Clog Blog

 I'm so glad Donna asked about this pair of wooden shoes on the dresser in our guest room.  They DO have an interesting story!

Mike's grandfather, John Liebhardt (1887-1982) was born in Hungary. His sister had emigrated to the US and John wanted to join his sister. John was the youngest of 13 children.  Only five of the 13 lived long lives. 

Grandpa Liebhardt left Europe wearing these wooden clogs. He was about 20 years old at the time. They were not wealthy people, so he had to work his way to America. Once he got to the United states, wearing these wooden clogs, he landed in Baltimore and stayed there, working for a few years, earning money to get to Utah where his sister Barbara lived.  Eventually, he made it to Utah. He had training as an upholsterer, and that became his profession.  Mike's grandpa was 40 years old when he joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  He lived most of his life in the Provo, Utah area. He had a great love of the United States of America and cherished his citizenship.  The Fourth of July was his favorite holiday. He passed his cannons on to Mike and they get used, just like grandpa used them! Wake up the neighbors with a really big noise to celebrate all that makes our nation great! Mike's grandpa manufactured those cannons and they are a valued family heirloom.

A lot of our furniture was made by this grandfather. And we keep these shoes to help remind us that we come from good, sturdy, humble roots.  They make a nice addition to our "Liebhardt Guest Room," containing some of Mike's family pictures, one of his Mom's paintings etc.  I think that these shoes and the dresser scarf that was his Mom's are a nice addition to the room.