QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-7310

Who documented this quilt?

Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Michigan State University Museum

Michigan Quilt Project Number:

85.1650

If this quilt is owned by a museum, enter the accession number:

1998:53.27

Object label:

Drunkard's Path
Family of Isreal Parshall and Mary Vida Schafer
Saginaw County, MI and Flushing, Genesee County, Michigan
c1880 (top) c1970 (finishing)
Collection of Michigan State University Museum acc.#1998:53.27

Essay:

The set of this pattern is unusual. Its impression is likened to a streak of lightening rather than an erratic walk. The top was made by a member of the historic Israel Parshall family. Israel Parshall came to Michigan from Chemung, New York in 1835, settling in Livingston County. He founded the town of Parshallville and built a flour mill there before moving north to Saginaw County. In 1856 he built the Havana Water Powered Flour Mill, two miles south of Chesaning on the banks of the Shiawassee River. Three generations of Parshalls operated the mill until 1943 when it was sold. The mill at Parshallville is operated as a tourist attraction.

By Gwen Marston from The Mary Shafer Quilt Collection, exhibit catalogue.

Owner's name for the quilt:

Drunkard's Path

Biography of the quiltmaker?

Israel Parshall came to Michigan from Chemung, New York in 1835 and settled in Livingston County, where he founded the town of Parshalville before moving north to Saginaw County. In 1856 he built the Havana Water Powered Flour Mill two miles south of Chesaning on the Shiawassee River. Three generations of Parshalls operated the mill before it was sold in 1943.

When was the form filled out?

9/9/1985

Quilted by:

Schafer, Mary

Other people who worked on this quilt:

Family of Isreal Parshall

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

Purchased the quilt

Where the quilt was made, county:

Saginaw

Where the quilt was made, state:

Michigan (MI)

When was the quilt started?

ca 1865

When was the quilt finished?

ca 1980

Quilt is presently used as:

Museum collection

Quiltmaker's county:

Saginaw

Quiltmaker's state:

Michigan (MI)

This is a:

Finished quilt

How wide is the quilt?

78"

How long is the quilt?

86"

Shape of edge:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

White

Antique colors:

Turkey Red

Quilt's condition:

Excellent/like new

Damage:

Stains

Describe the type of inscription:

Title

What is inscribed on the quilt?

Drunkard's Path, top made by Parshall Family, Mary Schafer Quilt Collection, Mary Schafer, 185 Park Ave. Flushing, MI 48437

What is the date inscribed on the quilt?

ca.1850

Method used to make the inscription:

Attached label

Location of inscription:

on back

Describe the quilt's layout:

Block pattern

Number of quilt blocks:

16

Arrangement of quilt blocks:

Straight

Spacing of quilt blocks:

Separated by plain sashing

Sashing width:

5.75", 6.25"

Describe the borders:

6.25",2.5"

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

Number of pieces of fabric in the quilt back:

3

How is the binding made?

Bias grain

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?

Polyester

How are the layers held together?

Hand quilting

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 1:

6

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 2:

9

Quilting designs used, decorative motifs:

Feathering

Quilting designs used, background fills:

Parallel lines

Describe the quilting designs used:

Outline/Ditch

Source of the information on this quilt:

Museum employee

Ownership of this quilt is:

Public- Michigan State University Museum

Quilt owner's name:

Michigan State University Museum

Quilt owner's city:

East Lansing

Quilt owner's county:

Ingham

Quilt owner's state:

Michigan (MI)

How was this quilt acquired?

Purchase

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Who photographed this quilt?

KEVA

Copyright holder:

Michigan State University Museum