The Ham Chronicles

Horn Furniture: Novelty or Trend? Tucked between two settees in the Mathias Ham House is a tiny child-size chair. It is easy to miss because of its diminutive size, but it leaves a lasting impression on anyone who notices it. This small chair is made from longhorns.  Built in 1885 and owned by William Canfield Jr., the chair came from a Texas rancher through a purchase by a Dubuque butcher. The butcher then gifted it to William. The velvet seat is supported by three horns; th... Read More

The Case of Napoleon’s Sword Hidden deep in our collection is a sword that is believed to have belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte. Gifted to the museum by Genevieve Shannon, a descendent of General Perreau De Griselles, the sword's journey to Dubuque begins during the French Revolution. The Perreau family was one of the oldest families in France--titled and wealthy, a dangerous combination during the French revolution when the aristocracy was despised. In order to keep their land... Read More

The Wreckage  A quick recap of this sensational story: Miss Sarah Ham of Dubuque, after a thirty-year courtship and promise of marriage, accused George Potter of breaking his promise to marry her and of enticing her to a restaurant during the early days of courtship “where she was drugged and ruined.” Multiple times she attempted to leave him, but each time he persuaded her to come back to him with a combination of promises, threats, and hope.  After one ... Read More

The Truth Comes Out After years of false promises, on August 29, 1903, a Miss Sarah Ham of Dubuque filed a lawsuit against the millionaire George Potter, accusing him of breaking his promise to marry her. Sarah argued that George had robbed her of her reputation and caused her mental and emotional pain and suffering.  Potter answered her petition by calling her a spinster, accusing her of blackmail, being criminally familiar with men, and denied ever having promised to marry he... Read More

A Woman Scorned   This story begins as many romance novels begin.  A young girl meets a dashing, older man who sweeps her off her feet with a winning smile.  At the tender age of 17, Sarah met George Potter at her home, where her father, Mathias, had invited George from Duluth to discuss the lumber business.  It was love at first sight.  When George returned to Duluth, they began a passionate romance through letters. My Precious Sadie: I worked last night... Read More

Today, I would love to introduce you to one of my favorite pieces in our collection – the conversation chair. This chair was considered to be the furniture piece during the Victorian era. You would have been able to find this chair in any formal establishment or parlor that was considered part of high society.  This particular chair belonged to the Ryan family who resided in the Ryan House here in Dubuque. It was donated to the Dubuque County Historical Society by James ... Read More

I remember as a child every year my mother and I would purchase a new dress and “bonnet” for Easter Sunday. My mother would tell me stories of all the dresses and different hats that she and her mother had worn to Easter services. She would tell me how her mother would bobby pin her hat to her wig before she styled it, to ensure she would look perfectly coifed for church service. I would hear about ribbons and flowers, bonnets that were two feet tall with a goo... Read More