbaugh owned the general store. They arrived to find Mrs. Silbaugh was seated on the front porch while a young sheep herder named Richard wrestled to tie groceries onto his horse's saddle. He had to make sure they were secure because the farm he worked for was a good 20 miles out of town. The pack of supplies slid off the horse a number of times. Everyone, including Richard, ended up laughing so hard their bellies hurt and some people could barely stay on their feet. Mr. Silbaugh came outside to see what the hullabaloo was all about. They held their breath wondering if he would join in the merriment. With a stern face, he helped the young man secure his purchases for the journey. He barely made it inside the store before laughter overcame him though. Once everyone regained their composure, the Silbaughs treated them to a refreshing glass of cold lemonade. Maggie's next stop was the feed mill to stock up on food for her chickens. The family made it home just as the sun was setting. After a scramble to change clothes, they went out to tuck the animals in for the night.
The photo to the left is Maggie with her flock of Golden Wyandotte Lace chickens. She sold their brown eggs to Silbaugh's store and had a little hand-painted sign by the road that said 'Fresh Eggs For Sale.' In the Spring she let the hens hatch chicks. Hens love to be moms so hatching as many chicks as possible was quite a lark. The hen hid her babies until the last one hatched. Then she paraded her little ones back to the chicken house, right past Maggie's feet. The chicks hopped along behind her in a straight line popping up in the air like random kernels of popcorn. Of course she knew where the hens liked to nest but she never let on. She let them think they were sly because they were such happy little souls.
Golden Wyandotte Lace chickens were created in Wisconsin around
1883. Chickens had to be very hardy to survive winters in the wilderness. Rose colored combs atop their heads were not prone to freezing and a thick coat of feathers kept them warm even on the coldest day.
Maggie was strong and happy with her life. Still, farming could be exhausting. A visit with her chickens soothed her soul. She had many who loved to sit on her lap while she read to them. Chick Charlie, the rooster, fell asleep when she rocked him. His head would droop over the armrest. A few times people stopped to ask why she was rocking a dead chicken? AND why was she reading detective novels to them? When they left, she picked the book up and continued reading aloud. Even on the worst of days Maggie found peace and comfort with her flock. Everyone should have such special friends. Beloved and treasured as Maggie's were.
As I mentioned, I did not find much information about Maggie Gibson or Mr. and Mrs. Abner beyond that they were from northern Wisconsin. If you know someone who would like to have the photos, please contact me. I would love to see them back with their families. Thank you for the day dream everyone!
We are a small sheep rescue farm in southern Wisconsin.
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