Known as a box or lap coffee mill. The iron handle has a wood knob; when turned the handle activates a round burred grinder inside the metal hopper. The ground roasted beans collect in the small wood drawer at the base.
Rolling pin with impressed designs of flowers, birds, fish. Known as a Springley rolling pin, it was similar to the individual Springley molds used to impress designs of fruit, animals, or flowers on German gingerbread and fancy Christmas cakes. The patterns on the rolling pins saved time and trouble, as the patterns could be quickly rolled into the dough.
American Empire style stool has an upholstered adjustable seat finished with green silk velvet. The serpentine apron and urn shaped pedestal surmounts a plinth base with four square legs each terminating on casters. The primary wood, pine, is veneered in walnut.
American Empire walnut sofa, upholstered in brown leather; the back is button-tufted. The sofa has an oblong body and exposed frame. Top rail of back is straight with a slight backward roll with downward sloped ends. The lyre curved end/arms are upholstered and faced with balancing swan-neck uprights that are carved with foliate motif scrolls. The deep skirt is straight with a center carved foliate motif and scroll work. The sofa is supported by four legs that feature foliage-carved knees terminating with upward turned scrolls on wood casters.
Crest of top rail, finger-molded in scalloped shaped. Horizontal splat curved upward, terminating in scroll on each end, thicker at middle. Seat is shield shape, serpentine front. Legs plain cabriole, back legs square and canted. 36.14.3 differs from 36.
Re-upholstered -date unknown Two had been green velvet and one blue velvet Originally [when owned by Buchanan] chairs were covered in green morocco leather.
Rockingham style sugar bowl with lid. White china body with underglaze decor consisting of beige ground with scattered large scrolling yellow leaves edged in gold and occasional small branches with white berries and 3-leaf branch tips. Lower edge of beige ground defined with a thin undulating vine. Gilt highlights, flourishes and edging. Applied handles feature finger ring handles and a domed lid.
The tiger maple washstand's splash back has a scroll-cut design combined with a fleur de lis carving at its center. The sidewalls also have a scroll cut and a rounded corner at the front. Both front legs have an inward curve ending at the lower shelf terminating with an inward scroll design. The top shelf apron has a full-width drawer and two hexagonal molded clear glass pulls. The two back supports are vase-shaped legs with ring and ball turnings at the lower shelf. All four legs below the bottom shelf have ring and ball turnings that terminate on ball feet.
Smithgall family history tells us that the washstand passed to Charles Lee, the donor's son before the piece transferred to Wheatland's collection. Mary Smithgall Lee received it from her father, Charles Smithgall who received it from the estate of his grandfather, John Smithgall. John served as a gardener in the Quartermaster Department of the 90th Pennsylvania Infantry under Breveted Lieutenant Colonel James Miles Moore in Washington D.C. during the administrations of James Buchanan and Abraham Lincoln. John Smithgall died in Washington on 12 December 1865; his grave is at the National Military Asylum Cemetery. Mary Smithgall, a daughter of John Smithgall, worked as a domestic for James Buchanan at Wheatland.
