Mid-1800's walnut chest now resides at the Macktown Living History Museum
A solid black walnut chest, created by Sylvester Stevens, is virtually unchanged since its construction more than 100 years ago.
Macktown History Museum recently added a sturdy black walnut chest to its collection of historical furniture. The chest now resides in the upstairs bedroom at the Stevens House. The chest was built by Sylvester Stevens in the mid-1800s. Stevens was born in England and came to Macktown with his parents in 1838. He was married to Louise Shores. The chest was made in the woodworking shop on the building's lower level.
Sylvester Stevens was the great-grandfather of Forrest Beck. Beck was the father of Jan (Beck) Floto and the grandfather of Aimee Floto. Beck was an accomplished woodworker. He had a woodworking shop at 213 W. Main Street in Rockton until 1982. He and his son Fred as well as sons-in-law Gary Baldwin and Loren Floto worked together recreating historical furniture and building furniture.
During the 1960s, Forrest and Arlene Beck restored the 1828 home at 320 West Union Street in Rockton. They were very active in the Macktown Historical Society and the Rockton Township Historical Society.
Forest and Arlene shared their desire for their daughter Jan (Beck) and Loren Floto to donate the chest to the Macktown Living History Museum to preserve a piece of Macktown history. After Jan and Loren's passing, their daughter Aimee Floto donated the chest to Macktown, thus fulfilling her mother's wishes.
