This coming Thursday at 6:30 p.m. when the local Log Cabin Quilters Guild meets at the historic Kump House, we will introduce a new book titled “Fannie’s Crazy Quilt” that is going on Kindle Direct Publishing within a week.

This book is a collection of letters, newspaper clippings, and oral history telling the stories of Edna Scott Kump and Herman Guy Kump from 1877 to 1937. The book was inspired by a crazy quilt started in 1888 by Edna Kump’s mother, Frances “Fannie” Logan Scott, but it was never finished because Fannie died after her fifth child was born.

All of Fannie’s children died in early childhood except Edna, who grew up and married the future Governor H.G. Kump. The unfinished crazy quilt and shoeboxes full of letters were found in 2008, when Kump cousins cleared out family papers before ownership of the Kump House was transferred to the City of Elkins in accordance with M.G. Kump’s Will.

All the written remnants of Kump family history are primary sources penned at the time of the events, or imaginary scenes bases on oral history stories told about the men who served in public office and their family members.

Too often History tells only His Story, but this book is about family Heritage, including Her writings at different Ages telling what was happening at different stages in Kump family life, both public and private.

Fannie started her quilt during the religious Great Awakening and the American Gilded Age, when crazy quilts were popular. These works of art demonstrated a young woman’s intricate embroidery skills used to link silk and velvet swatches of material. Some blocks featured appliqued birds and flowers made by hand or bought at a local general store.

Quilting was so popular in the 1880s that tobacco companies put satin squares in cigar boxes for men to bring home to their wives or sweethearts. Even political advertising ribbons could be included in crazy quilts. In 1888 Fannie Scott added a peony colored satin ribbon at the bottom of her quilt bearing the names of Grover Cleveland, his vice presidential nominee, and a West Virginia candidate for Congress.

Grover Cleveland served two presidencies with a split in 1889-93 when he did not win the Electoral College. Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th President of the United States, like Donald Trump who was elected as the 45th President in 2016 and is now serving as the 47th President.

American history repeats itself in this way, except that Cleveland was a Democrat and Trump is a Republican.