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Emily’s Necklace
Compiled by, Elsie Mae Lee Grow Photo courtesy of, Elsie Mae Lee Grow Boise, Idaho November 7, 2005
Dear Donna,
I am Arlo Lee’s youngest sister. He told me that you were interested in seeing a photo of the locket that belonged to Emily Amanda Rockwell Brizzee and also that you wanted a little write up about how it came into my possession. Quite truthfully I can’t tell you too much about it.
Since I am the youngest of six girls and the oldest being twins, which made it hard for Mother to give it to one of them and she didn’t want to break up the jewelry, which had been done in the past, I guess she decided to give it to the youngest instead of the oldest child.
As a young teenager my mother showed the locket to me and I used to go into her bedroom and open the box and admire it. When I was about seventeen she let me wear it to a school dance.
My mother told me that the locket belonged to her grandmother who was quite well to do at one time and lived on Knob Hill in San Francisco. I don’t know if this was when she was married to Henry W. Brizzee, the Mormon Battalion soldier and my great grandfather, or David Tyrell, her last husband.
The chain was given to my mother and one part of the locket was given to one aunt and the other part of the locket was given to another aunt. I don’t know if it was Aunt Mae or Aunt Viola who gave her half of the locket to Mother because she didn’t think the set should be broken up. I don’t know who has the other half. You will notice in the picture that the side I have is brown around the creamy white cameo and I understand the other side of the locket was black.
I had the picture taken in the original box instead of taking it to the jewelry store because it’s authentic and it lets you see how old it might be, and it’s pretty. The wording on the strip across the lid on the box says, “A. ANDREWS Diamond Palace San Francisco”. The lid is actually a silvery white satin but it looks darker. The extra chain in the lid is an extension if you wanted to make the locket hang longer. I haven’t had it appraised yet.
Sincerely,
Elsie Lee Grow |
