Week 31 2026 - A Day in the Life..... Pauline Prince

 As the sun was slowly lightening the morning sky, Pauline let herself into the storefront after inserting the large cumbersome key into the lock. The rustling of her skirts could be heard along with the chirping of birds in the trees. A horse neighed in the distance and a wagon rattled along the deserted street.

The front window on the south side of the store was glistening in the early daylight. Pauline settled herself into the overstuffed chair located to catch those early rays and picked up a dainty green velveteen hat piece. She began slowly and steadily stitching the small piece of veiling just off side of center. After she finished this and added the green dyed marabou feather it would be placed on a wooden millinery stand in the window to show it off. Hopefully, it would also pull a few ladies in to check out her hats.

She still had to finish black hats for Mrs. Baker and her daughter.  It was so sad that she lost Mr. Baker so unexpectedly. She was just waiting for the feathers she had dyed to be completely dry. Then she would attach them and add a small black stone button. In the future, it could be removed and utilizing bright feathers and ribbons she could rebuild the hat into one that could be worn again. Pauline was the only hat maker in the area with the next closest being in Alma. Not a horribly long distance, but by wagon it took about two hours, and it entailed a day's journey round trip. Even if she was a novice at her craft, she did have an eye for what was popular.

stock photo 1905

Her father's meat market/general store wasn't where she wanted to display her hats. She would have preferred to have her own store front dedicated to her craft. But sometimes you just have to wait for things to go your way. And her father was only placating her. Letting her think she could be in charge of her own future.

The good part of being in the store was that she knew that plucky Irishman John Sheridan would be in to chat with her father about supplying poultry and she would be able to freely study him without his knowledge. He seemed to always find a reason to stop and tip his hat to her coming and going. It made her heart race and she always felt out of breath when he was around. That smile!

Hah!

Well, maybe this was the scenario regarding a day in the life of my grandmother. Family stories state that she was a 'Milliner' and that she made her hat and her two lady friends' hats that they all wore on the day she married my grandfather. She may have had a lot of local clients. I sure wish I had asked her about her growing up when I was younger.

John & Pauline (center) Wedding Day January 2, 1907
Roy Carr (left) and friend
Lois Prince (right) and friend

Pauline B Prince was born October 2, 1888, in Galien, Berrien County, Michigan. By 1905 her parents had moved to Perrinton, Michigan where they had a meat market/general store. By 1907 her parents had sold the store and moved back to Galien to get her away from John Sheridan. He was Irish Catholic and she was English Methodist. Not a good mix as far as her father was concerned. 

But John O Sheridan born April 22, 1881, in Fulton, Gratiot County, Michigan wasn't about to let her get away. With the help of others, he went to Galien and he and Pauline eloped to St Joseph, Indiana to get married. They were married December 2, 1907, and were married for 49 years until John's death in 1956. Pauline died January 2, 1970.

Barbie



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