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Chintz Applique Quilt; Basket

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quilt

QUILT INDEX RECORD

30-26-21

Date data collected:

March 31, 2010

Documentation Location:

Private non-profit

In which county does this quilt currently reside?

Wayne

Owner's Name:

The Henry Ford

Ownership of this quilt is:

Private

Who documented this quilt?

Michigan Quilt Project

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Beaver County Historical Research and Landmarks Foundation

Beaver County Historical Research and Landmarks Foundation Quilt Documentation Number:

WP.BVR.0187

Alternate inventory control number:

2013.29.1

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Copyright holder:

The Henry Ford

This is a:

Finished quilt

Quilt's title:

Chintz Applique Quilt

Names for quilt's pattern in common use:

Basket

How wide is the quilt?

111 3/4in

How long is the quilt?

103 1/4in

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Blue or Navy; Brown; Cream; Gold; Green; Pink; Red

Overall color scheme:

Multicolor

Quilt's condition:

Good/moderate use

Damage:

Fold marks or creases; Stains

Type of inscription:

Message; Signature

What is inscribed on the quilt?

Work of my mother, Ruth McConnell & her cousins, Hannah & Mary Parry in the year 1793 and previous to my birth (September of that year) during yellow fever. Julia M. Miles May 14, 1849

Method used to make the inscription:

Ink

Describe the method used to inscribe the quilt:

Also red letters near inscription.

Location of inscription:

on back

Time period:

Pre-1799

When was the quilt finished?

1793

Family/owner's date for quilt:

1793

Subject of the quilt:

Broderie Perse quilt with large central basket emanating with floral vines surrounded by small bouquets and cornucopia. Yellow Fever Epidemic 1793

Number of quilt blocks:

4 basket designs

Describe the quilt setting:

Top pieces 36", 24 3/4" 36". 2 cornocopia in corners. 1 large center basket. 2 baskets on side. 1 basket (urn) on center bottom.

Number of borders:

2

Describe the borders:

1 3/4" - 5 1/2" sides 3 1/2" top, 4" bottom - same fabric as inner border. Note: inner border was corner miter. Looks like outer border was added - it is not quilted. 2nd border has more glazing. Possible 2nd border added in 1849.

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Fabric types used to make the quilt top:

Chintz; Glazed

Fabric styles used in the quilt top:

Premium type; Solid/plain

Applique techniques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Applique

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Piecing

Describe the techniques used to make the quilt top:

Some joints pieced, some applied on top.

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

Description of the back:

Same fabric as front - 2 glazed panels on sides different.2 loops on back for hanging

Width of pieces on the back:

5 3/8", 36", 11", 8", 38 1/4", 7 3/4" 5 1/4"

Describe the back:

Hand sewn; Same fabric used throughout

Materials used in the quilt binding:

Cotton

Fabric structure of the binding:

Twill weave

Describe the binding:

Folded in half & applied with 2 running stitch.

How is the binding made?

Hand sewn; Separate binding applied; Straight grain; Woven tape

What is the width of the binding (measure on the top only)?

less than a half inch

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

Cotton

How thick is the quilt?

Thin (Less than 3/16?)

How are the layers held together?

Hand quilting

Thread type used for the quilting:

Cotton

Color of thread used in the quilting:

White - brown in inner border

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 1:

6

Width between quilting lines:

1/4" - 3/8"

Quilting designs used, overall motifs:

Echo; Grid diamond; Single parallel lines

Describe the quilting designs used:

Single parallel lines on a diagonal following applique. Zig-zag on inner border.

Person filling out this form is:

Quilt owner; Quilt collector

Choose the best description of the source to the quilt:

Quilt collector; Quilt owner

If you are the quilt owner, how did you acquire this quilt?

Purchased the quilt

Quilt top made by:

MConnell, Ruth

Quilted by:

McConnell, Ruth

Where the quilt was made, city:

Philadelphia

Where the quilt was made, state:

Pennsylvania (PA)

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

How was this quilt acquired?

