QUILT INDEX RECORD

2-33-60

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Signature Quilt Pilot Project

Who documented this quilt?

Signature Quilt Project Public Submission

Signature Quilt Pilot Project Number:

1993.000.Quilt

This is a:

Finished quilt

Quilt's title:

Jasper County Courthouse 1895 Quilt

Names for quilt's pattern in common use:

Signature

How wide is the quilt?

69 inches

How long is the quilt?

90 3/4 inches

What color is the quilt?

Red

Antique colors:

Turkey Red

Type of inscription:

Date; Multiple Names; Other

Describe the type of inscription:

Four Christian Cross Symbols of different styles found one style per corner block.

What is inscribed on the quilt?

"Carthage Court House 1895" appears above the embroidered image of the courthouse. Names appear in blocks of six across the quilt except in rows four and five where the central courthouse image takes the place of four blocks. Blocks are numbered for this identification purpose from top to bottom (rows one through eight), left to right (columns A through F). Block names are laid out like spokes of a wheel with two names in the center circle or hub. Some of the latter are positioned top and bottom while others are left and right within center circle. Order of block name listing is clockwise starting with top center spoke. The circle names (all but two blocks have two names only in the circle) follow the eight names (spokes) in the block listings below. Block 1A: Edith Kerr, Julia Van Gieson, Ella Platt, Lottie Powers, Maud Ellers, Mary Thornton, Laura Mark, Juanita Wittich, Hattie McCarthy, Grace McCarthy Block 1B: Mr. J. A. Terry, Mrs. Aaron Myers, Mrs. Johns, Mrs. A. W. St. John, Mrs. J. A. Terry, Mr. A. W. St. John, Mrs. W. D. Mateer, Mrs. Lucy Cowgill, Mrs. W. H. Hatch, Mr. W. H. Hatch Block 1C: Mrs. Augustus Roos, Mrs. Dr. D. Trinkler, Mr. Thos. Hill, Mrs. J. M. Babbitt, Mrs. K. W. Clark, Mrs. M. J. Smith, Miss Ella Seitz, Mrs. D. M. Walker, Mrs. F. Matthews, Mr. F. Matthews Block 1D: Mrs. J. Booten, Mrs. W. C. French, Mr. R. H. Rose, Mrs. Lydia Corwin, Mrs. M. A. Norris, Mrs. Jennie Higgins, Mrs. R. H. Rose, Mrs. [Blank] Higgins Block 1E: Nellie Warner, Mrs. J. Tomlinson, Mrs. P. Peters, Lyn Tomlinson, Nellie Clark, Mary A. McCabe, Mr. P. Peters, Mr. J. Hardman, Mrs. Jonn Hardman Block 1F: Mrs. C. Burch, Mrs. H. D. Hubbs, Mrs. D. Bliss, Mrs. May Lou Graysing, L. W. Niles, Mrs. Will Mann, Aletha Niles, Mr J. W. Baird, Mable Bender, Hattie Evens [Evans?] Block 2A: Mrs. E. Allen, Mrs. C. E. Turner, Mrs. J. M. White, Mrs. J. W. Corley, Mr. J Corley, Mrs. A. E. Thompson, Mrs. W. H. Hatch, Mrs. T. E. Gray, Mr. T. E. Gray Block 2B: Mrs. Manning, Mrs. R. McCarthy, Mrs. P. Lott, Mrs. H. H. Harding, Mrs. G. Pool, Mrs. H. T. Harrison, Mrs. S. James, Mrs. W. C. Eldred, Mrs. J. M. Whitsett, Mrs. C. L. Bartlett Block 2C: Mrs. F. M. Haines, Mr. O. F. Garrison, Mrs. W. Sevey, Miss