113 Painting Rack 3
Quilt
Name/Title
Quilt
Lexicon
Description
Friendship quilt made by the friends of donor's maternal great-great-grandmother, Betsey Juckett Mears. The quilt has an off-white background with the pattern in various color print fabrics. The center of each colored pattern has been signed by a friend with a notation of their residence (Fletcher, Milton, Colchester, Fairfax, Fletcher Center, South Hero). One block is signed and dated: Loisa Boynton, April 4, 1850, Fletcher. The back of the quilt is a plain loosely woven off-white fabric. The quilt has "cut-outs" for the bed posts at the foot of the bed.
Acquisition
Accession
2013.39
Made/Created
Date made
1850
Dimensions
Materials
Material
Cotton
Entry/Object ID
2013.39.1
Context
Betsey Juckett was born September 6, 1820 and died September 3, 1896 in West Milton, Vermont. In 1841 she married Elias Tyler Mears (1807-1903). Her first marriage and his second, they set up home in West Milton where they lived their entire lives.
Friendship quilts were, and still are, a common form of communal gift to celebrate life milestones such as marriages, births, anniversaries, and housewarming. One of the squares is dated 1850 leading to an early construction date of that year. Betsey Mears had no big life events that year - that we know of. She did give birth to her second son in 1851 so this quilt may be for that event.
Friendship quilts were, and still are, a common form of communal gift to celebrate life milestones such as marriages, births, anniversaries, and housewarming. One of the squares is dated 1850 leading to an early construction date of that year. Betsey Mears had no big life events that year - that we know of. She did give birth to her second son in 1851 so this quilt may be for that event.
