January 20, 1934

Detroit News Quilt History Project; Michigan State University Museum; Harriet Clarke

Detroit, Michigan, United States

An article about sisters united by the Quilt Club after 33 years.

Reunited By Prize Quilt
Mrs. Emmons Blaine Galton Mrs. Arthur Fisher.
The grand prize quilt in The Detroit News Quilt Contest last November has a new follow-up story. It brought together these two sisters after a separation of 33 years. Here they are talking over the quilt, the reunion and other things.
Sisters Find Each Other After 33 Years Apart

By Garnet Warfel.

Throughout the ages fortunes and fates have hinged on the little word, "if." In Mrs. Arthur Fisher's opinion it is by far and away the most important word in the language. Because she says:
"IF I had not joined the Detroit News Quilt Club Corner, and
"IF I had not entered a quilt in the contest last November and
"IF I had not won the first prize of $100, causing my picture to appear in the paper, today I would not be reunited with my sister after being separated from her for 33 years."

It is the outstanding follow-up story of the big contest in the Naval Armory. The sister, Mrs. Fisher of Romulus and Mrs. Emmons Blaine Galton, 1165 Harvard Road, Grosse Pointe, separated for so many years, assure the world today that they are more than making up for lost time.

Left Without Means.
Thirty-three years ago the mother of the sisters was left without means and four young children to rear as best she could. It was more than she could manage, and the youngest of the four was adopted by Commodore and Mrs. Alex I. McLeod, who then lived in the beautiful old house on the Lochmoore Club site. She became known as Frances Janet McLeod and thereupon ended all family connections.

Frances Janet was four years old, and Marie, her sister, was seven. It took Marie a long time to accustom herself to the loss of Janet's companionship. Marie was taken by her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas E. Hayner, of Baldwin avenue.

Although the sisters grew up a few miles apart, they were virtually a world apart as far as association was concerned. Marie knew that her little sister had been taken by "a grand family." Frances Janet remembered for a time that she had a sister, but the memory became vague and confused in the excitement of different surroundings.

The Children Grew Up.
Frances Janet grew up and married Mr. Galton. Marie married Mr. Fisher and moved to Romulus. A few years ago Mrs. Galton learned her sister's name was Fisher, but what Fisher she was unable to find out.

Then came the News' quilt contest. The winner's picture appeared and Mrs. Galton saw it.

"I suspected at once it was my sister because of a resemblence to me," she said, at her sister's home.

"The name was Fisher and I didn't wait for anything else. I went out to see her and sure enough, I was right. You can say that I was the winner of The News' contest, because Marie only won a quilt. - I won a sister!"

The Galtons go to their Palm Beach home each winter for the season and their plans were made to leave the day the sisters found each other again. So they carried out their plans and started south. But the trip had lost its zest for Mrs. Galton. Every day she wrote her sister and there were telegrams and long distance calls.

"I just couldn't make a go of it," Mrs. Galton said, "so I came back. We planned to stay, as usual, until April. But I want my sister."

"That goes for me too," Mrs. Fisher added. "I'm so thrilled abou it I feel like another person. I gave sister the quilt. I got something better than the quilt but when I think, IF I hadn't won the prize, I just shiver!"

2 Elected, Both Ruled Out Of Seat
House Committee Asks That Vacancy Be Declared.
Washington, Jan. 20. - (AP) -The House Elections Committee which investigated the Kemp-Sanders contest over who shall represent the Sixth Louisiana District in Congress, recommended today that the seat be declared vacant.

Rep. John H. Kerr (Dem.), North Carolina, said the report had the unanimous agreement of the committee.

He said a resolution would be introducted next week recommending that neither Mrs. Bolivar E. Kemp nor J.Y. Sanders, Jr., will be seated.

Mrs. Kemp, with the support of Senator Huey P. Long, was elected last Dec. 5 in an election called by Gov. Oscar Allen after she had been nominated by the district Democratic executive committee, which failed to call a primary.

Sanders protested the election as illegal, and he in turn was named at an election on Dec. 27, which was called by a citizen's committee.

Japan Takes Egyptian Cotton.
Cairo, Jan. 20. - (AP) - Exports of Egyptian cotton to Japan increased more than 40 percent of the new Egypto-Japanese Commercial Association. This association was formed by Japanese interests in Osaka to encourage the use of Egyptian products in Japan.

Courtesy of The Detroit News Archives.

6119.43H