Purchase

Tell the story of how the quilt was obtained:

It was purchased by The Henry Ford at an auction of the McCarl collection in 2013. Muriel and Foster McCarl started collecting quilts in the 1950's. The purchased quilts from the Lancaster, PA area as well as in Delaware and Medina, OH. They purchased the quilts from Auction Houses such as Garth's (Delaware,OH); Pennypackers(Lancaster, PA); and Horst Auctions (Ephrata,PA). They also purchased quilts from many dealers such as George and Mildred Samaha, Sr; George Samaha, Jr.(Medina, OH); Hattie Brunner (Lancaster, PA); Fran and Elise Beaven (New Jersey);Dave and Maze Pottinger (Michigan). The McCarl's loved antiques that were signed and dated. They felt that the signatures enhanced the value of the item.

Quilt owner's city:

Dearborn

Quilt owner's state:

Michigan (MI)

Quilt owner's country:

United States

Quiltmaker's maiden name:

Hall

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

Quiltmaker's birth date:

1758

Quiltmaker's birthplace, city:

Philadelphia

Quiltmaker's birthplace, state:

Pennsylvania

Quiltmaker's birthplace, country:

United States

If the quilt was made by a group, when did the group start?

1832

Quiltmaker's religious affiliation:

Presbyterian

Quiltmaker's city:

Philadelphia

Quiltmaker's state:

Pennsylvania (PA)

Quiltmaker's country:

United States

Quiltmaker's father's name:

Hall, John

Quiltmaker's father's birthplace:

Pennsylvania

Quiltmaker's mother's name:

Hall, Sarah Parry

Quiltmaker's mother's birthplace:

Pennsylvania

Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and/or partner's/partners' occupation:

Merchant; Stockbroker

Number of children:

4

How many of the quiltmaker's children were girls?

1

How many of the quiltmaker's children were boys?

3

Any other notes or stories about the quiltmaker:

In 1793, 35-year-old Ruth Hall McConnell created this exquisite quilt, assisted by her young cousins, Hannah and Mary Parry, who lived just around the corner from Ruth’s home at 66 Chestnut Street in a prosperous section of Philadelphia—a few short blocks from Independence Hall. The quilt’s flowers, birds, and decorative borders were cut from colorfully printed chintz fabric and sewn onto the background fabric. This highly-prized, imported cotton chintz was readily available in the fashionable port city of Philadelphia—especially to someone like Ruth, whose husband Matthew McConnell was a wealthy merchant and stockbroker. About the time that Ruth finished this quilt, a virulent Yellow Fever epidemic broke out in Philadelphia, spreading like wildfire. Between August and November 1793, 5,000 Philadelphians died—about a tenth of the population. Another 17,000 fled (including Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and members of Congress). Any family with the means left the city. Matthew and Ruth McConnell and their sons 12-year-old Robert and 7-year-old Matthew, were among those who fled the epidemic. Ruth was pregnant. Her daughter Julia was born at Beverage’s Farm in the countryside outside of Philadelphia on September 10. Many years later, Ruth’s daughter, 55-year-old Julia McConnell Miles, wrote an inscription on the back of the quilt. Julia’s words read: “The work of my Mother Ruth McConnell & her cousins Hannah and Mary Parry in the year 1793 previous to my birth (September of that year) during yellow fever - Julia M. Miles May 14th 1849.” Julia clearly wanted to make sure that her mother’s name and the quilt’s story—including its ties to American history and her own birth—would not be lost to memory.

Details

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Cite this Quilt

MConnell, Rut. Chintz Applique Quilt. 1793. From Beaver County Historical Research and Landmarks Foundation, Michigan Quilt Project. Published in The Quilt Index, https://quiltindex.org/view/?type=fullrec&kid=30-26-21. Accessed: 03/29/24