1890's Clothing

Sarah L. Hawf Showalter wore this cotton dress sometime between 1880 and 1898. She was born in 1850 and died in 1898. Her parents were Jacob and Sarah Hawf and she married William H. Showalter. Sarah's children were: Mary Oma Schafer of Allendale, Clyde Showalter of Patton, John Showalter of Kansas City and Leah Jamison from Indiana. Sarah is buried in the Adams Corner Cemetery. The two piece brown cotton print dress has a beautiful design in the fabric. It features a standup collar with a ruffle. The bodice is fitted and flares to the waist. The bodice has a button front closure and full length full capped sleeves. Theis simple dress creates the look of the high style leg-o-mutton sleeves without the fuss.

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Kate Christine Churchill chose this two piece dress to be part of her trousseau for her wedding and subsequent honeymoon. She married Robert Parkinson July 29, 1885. The balanced plaid fabric is shades of brown, black and white. It has hook and eye front closures and the bodice attaches to the skirt with hooks and eyes also. The wide tapered sleeves and bodice are trimmed with braid. The dress is fully lined with brown polished cotton. The dress can be changed by adding two different sets of lacy undersleeves, a separate lace collar and wide ribbon scarf or belt for different looks. Kate and Robert were the parents of Frances Mary, Etta Churchill and Sarah Wood Parkinson. These family members lived in houses near each other on Cherry Street.
Frances Mary Parkinson married Joseph Kyle Foster as his first wife. They lived at 400 Cherry Street. Frances' father Robert Parkinson and his wife Kate Christine Churchill lived at 422 Cherry with their maiden daughter Etta Churchill Parkinson. Robert and Kate's other daughter, Sarah Wood Parkinson married B. J. Walters and lived next door to her parents at 430 Cherry. Mr. Walters owned the furniture store on Market Street which still bears his name after many generations. He was also an undertaker and genealogist.

Esther May (Essie) Hinshall wore this beautiful two piece dress when she married James I. Stroh January 26, 1898. the dress is made of burgundy silk gabardine. The full length skirt is edged with velvet. The full length leg-o-mutton sleeves are shaped by folds on the outer arm and edged with silk voile. The fitted bodice features a yoke with folded silk voile. The yoke is trimmed at the bottom edge with silver beads and folded silver ribbon.