E. M. Wangelin, C. E. Matthews, Mrs. O. F. Garrison, Mrs. E. Wangelin, Choteau Garrison, Mrs. R. M Davis, Mrs. Mary Bailey Block 2D: Mr. Pharis, Mrs. F. Cowgill, Mrs. Pharis, Mrs. T. W. Deal, Mrs. C. Hubb, Mrs. P. E. Taylor, Mrs. Brewster, Mrs. Nellie Byers, Mrs. C. C. Miller, Mr. C. C. Miller Block 2E: Mrs. Howenstein, The When Shoe Store, Mr. Howenstein, Mr. W. G. Woodmansee, Mr. Whitehead, Mrs. W. G. Woodmansee, Mrs. Whitehead, Mrs. Laura S. Moore, Mr. B. M. Boykin, Mrs. B. M. Boykin Block 2F: Geo. W. Davis, Mr. B. L. Norton, Eliza Wynn, Mrs. B. L. Norton, Mrs. H. L. Marx, Belle Mansfield, Mrs. A. Biffer, Mr. J. D. Rainwater, Mr. G. W. Davis, Mrs. G. W. Davis Block 3A: Edith Johns, Ida Brinkerhoff, Anna Newell, Belle Perkins, Ethel Hawkins, Grace Brinkerhoff, Louis Cahn, Ada Hawkins, May Gabriel, Nina Hout Block 3B: Dr. Wale, Dr. Whitney, Dr. King, Dr. Thomas, Dr. Berry, Dr. Flower, Dr. Burch, Dr. Mathews, Dr. Brooks, Dr. Hill, Dr. Freed [three names in the circle] Block 3C: Eliza Bailey, Hettie Haines, Alta Ruffin, Katherine Conard, May Chase, Ella Slauson, Albert Weztel, Russell Garrison, Helen Fabyan, Charlie Drake Block 3D: George Park, Marie Maynard, Nellie Spence, Etta Maynard, Inez Spence, J. Earnest Young, George Elred, Mary Brinkerhoff, John Blakeney, Cella Wilbur Block 3E: Sadie Kellogg, Mrs. Frank Chaffee, Mr. J. C. Lee, Mrs. Frank Brownsill, Mrs. Arnold, Mrs. F. W. Chaffee, Mrs. J. C. Lee, Mrs. John Brownsill, Walter Wells, Mrs. Clifton Block 3F: Mr. T. I. Dean, Mrs. G. B. Stebbins, Mrs. Hoffman, Mr. Charles Martin, Mr. T. I. Dean, Mrs. M. M. Hunter, Mrs. Evans, Mrs. Charles Martin, Mrs. Ed. Hall, Mr. Ed. Hall Block 4A: Mrs. Richardson, Dr. H. J. Maynard, Mrs. W. Perry, Mr. E. R. Wheeler, Mrs. Newell, Mrs. H. J. Maynard, Guy J. Hout, Mrs. E. R. Wheeler, Mrs. H. J. Miller, Mr. H. J. Miller Block 4B: Frank Wells, Mrs. William McMillan, Ralph Wells, Mrs. Joe McMillan, Julia Wells, Mr. Joe McMillan, Guy McMillan, Mr. William McMillan, Mr. S. S. Wells, Mrs. S. S. Wells Block 5A: Mrs. Julia Gray, Mrs. C. D. Plummer, John Burham, Mrs. J. G. Burham, Cora Burham, Mrs. A. Wornbarber, Mr. J. C. Young, Mrs. Martha Johnson, Mr. Charlie Hout, Mrs. Charlie Hout Block 5B: Mary Caffee, Jessie M. Caffee, George Caffee, Lacie A. Caffee, Pattie Caffee, Amos H. Caffee, George Caffee Jr., W. K. Caffee, Edna C. Brown, W. H. S. Brown Interior Center Circle (around courthouse image, clockwise starting at top center) Names: E. C. Thym, W. G. Gill, J. S. Ford, George Wheeler, H. Bettebeimer [Bettebenner], Howard Gray, F. Bettebeimer [Bettebenner], L. W. Divelbiss, Jim Jacobs, John Wood, Jim Ellis, Jim Reno, D. D. Kerr, R. Lundy, C. W. Baxter, Annie Baxter, W. Shannon, J. F. Shannon, S. A. Stuckey, E. B. Jacobs, J. T. James, H. Tyree, M. M. Hunter, I. F. Russum, T. M. Garland, W. Woodward, L. A. Fillmore, C. Leaming, C. E. Elliott, W. H. Kilgore, Thos. Buckeee, Frank Tull, Joe