The Family Bible of Robert Ripley and Rebecca Vickery
During my July 2014 trip I had the privilege of viewing the family Bible of Robert Ripley and Rebecca Vickery at the home of a descendant where the Bible is deeply revered and well-cared for. I was surprised by the size of the Bible, the beautiful handwriting, and all the interesting mementoes that had been tucked into it. The records of births and deaths are found in the middle of the Bible between the Old and New Testaments. The marriage of Robert and Rebecca and the births of all the children are in the same handwriting style, while the deaths are all in different styles so it's likely that the marriage and births were written by Robert Ripley as his was the first death.
The previous home of the Bible was "the old place". Art Ripley remembers that his brother Hedley was living alone in the house in 1986 when he became ill. Art recalls there was an organ in the house and two family Bibles. One of the Bibles was the family Bible of Robert Ripley and Rebecca Vickery. The other belonged to James Crosscomb Ripley and went to James's daughter Rebecca in Moncton who needed it to establish her date of birth. Art said there were many photographs in the house and many cross-stitch embroideries created by Esther Ripley hanging on the walls. A small cross-stitch of a rose tucked in the family Bible may have been stitched by Esther. Snippets of poetry tucked into the Bible and the verse on Robert's gravestone indicate there was at least one poetic soul in the family.
The previous home of the Bible was "the old place". Art Ripley remembers that his brother Hedley was living alone in the house in 1986 when he became ill. Art recalls there was an organ in the house and two family Bibles. One of the Bibles was the family Bible of Robert Ripley and Rebecca Vickery. The other belonged to James Crosscomb Ripley and went to James's daughter Rebecca in Moncton who needed it to establish her date of birth. Art said there were many photographs in the house and many cross-stitch embroideries created by Esther Ripley hanging on the walls. A small cross-stitch of a rose tucked in the family Bible may have been stitched by Esther. Snippets of poetry tucked into the Bible and the verse on Robert's gravestone indicate there was at least one poetic soul in the family.