The Little House Debuts on Elevenses with Lisa

 Hello everyone,

I've been busy with making minis and doing my "paid" job, as well as starting school (Genealogical Principles at Boston University). However, each week I make time on Thursdays at noon to virtually visit my genealogy mentor, Lisa Louise Cooke when she broadcasts her live show on YouTube "Elevenses with Lisa." https://lisalouisecooke.com/elevenses/

Today's episode was a very very special treat: she featured my little house (the one on my blog home page), and made the most moving video of it. From the comments that were rolling during it, I wasn't the only one with tears in my eyes during the presentation. (Elevenses with Lisa, episode 25 on YouTube or at GenealogyGems.com)

 As well, lots of comments asked me about certain aspects of the house, and, since Lisa is putting this blog address in her show notes, in case any of my fellow Genealogy Gems are reading, this is for you.

To answer one question I remember: I am my Grandfather Cassidy's 4th grandchild; his daughter is my mother. He had nicknames for me and my sisters: I was "Princess" (way before it became overused!); my middle sister "Fairy Queen"; and my youngest sister "Bright Eyes." Here's how I came to have the house:

In the 1970's I was looking for a hobby, and happened upon 1:12 scale miniatures. My wish was to eventually have a dollshouse, but meantime I made and bought items, setting up room boxes. Around the same time, we found out that my maternal family's homestead at Norton, New Brunswick had been burned down by vandals. The house had been abandoned for some time, but we had picnicked there often, and visited the family cemetery up behind the house. 

The last time we picnicked there, my grandfather took us inside after some persuasion. There was quite a lot of vandalism, the stair banisters splintered, the floor above the root cellar caved in. I recall going up the stairs with Grandpa, and finding a few tiny bits of linen on the floor. I was also able to convince him to take out a few of the remaining doorknobs for me. I have them still.

I proposed the idea to Grandpa, that maybe we could "restore" the house in miniature, that is, maybe he could build me a model in 1:12th scale. (Hardly asking for a lot!) He loved the idea, and set to work measuring what remained of the foundations, drawing plans, and brainstorming with me by letter (I lived quite a distance away at the time). He made everything from scratch, including hinges and windows.

I have a treasure trove of family history in all his letters, and bits and pieces from the house, as well as a number of photographs from the first Cassidy reunion at the homestead in 1949.

Now the little house is in a second stage of family history: I am furnishing and decorating it as if my wish had come true, and my husband and I are living there. There are items in the cupboards and drawers (I just finished making a folding ironing board to go in the utility cupboard), food in the pantry and fridge, and other signs of our lives.

Eventually the little house will either go to a possible display of family history at the developing Camp Cassidy (on the homestead property) www.campcassidy.ca Or to the King's County Museum, which is what Grandpa wanted should I ever tire of the house. (He didn't know then about his grandson founding Camp Cassidy). In the meantime, I plan to take it to a Cassidy family reunion one August. (For Cassidy genealogy, see cassidys.ca which is maintained by our second cousins).  Many of the people there would have known the real house, but none have seen the little one.

I welcome questions you might have about the little house. Grandpa would be happy that it is so well received. It's a family history treasure in so many ways.