Prather, C. D. Lisiecki, A. A. Lisiecki, Curtis Wright, J. R. Pfeninger [Pfenniger], G. Grauberger, E. L. Andertow, W. R. Logan, E. Kline Outer Center Circle of Names (clockwise starting at top center): B. S. Briles, H. H. Harding, S. E. Wetzel, W. B. Kelley & Co., Mrs. E. W. Harper, J. L. Davison, H. Rassler, Jas. Spence, D. R. Fenner, L. E. Archaias & Co., W. E. Ford, S. S. Heckathorn, Block & Bros. , B. Catron, J. F. Youtsey, Rev. A. F. Blake, W. S. Wells, W. J Sewell [Sewall], Deal Bros., Prof. Ford, Miss E. Best, Mr. Yeater, Mrs. Grace Clark, Miss B. Chase, Miss V. Batterton, Miss Carrie Hammons, Miss L. McReynolds, Miss. L. Twitchell, Miss L. Vaunaman, Mr. R. Robinson, Miss F. Jordan, Rev. Hemingway, Miss Brooks, Rev. R. K. Maiden, G. Asendorf, Rev. Sltuz, J. Higdon, Rev. S. Hanna, The Fair,Rev. Wainwright, R. H. Rose, Rev. L. W. Welsh, A. D. McBean, D. Beesan, Eugene Sharum, J. Hornback, Carthage Grocer Co., J. N. Schooler, S. D. Robinson, Mr. A Chase, C. A. MCubbin, Mrs. A. Chase, W. R. McDonald, Dr. G. D. Coe, J. Roessler, J. J. Corbett, Kate Tull, Dr. Galbreath, W. M. Wood, Steadley Bros., F. G. Laubach, B. F. Thomas, Geo. W. Springer, E. T. Eldred, J. M. McMillan, W. A. Eldred, J. W. Hutcheson, W. C. Eldred, Ramsay Bros., R. T. Stickey, J. W. Wilber, Geo. Webster, J. W. Wilber, Theo. A. Coffelt, D. M. O'Donnell Block 4E: Mr. W. A. Steed, Walter Harrington, W. B. Dent, Mrs. C. O. Harrington, Mrs. W. A. Steed, Mr. C. O. Harrington, Mrs. J. C. Dent, Alice Harrington, Mrs. F. H. Johnson, Mr. F. H. Johnson Block 4F: Mr. G. Webster, Mrs. J. H. Culbertson, Mrs. F. Hill, Mrs. S. F. Gashwiler, Mrs. G. Webster, Mr. H. J. Culbertson, Mr. F. Hill, Mr. S. F. Gashwiler, Mrs. A. O. Ihlseng, Mr. A. O. Ihlseng Block 5E: Jennie Steinner, Lizzie M. Slocomb, Lucy A. Martin, Mrs. Bela Clark, Laura Friend, Mrs. J. D. Clarkson, Clara White, Mrs. G. Ragsdale, Minnie Moore, Mrs. W. Moore Block 5F: Mrs. C. Seaman, Mrs. Sarah McDaniels, W. R. Logan, Mrs. Ada McMecham, Mrs. W. R. Logan, Cora Flanigan, M. T. Thornton, W. T. Porter, Mrs. W. T. Porter Block 6A: Mrs. E. M. Gray, Mr. H. T. During, Mrs. Augustus, Mrs. Ed. Garland, Mr. E. Garland, Mr. H. Mendenhall, Mrs. Kate Torphy, Mrs. H. Mendenhall, Ada Hout, Mrs. H. Hout Block 6B: Mrs. Dr. McClurg, Mr. Hal Wardin, Mrs. A. M. Hurty, Mrs. J. N. Wilson, Mrs. D. Chase, Dr. J. N. Wilson, Mrs. A. B. Deutsch, Mrs. Hal Wardin, Mr. A. C. Cahn, Mrs. A. C. Cahn Block 6C: Mrs. J. R. Tunt [?Junt], Mrs. J. H. Robinson, Mrs. G. W. Read, Mrs. A. W. Hough, Mrs. J. Herrin, Mr. G. A. Cassil, Mollie Cassil, Mrs. Nellie E. Lenhard, Mrs. E. O'Keefe, Mr. E. O'Keefe Block 6D: Mrs. Conard, Mrs. Julius Roessler, Mr. B. B. Allen, Mrs. J. P. Newell, Mr. J. P. Newell, Mrs. John T. Ruffin, Mrs. B. B. Allen, Mr. Julius Roessler, Mrs. C. H. Hodges, Mr. C. H. Hodges Block 6E: Irene Martin, Lucy Cunningham, Rilla Young, Esther Dinsmore, Dick Hood, Blanch Griswold, S. B. Griswold, Bird