At this month's Pop-up Library and Mystery Artifact program at the Senior Center on Stowe Street, attendees had great fun guessing the object from Waterbury's history presented to them by historical society volunteer Skip Flanders.
After a number of incorrect guesses and a few hints, one lunch-goer hit on the right answer: a foot warmer.
In this case, Skip showed off the foot warmer that once belonged to Ezra Butler (1763-1838), who played a prominent role in the early governance of Waterbury. Butler became Waterbury's first town clerk in 1790 and served four times as a state representative between 1794 and 1808. He served one term as a U.S. representative in Congress (1813-1815) and later became the 11th Governor of Vermont (1828-1828).
Butler's foot warmer is one of three such artifacts in the historical society's collection. One of these foot warmers is identical in style to Butler's and belonged to Ira Arms, who also served as Waterbury town clerk, state representative, and deacon at the Congregational Church in town.
These two foot warmers were typical in 18th- and early 19th-century New England. They consisted of a metal box with a tray that held hot coals or embers. The box sat in a wooden frame with a wire handle. Holes in the metal box allowed for ventilation. Foot warmers were commonly used by women and children in the cold, drafty spaces of meeting halls and churches. They would also bring warmth to riders in carriages and sleighs.
The third foot warmer in the collection is a ventilated box made entirely of wood, with a leather strap for a handle. Warmth emanated from a heated soapstone placed in the box. Willis E. Marshall owned this foot warmer. Marshall (1848-1908) was a farmer and postmaster in Waterbury Center.
