Quilt, pieced top of silk octagons, cotton batting, dark green velvet backing, tied (not quilted) with green yarns. Pieced top only was made by Marianna Gibbons while living at her farm, Beechdale, just north of Bird-in-Hand. Octagonal patches made Dec. 18, 1893 to March 17, 1894, except for final embroidered center patch. Quilt top likely completed soon after, during 1894. but definitely before her 1902 marriage to Oram David Brubaker (1862-1929), since she used intials MG instead of MGB.
Top has 25 blocks, each with 25 octagons. Each 8 1/2-inch block uses different silk fabrics; solids, prints and velvets. The 25 blocks are separated by an inner sash of dark green ribbed fabric, 1 1/2" wide. Only the squares at the intersections of the sashes are different, a midnight blue velvet (although many are worn off to show a black fabric backing). Outer border is dark green silk 4 1/2" wide and mitered at the corners. Center block containing alternating yellow and black octagons has the embroidered initials "MG" in center and the remaining yellow ones are embroidered with flowers.
Provenance
Provenance: Descent in Brubaker family to step-granddaughter Margaret Thompson Herr (donor's cousin). When Margaret died, donor acquired the quilt at the circa 1980 estate sale in Quarryville for ten dollars. Donor is also a step-granddaughter of maker.
Donor states that at some point before she bought the quilt, "church ladies" had put a pale green, quilted backing on it and secured it with ties. It had not been finished by Marianna Gibbons. Donor eventually replaced it during the 1980s with something more to her taste -- the present backing of dark green polyester velvet. It is secured at the corners of each of the 25 blocks with ties knotted at the back.
History: Donor reports that the Dr. Joseph and Phebe Earle Gibbons family were Quakers and their farm, Beechdale, was a primary station on the Underground Railroad. (The house itself is now gone, and the farm is now a horse farm.) Jack Brubaker (the Scribbler) owns the diaries of Marianna and her mother. The donor has worked on transcribing the diaries for years. Both women were well educated and accomplished. Marianna earned two degrees at Millersville Normal School in 1871 and 1872, was a writer, was well travelled and lectured with the temperance movement (W.C.T.U.). After Marianna completed the quilt, she married in 1902 a widower who was 14 years her junior, with 9 children aged 6 - 19. Oram David Brubaker & children came to live on his new wife's farm since she had a large farm and greater wealth. With trees and water, the 56-acre farm became a duck farm.
Generally very good. Some silk octagons are deteriorating and some velvet has lost its nap. The quilt had been finished by "church ladies" at some time while owned by Margaret T. Herr. Donor disliked it so replaced it with a polyester velvet in the 1980s. Small bleach spot on outer border.
Object ID
G.03.18.1
Place of Origin
Bird-in-Hand, East Lampeter Twp.
Role
Quiltmaker
Credit
Gift of Marian Brubaker, Heritage Center Collection
Redwork Quilt, all-white cotton top and back, with red wool-embroidered pictorial designs inspired by nursery rhymes and literature. Made for donor Paul A. Mueller, Jr. after his birth in Dec. 1930, by his grandmother Anna Stump Mueller.
There are 96 different designs (8 columns of 12), of mostly animals, children and sometimes both. Each design is executed on a 5.25" square of white cotton, pieced vertically into columns. Each column of 12 is separated by a 2.25" wide vertical strip. Border at outside is 4" wide except for a 6.5" wide border at the bottom. The quilt back wraps around to top to create the binding.
Quilting in white thread is a diamond grid on embroidered blocks, a rope pattern on vertical strips and diagonal lines on outside borders.
See NOTES.
230 N. Mary St., Lancaster
Provenance
Anna Mueller made the quilt for her grandson Paul A. Mueller, Jr. at the time of his birth. He donated it in 2003.
There are block letter initials on binding at both bottom corners of quilt top. They appear to be "AM6," likely indicating this was the 6th quilt made by Anna Mueller.
Inscription Type
Inscription
Object Name
Quilt
Material
Fabric
Height (in)
76
Width (in)
67
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2015-07-13
Condition Notes
Good overall condition. Acid burn along one vertical fold line as well as an upper left section of quilt. Faded streak of red stain 5.5" long near embroidery of pig & boy. Quarter-inch cut hole below the "Scratch My Back" design extends through to back. Several light brown stains along upper right column of designs. Red wool in many of the designs is worn, with multiple losses.
