Baby Baptism Gown

1 christening gown worn by 25 family members through 4 generations and 90 years

Christening gown heritage

A look at those in the Schaefer family who have worn the same baptismal gown over the past nine decades. Listed are the wearers' names, relationship to Wallace Emile Schaefer (the first to wear the gown) and dates of baptism:

• Wallace Emile Schaefer, first to wear gown, Oct. 30, 1921 • Maurva Rose Schaefer Mayer, sister, Sept. 26, 1923 • Cheryl Ann Schaefer Reimmuth, daughter, May 12, 1948 • Terry Lynn Mayer Sharpe, niece, Oct. 25, 1948 • Robert Harold Mayer Jr., nephew, Oct. 28, 1951 • Wallace Emile Schaefer Jr., son, Oct. 20, 1953 • Sherry Rose Mayer Windham, niece, Feb. 15, 1954 • Greg Emile Reimmuth, grandson, May 18, 1967 • Tracy Danielle Mayer Whittle, great-niece, June 11, 1972 • Garrett Glenn Windham, great-nephew, July 7, 1975 • Christy Marie Mayer, great-niece, Sept. 26, 1977 • Kelly Rene Windham Dodd, great-niece, Dec. 13, 1977 • Lori Michelle Mayer Gauthier, great-niece, May 30, 1981 • Wallace Emile Schaefer III, grandson, Aug. 1, 1981 • Brian Leigh Schaefer, grandson, Dec. 7, 1982 • Devin Lynn Reimmuth, great-granddaughter, Jan. 10, 1987 • Randy Robert Mayer, great-nephew, June 22, 1987 • Sean Michael Mayer, great-nephew, Nov. 12, 1990 • Blake Emile Reimmuth, great-grandson, Nov. 30, 1992 • Brian Keith Whittle Jr., great-great-nephew, July 10, 1997 • Sarah Rose Whittle (twin), great-great-niece, Nov. 20, 2000 • Robert Ray Whittle (twin), great-great-nephew, Nov. 20, 2000 • Gavin Glenn Windham, great-great-nephew, Sept. 3, 2003 • Alex William Dodd, great-great-nephew, June 6, 2006 • Ava Eileen Reimmuth, great-granddaughter, Sept. 15, 2010

 

It's a simple piece of cloth. White linen with some subtle embroidery and lace, not overly fancy.

More than ample to clothe a baby — and sturdy enough to play a part in one family's history for 90 years.

"I know it may not look like too much, but I think it's beautiful. It means the world to me," Jacksonville resident Cheryl Ann Schaefer said as she showed off the christening gown that has been worn by her and 24 other members of her family over four generations.

It consists of an under slip, the gown itself and two bonnets — the girl's having extra lace while the boy's is plain.

"I don't just see a christening gown, I see my father and my family history," Schaefer said.

Her father, Wallace Emile Schaefer, was the first to wear the gown in 1921. It was handmade for him by a family friend named Frances Abramson in their hometown of New Orleans. The family was poor - the country was going through an economic depression after World War I — and Schaefer speculates that her grandmother, Celestine Biggio Schaefer, was trying to save money.

baptism dresses | Baptism Gifts - Bebop Baby Shop

There are many different baptism dresses that you can choose from to put your baby girl in on her baptism day. With all of the varying styles and designs, it is sometimes hard to choose. You do want to make sure you put a little thought into it, however, because the pictures from this day will be around for a very long time and you may want to keep the dress as a keepsake item.

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