the furniture making business. William mar- ried Jane Arm Morri— son, a sister to Alexander.36 Alexan- der and William sup- plied households with furniture for the kitchen: wash stands, small tables, cup- boards, kitchen tables, chairs, high chairs, and stools; for the dining room: tables, chairs and side boards; for the hall: stands; for the bedroom: beds, wash stands, dressers, com- modes, blanket boxes; and for the living room: chairs, sofas, and ta- bles; as well as caskets,
includin the name H ' ‘
l g d Found in the North Tryon Presbyterian Church, this ex— P atcs’ cases ’ an tremely ornate Chisholm pulpit is designed in a hearse. They also SUP- Renaissance style. The front center domed arch with in-
P l i c d s C h 0 0 1 S a n d set panel is outlined with contrasting turned columns,
churches with desks ta- bosses, and an applied molding resembling a large scale ’ beading. A cut out trefoil design graces the top panel
- 37 blcs’ and pulpits. corners. Ring and cylinder columns support the front The MOTH-90" and corners. The panels of light yellow colour burled wood
Chisholm Factoyy fash. contrast with the dark coloured applied bosses, roun- ioned their furniture dels, and moldings. Hazel Robinson collection.
from pine, elm, birch, oak and bird’s eye maple. More than one kind of wood was usually used in each piece of furniture. This furniture was made for the middle class Islander, and imitated the popular East Lake style. It was functional and sturdy. Most often drawers were dove-tailed and the best class of chairs had three rungs on the sides as well as the front. Pulls were the conventional brass back plate and drop handle; the kitchen cupboards had wooden knobs. A distinctive spoon carved design was usually incised or cut into the side pieces on the top rail of the wash stands and dressers and on the crest of the headboard and footboard of the beds. This design resembled a branch and leaves, sometimes with a circular applied carved roundel. The headboards of the beds were very high, and many, through the years, were cut down to fit under the slanted eave common in the upstairs bedrooms in Island farm houses. William used a grained finish on a few of his pieces. This graining
47