Cunningham, O. D. Royse, May Cunningham, Tom Franks (three names are in the circle on this block) Block 6F: Mrs. W. Meyers, Mrs. A. M. Drake, Mrs. Chas. Brown, Mrs. A. J. Drake, Mrs. S. Meyers, Miss Lida Clark, Mrs. Thos. Hill, Miss Eva Parker, Mr. J. A Hillyer, Mrs. J. A. Hillyer Block 7A: Mr. Jas. Watson, Mrs. Lillie Bestman, Mr. J. Schlecht, Mr. Will Watson, Mrs. J. Schlecht, Mrs. E. Watson, Julia Watson, Mr. Frank Bestman, May Watson, Clara Watson Block 7B: John Colfax, Mrs. W. E. Chapman, Mrs. J. Long, Mrs. A. H. Snyder, Mrs. John Colfax, Mrs. A. H. Snyder, Mrs. Hawkins, Mrs. Paul Davey, Mrs. M. Ennis, Fannie Brown Block 7C: Sterling Terry, Ella Clark, Fred Terry, Sargeant Moore, Jennie Terry, Maggie Manley, Gertie Terry, Minnie Leiss, Peter Shaffer, Carrie Ball Block 7D: Mr. H. C. Cowgill, Mr. G. P. Cunningham, Mr. Robert Moore, Mrs. E. J. Brinkerhoff, Mrs. H. C. Cowgill, Mrs. G. P. Cunningham, Mrs. Robert Moore, Mr. W. E. Brinkerhoff, Mrs. J. E. Lang, Mr. J. E. Lang Block 7E: Mrs. M. Park, Mrs. Frank Naughton, Mrs. S. P. Jones, Mrs. V. A. Wallace, Mrs. Fabyan, Mrs. Frank Naughton, Mr. S. P. Jones, Mr. V. A. Wallace, Mrs. Bert Wolcot, Mrs. J. P. Betts Block 7F: Mr. J. Logan, Mrs. A. R. Van Gieson, Mrs. F. D. Porter, Mollie Thornton, Mr. F. D. Porer, Mrs. A. R. Van Gieson, Mrs. J. Logan, Mrs. J. M. Thornton, Mrs. N. E. Motley, Mr. J. Beach Block 8A: Mrs. W. S. Sewall, Mrs. Henry Garland, Mrs. J. Prather, Mrs. J. L. James, Mrs. P. Murphy, Mrs. T. F. Bathurst, Mrs. Kilgore, Mrs. L. W. Divelbiss, Mrs. Geo. Webster, Mrs. Ed. O'Donnell Block 8B: Eva Gilbert, Sue Muratta, Blanch Chase, Emma Johns, Kate Parkell, James Murratta, Mary Denny, Dr. Everett Merwin, Mrytle Thomas, Lizzie Thomas Block 8C: Frank McCrillis, Bethine A. McCrillis, Carrie McCrillis, W. L. Burlingame, W. S. Shaffer, Rose B. Burlingame, Leila Shaffer, John D. McCrillis, Kate H. Tuttle, T. B. Tuttle Block 8D: P. J. Betts, Emily Newell, Stella Conard, James Newell, Bessie Parker, Florence Fabyan, Rosine Deutsch, Anna Brinkerhoff, Leigh Hodges, Sybil Hodges Block 8E: Bertha Leidy, Louise Wilson, Julia Wittich, Cora Brinkerhoff, Due Baker, Newell Holbrook, Jessie Caffee, Frank Matthews, Mabel Snyder, Anna Burch Block 8F: Mr. F. H. Fitch, Mrs. W. S. Bower, Dr. C. B. Hussey, Mr. Issac Parker, Mr. F. H. Fitch, Mrs. L. L. Wittich, Mrs. C. B. Hussey, Mrs. Issac Parker, Mrs. S. Berry, Mr. S. Berry Top Border (left to right): Jamie Pool, Mabel Kinsella, Lela Kinsella, Julia Miller, Mable Pool, Fred Rhoades, Nina Rhoades, Ethel Orr, Wilber Orr, Edwin White, Louise McCarthy, Earl Hackney, Elwin Turner, Agnes Turner, Elred Turner, Deyll Turner, Mary Eldred, Le Hung Chung, Ben Harrison, Fredrica Magee, Willie Tull, Forence Glidden, Lora Bowman, Flossie Bowman, Nellie Bowman, Mary Dean, Leila Niles, Madeline Niles, Ella Yarco, Margaret Gould, Herman Thym, Ruth Thomas, Donald James, Ruth Majors, Ruth Thomas, Helen Thomas, Dixon