Object ID
G.03.26.03
Notes
Redwork quilting of a deep red on white was popular from 1890s thru the 1st quarter of 20th c., but continued to be done throughout the century, eventually having a resurgence of popularity in the 1990s. Usually made for children, the embroidery theme was pictorial, inspired by nursery rhymes and literature. (Elise S. Roberts, The Quilt: A History & Celebration of an Amer. Art Form, p.238)
According to donor, grandmother Anna Catherine Stump (1861-1932) was raised in Marietta where her father, MIchael Stump, was a senior partner in the hardware firm of Stump & Mueller. She married George Phillip Mueller (1852-1900) who came to America at two years of age with his father. He was seminary-trained and became a minister. After her husband's death, Anna S. Mueller lived with her son Paul A. Mueller, Sr. and his family in Lancaster. It was while living in their home that she made the quilt for her grandson, Paul A. Mueller, Jr., born Dec. 20,1930.
Place of Origin
Lancaster
Role
Quiltmaker
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Paul A. Mueller, Jr., Heritage Center Collection
Quilt of pieced silk hexagons, creating what is known as a Flower Garden pattern. Made by Jacob F. Trexler, M.D. a surgeon and physician on staff at St. Joseph (and also coroner, according to donor).
Quilt is made of a plethora of multicolored silks, pieced with the English template method. Each small hexagon was stitched over a cardboard template (still present). Plain, patterned and textured fabrics were used, and even some pompoms as "flower centers." Large "T" for Trexler is satin-stitched in gold on a dark blue velvet ground at center. Multiple letters, initials and monograms are embroidered on individual hexagons. These apparently represent family members since many end in "T," such as EMT (wife Ella Moore Trexler?), AFT, ENT, MAT (mother Mary A. Trexler?), MLT, MLW and MWT. Several symbols are also embroidered (sunburst w/ face, wheel, etc.)
Backing is a mustard colored quilted silk fabric.
According to donor, Dr. Trexler had his quilting frame set up on the 3rd floor of his residence at 134 N. Prince St. His office was on first floor. Donor owns three other quilts made by Trexler (he made many after retirement). These are a log cabin (silks with a polished cotton back), a star and an unfinished hexagon.
Provenance: Donor inherited the quilts from the Trexler family. In addition to other quilts, she possesses a 1920 photograph of Dr. Trexler.
Very good condition, minor soiling and fabric deterioration at some fabrics along edges.
See in file, pages from "Uncoverings 2003" Vol. 24 for article with comments on hexagonal quilts done with the "English paper-piecing" construction technique and their resurgence in popularity in the 1920 and 1930.
Quilt, Drunkard's Path pattern, cottons. Pieced by donor's grandmother, Amanda Castle Sharpe and quilted by unknown woman in Landisville.
Top is white cotton ground and pattern is executed with a floral print of red and yellow flowers on a blue ground. Edges are all scalloped. Quilting patterns are
Drunkard's Path quilts were particularly popular in the late 19th century and again in the 1930s when a revival in quiltmaking swept across America. Quilts with this pattern are quite common.
Donor's maternal grandparents were Phares C.H. Sharpe and Amanda Castle Sharpe. Phares was a butcher and the couple lived at 30 N. Plum St. in Lancaster later in life after moving around quite a bit. They had four children: Kathryne (donor's mother), Henry, Herbert and Esther. In their last years, Phares and Amanda moved to a house on Martha Ave in Grandview Heights. Phares died circa 1936, after which their daughter Esther lived with Amanda. Donor recalls her grandmother making hooked rugs. The Sharpes were Lutheran, although Amanda's sister was a Mennonite.
Amanda pieced this quilt specifically for her granddaughter's (donor's) bed, about 1930. Donor believes the quilt was then quilted by a woman who lived across from the Mennonite Church in Landisville. Donor's parents were Albert Wohlsen (1894-1971)and Kathryne Sharpe Wohlsen (1895-1964) and the family lived at 452 Race Ave. Father worked in Wohlsen construction business. Mother graduated in 1912 from Lancaster General Nursing School.
