QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-4061

Who documented this quilt?

Michigan Quilt Project

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Michigan State University Museum

Michigan Quilt Project Number:

85.0536

Owner's name for the quilt:

Swastika

Names for quilt's pattern in common use:

Dutchman's Wheel, Wheel, Dutchman's Puzzle, Wild Goose Chase

Brackman # or other source & #:

1339a

Biography of the quiltmaker?

My great-grandmother Susan Wagner Churchill was born in Dayton Michigan. She lived in Three Oaks from 1870 until her death in 1918. Both of Susan's daughters Mary Churchill 1856-1917 and Sarah Ida Churchill Savage 1858-1928 lived in Three Oaks from 1870-1875 until their deaths. They helped with the quilts at times. Susan Churchill's health started to fail in 1900 and no more quilts were made. Mary Churchill graduated 8th grade and was a school teacher in Three Oaks and surrounding areas between 1875-1900. Her sister, Sarah Ida Savage (my Dad's mother) was a writer and type setter for Three Oaks first paper. She too was an 8th grade graduate.

Quilt top made by:

Churchill, Susan Wagner

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

Inherited

Where the quilt was made, city:

Three Oaks

Where the quilt was made, county:

Berrien

Where the quilt was made, state:

Michigan (MI)

Time period:

1876-1900

When was the quilt finished?

c1900

Details about why the quilt was made:

Replacement top for boarding house bed quilts.

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

Quiltmaker's city:

Three Oaks

Quiltmaker's county:

Berrien

Quiltmaker's state:

Michigan (MI)

Quiltmaker's maiden name:

Wagner

Quiltmaker's birth date:

2/231834

Quiltmaker's date and place of death:

1918

Quiltmaker's religious affiliation:

Congratational

Quiltmaker's occupation:

Boarding house operator and photo studio

Quiltmaker's father's ethnic/tribal background:

German

Number of children:

2

How many of the quiltmaker's children were girls?

2

Why does the quiltmaker quilt?

Necessity

Other notes on how the quiltmaker learned, and how and why they quilt:

While Susan Churchill ran the boarding house quilts were used extensively. As the tops became worn, a new top was attached to the existing quilt, saving the need for more filler and back. This is why we have all tops. They were made ahead of but they were never used.

Estimated number of quilts made by this quiltmaker:

5-20 quilts

This is a:

Quilt top with unfinished edge

How wide is the quilt?

81"

How long is the quilt?

66"

Shape of edge:

Straight

Quilt's condition:

Excellent/like new

Describe the quilt's layout:

Block pattern

Number of quilt blocks:

20

Size of quilt blocks:

11 1/2"

Arrangement of quilt blocks:

Straight

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Piecing

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

No filling

Exhibitions where this quilt was displayed:

Open House, Bridgeman, MI, May, 1985, Museum, Bridgeman Library; Mini museums, including quilts at local grade schools 1985; Three Oaks Library September, 1984 for their 125th anniversary

Ownership of this quilt is:

Private

Quilt owner's name:

David D. Savage

Quilt owner's city:

Three Oaks

Quilt owner's county:

Berrien

Quilt owner's state:

Michigan (MI)

How was this quilt acquired?

Inheritance

Tell the story of how the quilt was obtained:

Susan Wagner Churchill to granddaughter, Fanny Angeline Savage Sparling (1887-1974) to nephew David D. Savage

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

How did the quiltmaker participate in the creation of the quilt?

Made entire quilt top

Copyright holder:

Michigan State University Museum