Harrison, Homer Darow, Julian Williams, Alpha Allen, Charley Allen, Earnest Allen, Lela Allen, Rochester Maiden, Frank Maiden, Agnes Luscombe, Carl Luscombe, Harold Bestman, Clarice Bestman, Julia Mitchell, Olive Payne Right Border (top to bottom): Claude Taylor, May Taylor, Katie Terry, Helen Terry, Marguerite Chaffee, Pansy Clifton, Crete Clifton, Harold Hawkins, Fred Hawkins, James Hawkins, Ralph Roessler, Fred McConnell, Brice McMillan, Fay Tuttle, John McCrillis, Frank McCrillis, Carl McCrillis, Hazel McCrillis, Arthur McCrillis, Ralph Galloway, Gladys Galloway, Ethel Whitney, Ruth Whitney, Paul Wells, Marian Wells, Etta Burch, Julius Goldstein, Jay Goldstein, Lilly Goldstein, Ruth Goldstein, Marguerita Goldstein, Arthur Weil, Lydia Weil, Regina Weil, Olga Weil, Philip Hardman, Susie Hardman, Harmon Cornell, Sabra Cornell, Helen Cornell, Ella Cornell, George Friend, Elwin Brinkerhoff, Edith Brinkerhoff, Margretta Newell, Juila Newell, Ella Newell, Creila B. Jones, Eleanor Heill, Mary Wetzel, Basil Boykin, Irene Porter, Willard Hobbs, Franklin Greenwood, Clark O'Donnell, Allene Shaffer, Emma Kelley, George Kelley, Thos. Bathurst, Donald James Bottom Border (right to left): Harold Hunter, Maud Clark, Laura Clark, Ella Myers, Coella Myers, Rosco Myers, Fred Cowgill, Maria Hubb, Carl Hubb, Ernestine Jacobs, Hazel Messenger, Margaret Messenger, Orwan Messenger, Brand Bartlett, Julia McElroy, Elsie McElroy, James Stickney, Chauncey Stickney, Noye Garrison, Florria Knepper, Unice Knepper, Lucius Wittich, Roscoe Perkins, Fred Hussey, Lucy Hargis, Bessie Hargis, Burtis Hargis, Sarah Lenhart, Helen Lenhart, Ruth Stebbins, J. T. Wallace, Millie Peters, Nellie Warner, Marion Warner, Grace Tomlinson, Anna Gabriel, Frank Perry, Lex M. Wise, Maggie Henley, Katie Henley, Winifred Henley, Burnice Henley, Charlie White, Helen White, Winifred White, Ernest Payne, Allen Payne, Olive Payne. Left Border (bottom to top, note names are upside down): May Clarkson, J. D. Clarkson, Walter Spencer, Adelle Gray, Ruth Chapman, Vera Chapman, Lucille Chapman, Tom Davey Jr., Imogene Davey, Henry Schlecht, Willie, Schlecht, Mena Schelcht, Paul Johnston, Flora Chaffee, Amos Caffee, Lacie Caffee, Homer C. Brown, Jefferies Miller, Charlie Miller, Francis Hout, Frances Johnson, Jennette Garland, Nellie Garland, Marguerite Dinsmore, Edgar Martin, Barnard Boykin, Edward Wardin, Jean McClurg, Maud Miller, Earl F. Miller, Kyle Pharis, Willie Pharis, Frank Friend, Lizzie Fant, Bridget Cassill, Olga Ihlseng, Ella Dean, Ethel Dean, James Logan, Frank Logan, McDaniel Logan, Ben Thorton, Ethel Deal, Geneva Corley, Robert Corley, Sybil Corley, Silvia Corley, Alberta Underwood, Albert Underwood, Herbert Wolcott, Helen Lang, Frank Biffer, Herbert Turner, Mrytle Marx, Arthur Todd, Lola Dare, Frank Dare, Etta Dare, Hunter Booth, Earl Gordon, Frankie Gordon, Julia A. Stickney, Walter Stickney, Julia Stickney, Frank Williams