Provenance
Given by grandmother, maker Amanda Sharpe, to her granddaughter Carolyn Wohlsen (donor)
From grandmother Amanda Sharpe to granddaughter, child of her own daughter Kathryne (Mrs. Albert Wohlsen) who was born 1895 and died 1964. Photo of Amanda in file (c. 1938) and photo of Phares & Amanda Sharpe, their daughter Kathryne S. Wohlsen and granddaughter Carolyn Wohlsen (baby), circa 1923.
Place of Origin
Lancaster
Credit
Gift of Carolyn W. Ripple, Heritage Center Collection
Crazy quilt, made by Anna Lillie Frantz working in Lancaster City. Top is pieced with small velvet and silk scraps and decorated with extensive embroidery as well as some painted decoration.
There are 16 squares of crazy design enclosed bya red silk border. Design motifs include birds, flowers, spider webs(both painted and embroidered), etc. At top in center of red border are the maker's initials "ALF" in fancy gold embroidery. There is a fan motif at each inner corner, pieced and embroidered. Dates found on various patches are 1885 through 1888. Greek letters for the fraternity Phi Kappa Sigma are included as well as the verse "And must the weary task/ Be done agin./ A clean shave every day." This may suggest a family association with a college or university.
Anna Lillie Frantz's sister, Letitia Landis Frantz, became the second female physician to practice in the city of Lancaster. These two sisters lived together at 238 East Orange St. The family came from a Reformed Mennonite background and their parents were Andrew Miller Frantz and Esther C. Landis Frantz
Quilt was given by maker to her brother's daughter, Mary Frantz Amidon (b. 1914), then to museum. Donor lived with her two aunts for a short period of time. This quilt was on loan for 1986 exhibit. Photo of maker as a young woman is included with original label from the 2000 exhibit "Quilting Traditions of Lancaster County."
Minor stains, pulls and discoloration (see condition report of 1986 in this file).
Large white cotton Framed Center quilt, with extensive applique and stuffed work. The applique technique is called "broderie perse" (of cut-out chintz elements) with fruit surrounding the center medallion. Also appliqued are two types of pieced 8-point stars, and 9-patches. Extensive stuffed & corded work executed in vines, flowers, grapes, melon-like fruit and leaves. Center medallion has stuffed initials "MG" above "1810". Main quilted designs are waffle, wedding ring, shell and parallel lines. Cotton batting and white cotton back. No binding; turned edges sewn together.
Inscriptions: "JNS" (J. Nevin Schroeder) stamped on back of top right corner and "331" written in ink on back of top left corner.
Made by Ann Margaret Gundaker, daughter of wealthy Lutheran merchant Michael (1753-1815) and Barbara Walter Gundaker, residing at S.E. corner of East King & Lime Sts., before her 1816 marriage to Robert Evans (c. 1791-1831). She had been a student at the Moravian School for Girls in Lititz (now Linden Hall) in 1805-06 where she certainly received instruction in needlework. This quilt is the earliest known dated Lancaster County quilt and has descended through five generations of Evans, Locher, and Schroeder families. Trish Herr notes this quilt illustrates the English influence on quilts made in prosperous Pa.German households.
Provenance
Descent in family from Gundaker to Evans to Locher to donor (see letter from Pat K. Conner to Mrs. Shroeder). Donor received quilt from her mother-in-law Mira Locher Schroeder.
1. Documented in Quilt Harvest #419A.
2. See G.01.51.1-.6 for other signed Gundaker textiles.
3. Pat Keller wrote 2009 article in Chester Co. H.S. book LAYERS, noting similarities in stuffed work between this quilt & a Chester Co. quilt, suggesting communication via a network of sanguinity or friendship. (See copy this file)
Generally moderate wear overall with many small yellow-brown scattered stains. Torn along top edge, 13" from left corner. Chintz appliques are deterioration with somoe losses.
Object ID
G.93.08.1
Place of Origin
Lancaster
Role
Quiltmaker
Credit
Gift of Mrs. J. Nevin Schroeder in memory of Mira Loche
