by Andre Clayton
Reporter
Twinsburg -- This year's Twins Days brought multiples from around the world, including one pair with a much more local -- and historical -- connection.
Canal Winchester resident Susan Fetherolf, who attended the Aug. 1 to 3 festival for the first time, is the great-, great-, great-granddaughter of Aaron Wilcox, who, along with his twin brother Moses, helped found the city of Twinsburg in 1823. Fetherolf, 58, brought her two 14-month-old twin granddaughters -- Alaina and Alyssa Kraft -- to the festival for the first time this year as well.
That makes the toddlers the great-, great-, great-, great-, great-grandchildren of the Wilcoxes, Fetherolf said.
"It was wonderful, even though I felt out of place, because I did not have a twin," Fetherolf said.
She said she began looking at old family records a month ago, and before Twins Days began, she discovered the details of her genealogy.
"My grandmother and mother always told me I was related to Aaron Wilcox, but I just never knew how," Fetherolf said. "When I found out, I was excited."
Fetherolf said her grandmother enjoyed collecting items from her Twinsburg heritage, many of which can be seen at the Twinsburg Historical Society and Museum, 8996 Darrow Road.
"My grandmother donated 42 items, which belonged to Aaron Wilcox and his family, such as Aaron's wedding vest, Moses' and Aaron's christening gowns and the sewing case of Moses' wife, to the Twinsburg Historical Society in 1972," Fetherolf said, noting her grandmother died three years later.
Fetherolf said that on Aug. 1 she and her family visited the Twinsburg Historical Society for the first time to see the items her grandmother donated.
"It was very fascinating," Fetherolf said.
"The items are in one large display case, which takes up half of one of the walls," said Twinsburg Historical Society member Lea Bissell. "They were pleased to find we had the items ... It was a shared experience both ways."
According to Bissell, Aaron and Moses Wilcox donated 6.5 acres of land and $20 to the town of Millsville in order for it to change its name to Twinsburg.
Fetherolf joined Alaina and Alyssa, their parents, their paternal grandmother and the grandmother's twin, at her granddaughters' first Twins Days, which registered more than 2,034 sets of twins this year.
Fetherolf said when Alaina and Alyssa are older she will tell them about their relation to Aaron and Moses, just like her grandmother told her.
"It's always important to know what your heritage is," Fetherolf said.
E-mail: aclayton@recordpub.com
Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3172