What is the date inscribed on the quilt?

1895

Method used to make the inscription:

Embroidery

Location of inscription:

on block; on border

Describe where the inscription was found:

"Carthage 18" and "Court House 95" appears to right and left above the embroidered image of the Jasper County Courthouse design

Time period:

1876-1900

Date estimated by an antique dealer, quilt historian or appraiser:

1894-1895

Further information concerning dates:

Quilt was probably started in 1894 since the image in the center is the original concept drawing for the courthouse and does not reflect the final design which changed during the building process. The courthouse was completed and moved into during October of 1895. The cornerstone ceremonies took place August 21, 1894, and the courthouse image on the dedication program also reflects the original concept design seen in this quilt.

Describe the quilt's layout:

Block pattern

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Machine Piecing

Embellishment techniques used to make the quilt top:

Embroidery

Describe the techniques used to make the quilt top:

All names appear to have been made in one signature hand (written out by one person). Courthouse image appears to have been made free-hand and only right vertical edge of roof tower seems to exhibit any distortion in perspective. Courthouse image is done in same embroidery technique as names and appears to have been done in stem stitch.

Features or notes about the quilt's appearance, materials, or construction:

Quilting pattern is diagonal lines (going both left and right from outer edges) approximately one inch apart. Pencil guidelines still visible. Quilting averages seven to eight stitches per inch. Binding is red cotton fabric approximately one-quarter inch visible on front and turned to back and hand-sewn to back. Blocks measure ten inches wide and eleven inches long. Border strips average three and one-quarters inch in width.

Quilt top made by:

Ladies of Grace Episcopal Church Guild

Where the quilt was made, city:

Carthage

Where the quilt was made, county:

Jasper

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

Describe anything about the history of the quilt that wasn't already recorded in a previous field:

Quilt honors construction of the Jasper County Courthouse in Carthage, Missouri, 1894 to 1895. Also was fundraising quilt for local church (Grace Episcopal Church, 820 Howard Street). Quilt was displayed at the church in 1969 for its centennial celebration and again in 1989. It was donated to Powers Museum in 1993 from estate of Elizabeth Wright who was the grand-daughter of Lacie Caffee (Block 5B) to whom the quilt was presented by an unknown lady who purchased the quilt at the original bazaar in 1895.

