Sampler
Maker's Name
Keenan, Elizabeth
Location
Breckinridge County, Kentucky
Date Made
1825
Maker's Age
Seven years old, born in 1818.
Dimensions
17 x 16 ¼ inches
Medium
Silk on linen with Algerian eye, cross, and rice stitches; thread count 24/inch vertical, 25/inch horizontal
Provenance
Made by Elizabeth Keenan in 1825. Sold by Garth's Auctioneers & Appraisers, Sale 1062, Lot 26 May 20, 2011. Sold by Scott Fithian Antiques to Private Collector #18.
Description
Nine rows of alphabets and numbers with decorative bands between them, over the religious verse:
Jesus permit thy gracious name to stand,
as the first effort of an infant hand,
and whilst her fingers o'er this canvas move,
Engage her tender heart to seek thy love,
with thy dear children let her share a part,
and write thy name thyself upon her heart.
On the lower left is a cartouche with the signature:
Elizabeth
Keenan's
Work
and on the right a cartouche with the inscription:
Finished
Jan 13
1825.
Elizabeth Susan Keenan was born in September 20, 1818 to Patrick Keenan (b. circa 1766) and Cassandra Burch Keenan (b.August, 4, 1785, Saint Georges, Maryland). They were married on January 1, 1808 in Prince Georges, Maryland, where Patrick was a schoolmaster. Patrick, born in Ireland ca. 1766, was a staunch Catholic, and came to America in 1804 to escape religious persecution. Patrick removed from Maryland in 1817 to Ohio County, Kentucky (which became part of Breckinridge County) settling near Falls of Rough, Kentucky and raised tobacco. He died in 1832 in Breckinridge County while Cassandra died in 1848, both being buried in Matthews Cemetary in Breckinridge County.
Elizabeth was the third of Patrick and Cassandra Keenan's six children (John, b.1811; Mary Anne, b.1815; Elizabeth, b.1818; Patrick Benjamin, b.1822; James H., b. 1825; and Lawrence Thomas b. April 01, 1829, d.June 27, 1890).
On December 22, 1842, Elizabeth married Solomon B. Chambliss (b ca. 1815 in North Carolina) in Breckenridge County, Kentucky. By the time of the 1850 census they were still living in Breckinridge County, Kentucky but by 1854 they had removed to Clay County, Illinois where daughter Sarah Isabelle Chambliss was born on September 20, 1854.
The sampler passed down through the Chambliss line of descendents. Francis W. Keenan, PhD cowrote a twentieth century book with Perry Ryan, JD on the descendants of Patrick Keenan.
Jesus permit thy gracious name to stand,
as the first effort of an infant hand,
and whilst her fingers o'er this canvas move,
Engage her tender heart to seek thy love,
with thy dear children let her share a part,
and write thy name thyself upon her heart.
On the lower left is a cartouche with the signature:
Elizabeth
Keenan's
Work
and on the right a cartouche with the inscription:
Finished
Jan 13
1825.
Elizabeth Susan Keenan was born in September 20, 1818 to Patrick Keenan (b. circa 1766) and Cassandra Burch Keenan (b.August, 4, 1785, Saint Georges, Maryland). They were married on January 1, 1808 in Prince Georges, Maryland, where Patrick was a schoolmaster. Patrick, born in Ireland ca. 1766, was a staunch Catholic, and came to America in 1804 to escape religious persecution. Patrick removed from Maryland in 1817 to Ohio County, Kentucky (which became part of Breckinridge County) settling near Falls of Rough, Kentucky and raised tobacco. He died in 1832 in Breckinridge County while Cassandra died in 1848, both being buried in Matthews Cemetary in Breckinridge County.
Elizabeth was the third of Patrick and Cassandra Keenan's six children (John, b.1811; Mary Anne, b.1815; Elizabeth, b.1818; Patrick Benjamin, b.1822; James H., b. 1825; and Lawrence Thomas b. April 01, 1829, d.June 27, 1890).
On December 22, 1842, Elizabeth married Solomon B. Chambliss (b ca. 1815 in North Carolina) in Breckenridge County, Kentucky. By the time of the 1850 census they were still living in Breckinridge County, Kentucky but by 1854 they had removed to Clay County, Illinois where daughter Sarah Isabelle Chambliss was born on September 20, 1854.
The sampler passed down through the Chambliss line of descendents. Francis W. Keenan, PhD cowrote a twentieth century book with Perry Ryan, JD on the descendants of Patrick Keenan.
Owner/History of Owner/Credit Line
Private Collector #18
AKS Catalog Number
2019-040
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