More than 75 babies in our family were blessed in this beautiful blessing dress. * I don't have pictures of all of them, but the ones I've found I will post.
Family heirlooms link generations in a deep, personal way. Anyone who has seen a great-grandmother's blessing dress, grandfather's wallet or a photo of a relative gone to war knows how moving these pictures and history can be. These treasured items, passed down from generation to generation, provide insight into the lives of our ancestors and a richer understanding of our family's history.
As a family we are blessed to have such a priceless heirloom that has connected our lives to our honored ancestors.
This post is dedicated with love, to "Aunt" Helen Stoddard Williams.
Anyone who knew Aunt Helen knew what a gentle, sweet person she was. She cared lovingly for the dress for many years so that it might be preserved for generations of babies to come.
A letter Helen wrote reads as follows:
Ida, wife to Alma Joseph Williams, Sr. transferred the christening dress to my care in 1940. I, Helen, wife to A. Joseph Williams, Jr. have loved and cared for the dress since that date. When I can no longer continue as its "guardian," I sincerely hope that Scott's wife, Deanna, will carry on the tradition, and that in the succeeding years, the mother of the first born child in each generation and bearing the Williams name, will continue the custom.
Helen Stoddard Williams - January 21, 1972
The dress is in the care of Deanna Williams and is longer being used because of its fragile condition from so much use. So far as it is known, the dress would be about 128 years old.
According to Helen's records the first baby blessed in the dress was Evan Earl Williams born March 26, 1881. His mother was Annie Ridges (the daughter of Joseph Ridges, who built Tabernacle organ). The last in our family to be blessed in it was Alyssa Belle Parker, Terri and Jay's daughter.
Grandpa ... Arthur Glenn Williams was blessed in the dress. He was born August 23, 1916. All of Glenn and Johnnie Belle's children were blessed in the dress.
* Earl Lee Williams - October 8, 1949 
Michael Robert Williams - June 5, 1951
* Timothy Glenn Williams - June 24, 1952 
* Jeffrey Holley Williams - November 12, 1956 - April 28, 1993 
Mark Lars Williams - February 1, 1958 
* Holley Elizabeth Williams Kay - December 15, 1960 
Terri Lynn Williams Parker - September 24, 1963