Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Handmade crochet hook donated to the Eddy County Museum in 1965. William Milne crafted this tiny crochet hook from a quarter-inch steel pin for his wife to work with the most delicate of fibers. Given this context, I think this dual purpose tool is a beautiful symbol of love. Courtesy photo.
This week's featured photo might not seem like much to look at, but don't let your eyes deceive you. Pictured here is a thoughtful expression of love carefully crafted by William G.W. Milne for his bride, Mary E. Clark.
Thanks to the pioneer histories listed in our online library at eddycounty.catalogaccess.com, we can get a small glimpse into William Milne's life. He was born to Eliza and William Milne in Ontario, Canada in 1875. The family moved near Grand Forks in 1882 and farmed land in Mekinock Township. They arrived in Bush Township on July 5, 1883.
Young WillIam, then 8 years old, stayed with his mother to hold the claim while his father went back to Ontario to get the rest of the family. Together, he and his mother built a shanty 12-by-18 feet with single plywood walls.
The Milne children first attended a small country school that was just a half-mile away. Then in the spring of 1891, residents of the Bush and Gates townships came together with 11 ox teams and moved the school to a more central location. Unfortunately for the Milne children this now meant they had to walk three miles to school and three miles back again. The school was open six months a year, during the warmer months, because the facility lacked a heating system until 1910.
Marriage records indicate that William married Mary E. Clark in February 1903 in Eddy County; however, we don't currently have any information on their relationship (aside from this one unique artifact).
One can presume it was either around the time of their marriage, or perhaps some time afterward, that William transformed a quarter inch diameter steel eye-pin into a crochet hook for his wife. While we don't know what William did for a living, or what special talents he possessed, it is obvious that he was quite skilled in metalworks.
The finished hook is as delicate as it is strong, and measures in at just one millimeter. A hook this size would have undoubtedly been used for the tiniest and most delicate of tasks.
