Several years ago, I received a phone call from a friend who was helping Beatrice Taber clean out her home prior to selling it. The home at 199 New Bedford Road along with the woods across the street had been in the Taber family for many years.
One of the items in the house was the rocker pictured here. After looking over the chair, Dave asked if he could have it, and she was happy to give it to him. His reason for both requesting the chair and calling me was his belief that the rocker should stay in town. The rocking chair which resembles a Hitchcock rocker came with information about its origins. It was made by Carl E. Taber (who lived at 199 New Bedford Rd.) and the wood for the chair came from trees grown on his property. On the underside of the rocking chair seat was this inscription, “This Boston Rocker is made of all native wood taken from my farm in Rochester, Mass. The fancy decorating was done by my daughter Evelyn.” Under that was his name, Carl A. Taber AD 1955.
We at the Historical Society are truly grateful to have had this “Rochester” rocking chair donated to our museum. The pictures which sit on the rocker are of the Taber home. The rocking chair has a place of honor on the altar at our museum at 355 County Road
By Connie Eshbach