Princess Feather quilt, hand pieced and appliqued cotton top with chain stitch embroidery. Four-square design of large Princess Feathers of brown and green appliqued on a yellow ground. Inner borders defined by brown triangles in single file arrangement. At center of quilt is a brown square embroidered in wool yarn with maker's name and date: "Mary Brubaker/ 1869."
Mary would have been 25 years old when she made this quilt.
Hammer Creek area, Elizabeth Twp., Lancaster Co.
Backing is a small scale cotton print of brown and cream flowers on a red ground. Brown cotton binding.
Made by Mary Brubaker (7/14/1844 - 6/5/1911) before her 23 Dec 1869 marriage to Richard Henry Rickert (1841-1907). Made in the home of her parents John and Kitty Hackman Brubaker who lived two doors away from Joseph Lehn. When Mary Brubaker Rickert moved to a room on Cedar St. in Lititz, quilt passed to Olive Sturgis Rickert, wife of son David James Rickert. Herma Rickert Losensky, daughter of Olive and David, moved to family farm when Olive died. Herma and her sister then divided their mother's things. When Herma's father died in 1967, she took ownership of the quilt. Donor recalls the quilt being used on her bed as a little girl.
Princess Feather paper template used to make this quilt is G.99.12.1. (Quilt Harvest #21-H-I).
Provenance
Maker to son David James Rickert and his wife Olive Sturgis Rickert. Then to daughter Herma, donor.
Very worn and faded with multiple stains and accretions, some fabrics shredded with losses. Loss of some embroidery in inscription. A tear of about 4" is near center of right edge. Back extremely worn.
Donor recalls this quilt being on her own bed and medicine being spilled on it.
Object ID
G.91.08.1
Place of Origin
Elizabeth Twp.
Role
Quiltmaker
Credit
In memory of Mary Brubaker Rickert by her granddaughter Herma Rickert Losensky, Heritage Center Collection
Sampler quilt top of 20 pieced and appliqued blocks, each a different pattern. Made of solid and printed cotton fabrics, both hand and machine stitched. Sawtooth border at two opposite sides. Used by Anna (Susanna) Brubaker to illustrate patterns.
Donor says her grandmother, Mary Brubaker Rickert (daughter of maker) called it her "pattern book." Documented in Quilt Harvest (# 21E). See NOTES.
Hammer Creek area of Elizabeth Twp., Lancaster Co.
Provenance
Passed from maker to daughter Mary Brubaker Rickert (donor's grandmother) to Cora Rickert Zartman (donor's paternal aunt), then to donor.
Soiled, including liquid stains; tears and deteriorating fabrics.
Object ID
G.91.08.2
Notes
Different names used for the maker of this quilt top: Susanna, Susan, Anna and Kitty. They are all variations of her birth name of Susanna Bear, daughter of John and Anna (Frantz) Bear.
1. Most of the notes in file state ANNA Brubaker. Informant is of course donor.
2. Four-generation chart in file states KITTY HACKMAN Brubaker. (2nd marriage for both John Brubaker and Kitty Hackman and Mary Brubaker was indeed their daughter). Informant is again of course the donor.
3. Death certificate for maker's daughter (Mary Brubaker Rickert) states her mother's name was SUSSANNA(sic) Bear. Informant was Cora Rickert Zartman, Mary's daughter.
4. Findagrave.com for David Hackman (1801-1831) states "His wife was SUSANNA Bear, daughter of John and Anna (Frantz) Bear. After Hackman's death, she married John Brubaker".
Place of Origin
Elizabeth Twp.
Role
Quiltmaker
Credit
In memory of Mary Brubaker Rickert by her granddaughter Herma Rickert Losensky, Heritage Center Collection
