2018 Spring Newsletter

New Director for Middle Creek Township Kristin Graue and her husband Stephen Graue have lived on their farm south of Louisburg since 1995. Kristin retired at the beginning of 2016 and is still working hard at the historic New Lancaster General Store and Middle Creek Winery, which she and Stephen own. Kristin loves history, music and her five grandkids. Kristin grew up in Salina, KS and graduated from K-State; she also earned a Masters degree from Rockhurst University. She has been a member of the Museum and looks forward to joining the Board of Directors. Antique Dolls & Kid Gloves for Miami County Museum I inherited this small collection of antique dolls from my mother, Laura Mae Cooper Larson, who was born and raised near Osawatomie, Ks. The most significant doll in the collection is the one in the blue dress, in the center of the display case. This doll was carried to Kansas on a covered wagon by my grandmother, Frances Elizabeth Rice Cooper, when (as a child) her family settled in the area. The doll has blue eyes and black hair, just like my grandmother. As a young woman, she (Frances Elizabeth) opened a millinery shop in the Kansas City, Kansas area where she fashioned ladies hats as a tradeswoman. I have a photo of my grandmother wearing one of her hats, which I hope to find and gift to the Museum someday. When she died we found this box of kid gloves in her attic and believe that they may have been affiliated with her business in the millinery store. When she met my grandfather, Garfield Cooper, they married and she closed her store and settled on a small farm near Osawatomie where they lived and raised my mother, Laura Mae Cooper Larson. My grandparents lived in Miami County until they died. I believe that both my mother an grandmother would be pleased that these items are at home in the Miami County Museum. Frances Dudley

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