Why was the quilt made?

Fundraising

Describe the source of the pattern:

Unknown

Describe anything about the design of the quilt that wasn't already recorded in a previous field:

Among names associated with the construction of the courthouse building featured on the central block (and found in the interior circle of names on the quilt) are: L. W. Divelbiss from Olathe, Kansas, was the general contractor/builder for the structure. Other known courthouses constructed by Divelbiss include the Franklin County Courthouse in Ottawa, Kansas and the Miami County Courthouse in Paola, Kansas. To see an image of the Jasper County Couthouse, see http://cdm.sos.mo.gov/u?/riches,51. W. R. Logan was co-owner along with Curtis Wright of the Carthage Stone Quarry that supplied the limestone for the building. For images of Logan and Wright, see http://cdm.sos.mo.gov/u?/riches,366. From March 1894 to October 1895 during construction of the Jasper County Courthouse, the crews of the Carthage Stone Company operated six days a week, twenty-four hours a day (except two extremely cold weeks in February 1895), in order to keep up with demand for stone for the local courthouse and orders elsewhere. To see an image of Carthage Stone Company, see http://cdm.sos.mo.gov/u?/riches,339. Joe A. Prather was the superintendent of the project replacing Nelson Damon who was the original superintendent for the courthouse. (Damon was replaced by county officials in a dispute between him and the architect.) In Carthage city directories, Prather is found listed as a builder and architect. He moved to Carthage in 1891. J. R. Pfeninger [Rudolph Pfenniger] was one of several local stone masons who worked on the courthouse project. He worked in Carthage quarries for over thirty years and died in 1922. His son, Albert "Dutch" Pfenniger, was born in 1896 in Jefferson City, Missouri, while his father was working on the Cole County Courthouse project [see Curtis Wright below]. Albert also became a stone mason and noted stone carver. E. C. Thym of Kansas City, Missouri, supervised the stone masonry work. Curtis Wright, along with William R. Logan, were co-owners of the Carthage Stone Company. The company's stone was used throughout the central portion of the United States including the Cole County Courthouse in Jefferson City, Missouri. Jefferson City is the site of the Missouri State Capitol which is also made of Carthage limestone although most of its product was taken from other local quarries.

Related items such as diaries, obituaries, wills, household inventories, or pictures of the quiltmaker:

No known photographs exist of the quilt when first made and/or of its makers or original purchaser. To this date, the Powers Museum has been unable to find commentary on the quilt in the local papers during the time it was being made and promoted. Other than the church booklet cited above, there are no other known published images of the quilt except two. One is in literature produced by the Powers Museum in 1994-95 when the museum made a contemporary quilt of similar pattern to honor the centennial of the Jasper County Courthouse. It was a fundraising project for the Powers Museum (netting over $5,000). The second printed reference to the quilt is a Carthage Press newspaper article of June 30, 1989 entitled: "Historical Carthage quilt on display" found on page five.

Quilt owner's name:

Powers Museum

Quilt owner's city:

Carthage

Quilt owner's country:

United States

Any other notes or stories about the quiltmaker:

According to a booklet entitled "Grace Episcopal Church," published in 1969 on the one-hundredth anniversary of the church, this quilt (pictured on page nine) "...was made in 1895, the year the Jasper County Courthouse in Carthage was completed. The center drawing is of the courthouse and the rest of the pattern consists of 791 Carthage names embroidered in red on a white background. The quilt was made by members of Grace Church Guild, and sixty-five dollars was realized from charging ten cents for adults and five cents for children's names. Adult names appear in the center on blocks and children's names on the border. In the center, around the courthouse, appear the names of county officials, workmen, contractors and others who had some part in the constructon of the courthouse. The names were obtained by Guild members and the project was one of that organization's money raising ventures. After the quilt was completed it was raffled off at a bazaar and the purchaser presented it to one of the Guild members in whose family it has since remained." Inscription on quilt titles it: Carthage Courthouse 1895 because at the time of construction, there was also a second courthouse in Joplin, Missouri. This older Joplin structure has since burned and been replaced with a modern building for county court business. The Carthage courthouse still stands today and continues to operate as the main Jasper County Courthouse facility although there are two other courthouse annex properties in Carthage, Missouri.

