Molley Russell's Sampler

Object Details

Russell, Molley

Description

Block upper-case alphabet; letters colored alternately; no "J" or "U." Numbers 1 to 0. These rows, together with rows containing verse, all separated by narrow crossbands, including sawtooth and dentil patterns. Below verse, three wide crossbands: one of flowering plants, birds, and sheep or goats, and two wide geometric bands in patterns that appear often on eastern Massachusetts samplers, especially in Boston area. At bottom of sampler spies, from Canaan, wearing knee-breeches and flared coats, identified by letters "Ja" and "Ca" and flanked by trees, flowering plants, and small birds. Below them, 1 5/8" strip with geometric strawberry vine solidly worked in cross-stitch. Border of geometric flowering vine on top and two sides. Silk embroidery thread on linen ground. STITCHES: cross, satin, Algerian eye. THREAD COUNT: warp 38, weft 42/in.

Inscriptions:

"When Stern Affliction Waves her Rod
My heart Confids in the my God
When Nature Shrinks Oppresd with woes
E en then in thee She finds Repose
Affliction flyes and hope returns
Her Lamp with brighter Splendor burns
Gay Love with all his Chearful Train
And Joy And peace are here again

Molley Ruff[ss]ell
Ad 12 1776"

Background:

Mary (Molly) was born on June 19, 1765, to Peter and Molly Russell of Bradford, Massachusetts. Her father was a distinguished shipbuilder. She married Ephraim Emery on September 17, 1785. He enlisted as a fifer on April 19, 1775, at the Lexington alarm, and entered the service in William Rogers's Company on April 27, 1775. Ephraim was in the assault on Stony Point and the battle of White Plains. After the war, in 1799, he was appointed captain in the United States Army, 14th Regiment, which was disbanded in 1800. He served successively as captain, brigade major, and inspector in the state militia. The couple had four children—Mary, John, Thomas, and Hannah.

Mary died on March 3, 1843, in Newbury, Massachusetts.

Location

Currently not on view

Credit Line

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Fielding Pope Meigs, Jr

1776

associated dates

1963-11-28

ID Number

TE.T20239A

accession number

246268

catalog number

T20239.A

Object Name

sampler

Physical Description

silk (overall material)

linen (overall material)

brown (overall color)

blue (overall color)

green (overall color)

pink (overall color)

yellow (overall color)

tan ground (overall color)

embroidery (overall production method/technique)

Measurements

overall: 17 3/4 in x 11 3/4 in; 45.085 cm x 29.845 cm

Place Made

United States: Massachusetts, Haverhill, Bradford

associated place

United States: Pennsylvania, Lower Merion Township, Rosemont

See more items in

Home and Community Life: Textiles

Samplers

Textiles

National Museum of American History

subject

Alphabets

Record ID

nmah_1134702

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746aa-8c07-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa