JAMES's CHAIR

(Thank you so much Bonnie for taking these pictures!)

 For family night we got to go over to my in-laws new home.
We had an amazing dinner of Hawaiian Haystacks.
They were made with brown rice.
I forgot how much I love brown rice.
It was so good.
We had a quick lesson and everyone got to sand James's chair.
Then we played a really fun game of jump rope.

 

The Chair.

 

Family tradition says that this chair is the last remaining piece of a set of furniture made in 1858 by James McKnight, who was born in Kirconnel, Scotland, in 1830.  It was originally a rocking chair but for a couple of generations, at least, the rockers have been cut off.  It was passed down to James’ second son, William Howell McKnight, then to William’s oldest son, Harrison, then to Harrison’s oldest son, H. Neil, then to Neil’s oldest son, Ralph.

 

Because it is a chair, and an heirloom that is passed from father to son, some of the family have jokingly referred to a future owner as “heir to the McKnight throne.” This month there is a new owner, our oldest son, Nathan, who now has a newborn future heir, James Nathan McKnight. 

 

By tradition this chair becomes the possession of the next heir at the time his first son is born.  It has been either partially or completely restored and refinished at least twice before my (Ralph’s) generation. When I deliver it to Nathan, it will be completely restored yet one more time.