Description of quilt:

Jasper County Courthouse Fundraising Quilt of forty-four red embroidered name blocks around a large central block featuring the image of the Jasper County Courthouse located in Carthage, Missouri (along with two circles of names). All four borders on the quilt also feature names (same technique as blocks).

Essay:

Through preliminary research of the individual names on the quilts some facts stated in the 1969 text on the quilt found in the Quiltmaker Notes section above are in error. Not all names on the border are children. Apparently there were some "late-comer" adult names placed in the borders randomly. Conversely, there are children's names in some of the blocks (ie. Block 8D where Leigh and Sybil Hodges are found in the circle area). It is not known how much it cost to place names around the courthouse design (ie. was that special placement subject to a higher fee or a free placement?). Names in blocks are not limited to Episcopal Church members and apparently anyone who desired to pay the fee could have their name listed. For example, Curtis Wright (co-owner of the limestone quarry - Carthage Stone Company - from which the courthouse's stone was taken) was Presbyterian. Goldstein family members are on the quilt (see right-hand border midway for several names) and this was a prominent Jewish family in the community. Some names are grouped by association (ie. Block 3B features physicians) and it is suspected some blocks of ladies names represent membership in certain women's clubs. The interior center circle of names around the courthouse image are those involved in the building project and/or were county and city officials while the outer circle of names represent stores and business owners of establishments around the courthouse square along with ministers and other miscellaneous names. Additional relationships between names may be discovered by further research. Not all names are Carthage-based as some do not appear in the 1895 Carthage City Directory. Some names, like several of the county officials, were residents of other Jasper County towns. Perhaps the name of greatest local note on the quilt is the name of Annie Baxter (interior center circle). She was the Jasper County Clerk at the time of construction of the courthouse and was the first female county clerk elected in the state of Missouri and possibly in the entire nation. Throughout the years, she has gained the reputation of being the first female elected official in the country but this is false. (A sidewalk marker at the base of the east entrance honors Anna "Annie" White Baxter today.) All county officials present in 1894 for the cornerstone ceremonies (and listed on the quilt) were swept from office with the election of 1894. Most were Democrats replaced with Republicans and a different set of officials presided over the opening of the courthouse. Annie Baxter soon moved from Carthage after her defeat, divorced her husband Charles (also on the quilt) and lived in St. Louis, Columbia and Jefferson City, Missouri, at various times pursuing educational and government-related jobs. For more information on Annie Baxter, see http://www.powersmuseum.com/exhibits/baxter.html. There is one obvious ommission among the names -- the name of the building's architect: Maximillian A. Orlopp, Jr. The relationship between the overseeing county officials, the building superintendent (the original one was replaced with Joe Prather who is found on the quilt in the center interior circle of names) and architect was very troubled. The architect was not present for the cornerstone laying (although he sent a granite cornerstone that was not used). He was not present at the opening ceremonies either, having essentially been banished from the project several months prior. Among Orlopp's other civic buildings is the old Dallas County Courthouse in Dallas, Texas (see http://www.oldred.org/). Probably the person who achieved the most national fame on the quilt was student Emily Newell (Block 8D). She graduated from Carthage High School in 1894, attended college for a short time then became a teacher and married fellow classmate Harry W. Blair. After starting her family she began writing for local, state and national magazines. She was an ardent suffragist at all levels and eventually became the first female Vice-Chairman of the Democratic Party in 1922. In 1932 she was appointed by President Franklin Roosevelt to the Consumer's Advisory Board of the National Recovery Act and eventually became its chair. She served in the Roosevelt administration in other capacities until a stroke forced her retirement. For more information on Mrs. Blair, see http://www.powersmuseum.com/exhibits/blair.html.

Who photographed this quilt?

Nancy Wallace Brewer

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

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