Published: November 07, 2009 06:37 pm      

Antique jug back in family’s hands

DANVILLE — For almost 20 years, Leigh Godbey enjoyed looking at the antique jug in his kitchen — but he also felt guilty.

Godbey, an antiques dealer, had bought the jug from Elmer Napier of Danville in the early 1990s, but Napier later wanted to buy the jug back.

Last month, Godbey did what he had always wanted to do — he drove from his home in Grand Blanc, Mich., on a rainy day and hand-delivered the antique to Napier.

What makes that B.W. Hooper & Bro. whiskey jug special is that it was a wedding gift to Napier’s parents around the turn of the century from their parents (Napier’s grandparents).

“It’s not a rare, super-valuable piece,” Godbey said. “It has more sentimental value than real value.”

Napier, who’s 101, was thrilled to have the jug in the family again — and he didn’t have to buy it back.

“He was appreciative of getting it back,” Godbey said. “He recognized it and he remembered the piece. Hopefully, it will stay in the family.”

A native of Decatur, Godbey moved to Danville in 1979, and worked as hourly payroll supervisor at the General Motors plant. When GM closed in 1995, he moved to Michigan to take a job at a GM plant there.

Before leaving Danville, however, Godbey bought and sold antiques, and also owned the Juke Joint in the 1990s. That business, specializing in Coke machines and jukeboxes, was located just south of Gulick’s on North Vermilion Street.

One day, in 1990 or 1991, Godbey stopped to chat with Napier, who was working in his yard. Later, Napier called and said he had something to sell.

It was the whiskey jug from Nashville, Tenn., which had been given to his parents as a wedding gift. The Napier family was from Tennessee.

Godbey liked it, and paid $100.

A year or two later, Napier called and wanted to buy it back, but Godbey wanted to keep it.

“How selfish of me not to do it,” Godbey said, in retrospect. “I felt bad I disappointed this old man.”

While Godbey enjoyed having the jug in his home, he often thought about Napier wanting it back. Finally, to make peace with himself and to make Napier happy, he decided to drive the 430 miles to Danville at the end of October.

“I was determined to get it back to him,” he said.

Before that, he had found Napier’s address and phone number on the Internet.

Godbey met with Napier and Eugene Drain, who is Napier’s nephew. Drain said last week that he knew nothing about the heirloom being gone, but he’ll keep an eye on it and make sure it stays in the family.

After 31 years with GM, Godbey retired last month as an auditor for the GM timekeeping center in Flint, Mich. He now plans to devote more time to building up his antiques business.

His business’ Web site is http://www.vintagecoolstuff.com.