“He of the roving-collecting-eye” by Carolyn Weekley
Carolyn Weekley joins the Old Salem staff in 1971.
When Old Salem was first established, Frank pursued Moravian items from many families living in the area. This included some of the best pottery examples that Old Salem has in its collection today. Among the pottery, lid-covered jars, is one that Frank found while visiting an old woman who had some other things too. He of the roving-collecting-eye spied the piece sitting atop a tall cupboard in the woman’s house and asked if he could see it. She agreed and asked that he take it down, probably because the reach was too much for her. He did, examined the outside, took the lid off and turned it upside down. Rolls of money fell out of the jar, the woman paled and became somewhat speechless. She told Frank that someone, maybe a son or her husband, had been accused of taking that money and had gone to jail for it. I don’t recall what happen next, but I do know that Frank calmed her down enough to sell him the jar!
Carolyn Weekley, Virginia
Juli Grainger Curator Emerita
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
