The Quilt Index

March 31, 2010

Private non-profit

Wayne

The Henry Ford

Private

Michigan Quilt Project

Michigan State University Museum

Western Pennsylvania Quilt Documentation Project

WP.BVR.0187

2013.29.1

WP.BVR.0187; MQP 13.0072

Quilt

Color

Digital

4

7

2010

CE

Restricted

The Henry Ford

Collection of The Henry Ford

The Henry Ford

The Henry Ford

The Henry Ford

The Henry Ford

Image - large display (550 or more pixels)

image

jpeg

2.03 MB

MATRIX: Center for Humane Arts, Letters and Social Sciences Online at Michigan State University, Michigan State University Museum, Alliance For American Quilts

Quilt Index

StillImage

Finished quilt

Chintz Applique Quilt

Basket

111 3/4in

103 1/4in

Straight

Straight

Blue or Navy

Brown

Cream

Gold

Green

Pink

Red

Multicolor

Good/moderate use

Fold marks or creases

Stains

Message

Signature

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

Ink

Also red letters near inscription.

on back

Pre-1799

1793

1793

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

4 basket designs

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.

2

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.

Cotton

Chintz

Glazed

Premium type

Solid/plain

Hand Piecing

Hand Applique

Some joints pieced, some applied on top.

Cotton

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

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

Hand sewn

Same fabric used throughout

Cotton

Twill weave

Folded in half & applied with 2 running stitch.

Hand sewn

Separate binding applied

Straight grain

Woven tape

less than a half inch

Cotton

Thin (Less than 3/16?)

Hand quilting

Cotton

White - brown in inner border

6

1/4" - 3/8"

Echo

Grid diamond

Single parallel lines

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

Quilt owner

Quilt collector

Quilt collector

Quilt owner

Purchased the quilt

MConnell, Ruth

McConnell, Ruth

Philadelphia

Pennsylvania (PA)

United States

Purchase

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.

Dearborn

Michigan (MI)

United States

48124

9/6/2013

Hall

Female

1758

1832

11/2/1780

Presbyterian

Philadelphia

Pennsylvania

United States

66 Chestnut Street

Philadelphia

Pennsylvania (PA)

United States

Hall, John

Pennsylvania

Hall, Sarah Parry

Pennsylvania

McConnell, Matthew

Merchant; Stockbroker

4

1

3

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.

ruth.1.jpg

58-99-111-226-ruth.1.jpg

369186

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ruth.1_zoom.jpg

58-99-111-227-ruth.1_zoom.jpg

932369

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ruth.inscription.jpg

58-99-111-273-ruth.inscription.jpg

306118

image/jpeg

Inspription message

ruth.center.jpg

58-99-111-275-ruth.center.jpg

253028

image/jpeg

center

ruth.corner.jpg

58-99-111-277-ruth.corner.jpg

238915

image/jpeg

corner

ruth.side.jpg

58-99-111-279-ruth.side.jpg

258580

image/jpeg

side

yes

Brenda Applegate

3

30

2012

CE