Family Heirloom Antique blanket finds its way to Yankee soldier’s descendent

Published 1:01 am Saturday, March 3, 2012

A Yankee soldier’s Civil War-era baby blanket has been sent to his descendents, thanks to the kindness of a Vicksburg couple.

The blanket was supposed to be a Valentine’s Day gift from Master Sgt. Mark Hayes to his wife, Susan, but the couple gladly gave it up after research revealed the heirloom’s rightful owner — the great-grandson of a Medal of Honor winner.

For Mark Hayes, who is with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 412th Theater Command, and his wife, the story began nine months before the romantic holiday. For another family, the story began 138 years ago.

Email newsletter signup

Sign up for The Vicksburg Post's free newsletters

Check which newsletters you would like to receive
  • Vicksburg News: Sent daily at 5 am
  • Vicksburg Sports: Sent daily at 10 am
  • Vicksburg Living: Sent on 15th of each month

Shortly after the couple moved to Vicksburg from Ohio last summer, they were shopping downtown and decided to walk into Sassafras, a gift shop.

Part-time employee Ellen Harvey, who specializes in buying and selling antique linens, struck up a conversation.

“Ellen showed us a baby blanket she had found from a seller on the East Coast that had been hand-embroidered at the time of the Civil War,” Mark Hayes said.

Harvey described the blanket as being 32-by-34 inches and made of boiled wool.

“The blanket had no holes, tears or snags, and the color was aged, as is typical of wool,” Harvey said, adding that it had been miraculously preserved after being stored inside a Pillsbury’s flour sack.

Harvey said even the flour sack was of historical nature.

“Pillsbury’s” was printed on the sack which predates the current Pillsbury logo. The apostrophe S was dropped in 1889 when the company was bought out.

Harvey also showed the couple three aged handwritten notes. One had been sewn on the blanket, one on the flour sack and one was loose.

The notes were written by Cecelia M. Shubert, and read, “Flannel embroidered blanket I made it for my baby boy 1874 Walter L. Shubert made by his mother.”

Harvey also shared information she’d found about Cecelia Shubert’s husband, Frank Shubert.

He had served in the 43rd Regiment of the New York Infantry and had received a Medal of Honor for displaying distinguished gallantry in action at Petersburg Virginia and capturing two Confederate markers.

Though interested in the blanket and its history, the couple didn’t purchase it that day.

Nine months later Mark Hayes returned to Sassafras in hopes of buying the blanket for his wife for Valentine’s Day.

“We had been married for over 23 years,” he said. “She’s over the flowers and candy. I like to get her something unique, as a romantic gesture.”

The blanket was there, and he bought it.

However, before Mark Hayes gave the blanket to his wife he researched Frank Shubert on the Internet.

“It was easy to find the information,” Hayes said.

He sent out an e-mail to Ed Shineman.

On Feb. 13, Hayes received e-mail confirmation that Shineman was Frank Shubert’s great-grandson. Shineman even mentioned that his great-grandmother had been meticulous about attaching notes and labels to family articles.

With the bittersweet information, Mark Hayes told his wife about her special Valentine’s Day gift.

“I don’t know if we can keep it,” she said, agreeing with her husband that the blanket should go to the family.

“It’s going to be a little sad to let it go,” Hayes said, “but it just wasn’t right to keep it. It is something so unique and special and lovingly made.”

On Feb. 24, 10 days after the Hayeses celebrated Valentine’s Day with a nice dinner, Mark Hayes packaged up the blanket, flour sack and notes and mailed them to Shineman.