QUILT INDEX RECORD

25-21-159

Who documented this quilt?

Winedale Quilt Collection

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Briscoe Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin

Texas Quilt Search Number:

W2h81.06

Person filling out this form is:

Blood relative of quiltmaker; Other

Source of the information on this quilt:

technical reviewer

When was the form filled out?

2004, 2007

Choose the best description of the source to the quilt:

Other

Describe the relationship to the quilt's maker:

donor, technical reviewer

This is a:

Finished quilt

Owner's name for quilt:

Rose with Oak Leaves and Lilies

Brackman # or other source & #:

19.74 similar

How wide is the quilt?

82 in.

How long is the quilt?

95 1/2 in.

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Brown; Cream; Gold; Red

Antique colors:

Cheddar Orange or Antimony or Chrome Orange; Madder Red or Cinnamon Red

Overall color scheme:

Multicolor; Bright or primary colors

Quilt's condition:

Poor/very worn

Damage:

Disintegration of fabric; Fading; Stains; Wear to edge or binding

Describe the damage:

brown oak leaves were probably green originally; have faded to brown

Repairs:

Cut down to smaller size

Describe the repairs:

one side (with half blocks) may have been cut down; edge is whip stitched

Notes on condition, damage, or repairs:

considerable disintegration in red fabric

Time period:

1850-1875

Family/owner's date for quilt:

family history suggests quilt was made during the Civil War

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

1850-1870

Who estimated the quilt's date?

Jan Wass

Further information concerning dates:

A small typed note attached to this quilt reads " This quilt was made and quilted during the Civil War, by my great-aunt Rachel Brown while her brother (my grandfather) was gone to war." [signed] Bollings

Describe the quilt's layout:

Block pattern

Number of quilt blocks:

9 full; 3 half blocks

Size of quilt blocks:

28 in. x 28 in.

Arrangement of quilt blocks:

Straight

Spacing of quilt blocks:

Side by side

What is the shape of the quilt blocks?

Squares

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Fabric types used to make the quilt top:

Broadcloth

Fabric styles used in the quilt top:

Solid/plain

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Piecing

Can you feel or see paper on the quilt that was used as a construction aid?

no

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

What color is the back of the quilt?

Cream

Number of pieces of fabric in the quilt back:

4

Width of pieces on the back:

23 in., 23 in., 23 in., 14 in.

Describe the back:

Hand sewn; Same fabric used throughout; Solid/plain

Materials used in the quilt binding:

Cotton

Fabric structure of the binding:

Plain weave

Describe the binding:

binding is mostly gone, but small pieces remain

How is the binding made?

Straight 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?

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

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 1:

10

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 2:

9

Width between quilting lines:

1/4 in., 1/2 in.

Can you see any knots on the front or back of the quilt?

no

Quilting designs used, overall motifs:

Double parallel lines; Echo

Describe the quilting designs used:

echo quilting in and around applique; diagonal double parallel lines in background

Quilt top made by:

Ross, Rachel Brown; Mobley, Mary Brown

Quilted by:

Ross, Rachel Brown; Mobley, Mary Brown

Where the quilt was made, county:

Pope

Where the quilt was made, state:

Arkansas (AR)

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

How was this quilt acquired?

Gift

Tell the story of how the quilt was obtained:

This quilt, and a second quilt (W2h82.06) were made for Daniel Brown during the Civil War. He survived the war and gave the two quilts to his daughter Emily Marie Brown Miller, who lived in Russellville, Arkansas until the 1906 Great Fire in Russellville, which burned the business of her husband James A. Miller. In March 1906 the quilts journeyed with the family first by train to settle in New Mexico, and then in 1909 by covered wagon to a homestead farm in Yoakum County, Texas. In the fall of 1916 the quilts were taken to nearby Brownfield in Terry County, Texas, when the family moved to town. Rachel and James Miller gave the two quilts to their daughter Emily Miller Bolling; she was the last family member to use them. The quilts remained with Emily Bolling in her home on the family homestead in Yoakum County, Texas. She passed them on to her nephew and his wife; they gave them to their son, who, in turn, donated them to Winedale in February 2004.

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

This quilt is one of two quilts (see also W2h82.06) with essentially the same histories, both donated to Winedale on February 28, 2004 by Russell James Miller of Houston. According to family history, the two quilts were made by sisters Rachel Brown Ross and Mary Brown Mobley of Pope County, Arkansas, for their brother Daniel Calhoun Brown, who was the great great grandfather of the donor. The sisters made the two quilts for their brother Captain Daniel Calhoun Brown while he served in the Confederate military.

Why was the quilt made?

Gift or presentation

Details about why the quilt was made:

Brown sisters made this quilt for their brother, a captain in the Confederate military.

The quilt was made to be used for:

Bedding, daily use

Quilt is presently used as:

Museum collection; Study or teaching aid

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

family genealogy in Winedale quilt files

Ownership of this quilt is:

Public Museum, Library or Institution

Quilt owner's name:

Winedale, Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin

Quilt owner's city:

Round Top

Quilt owner's county:

Fayette

Quilt owner's state:

Texas (TX)

Quilt owner's country:

United States

Quiltmaker's maiden name:

Brown, Rachel; Brown, Mary

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

Quiltmaker's birth date:

Mary Brown was born October 2, 1832; Mary Brown was born September 1, 1835.

Quiltmaker's birthplace, city:

Rachel was born in Randolph County; Mary was born in Randolph County

Quiltmaker's birthplace, state:

North Carolina

Quiltmaker's birthplace, country:

United States

Quiltmaker's date and place of death:

Rachel died June 6, 1917; Mary died February 1, 1912

In which kind of environment did the quiltmaker live?

Rural

Quiltmaker's state:

Arkansas (AR)

Quiltmaker's country:

United States

Quiltmaker's father's name:

Brown, Samuel

Quiltmaker's father's birthplace:

North Carolina

Quiltmaker's mother's name:

Branson, Elizabeth

Quiltmaker's mother's birthplace:

North Carolina

Number of children:

Rachel had two children; Mary had no children

How many of the quiltmaker's children were girls?

1

How many of the quiltmaker's children were boys?

1

Who photographed this quilt?

Billy Moore

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Copyright holder:

Assistant Director Winedale

Details

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