Sampler
Maker's Name
Sharp, Mary J.
Location
Franklin County, Kentucky
Date Made
1832
Maker's Age
7 years old, born on May 23, 1825
Dimensions
16 ¼ x 15 ⅝ inches
Medium
Silk on linen with cross, four-sided and queen stitches; thread count: 30/inch vertical & 30/inch horizontal
Provenance
Made by Mary J. Sharp in 1832. Bought at an estate sale in Indian Hills, (eastern Jefferson County) Kentucky, in ~2000 by Private Collector #26.
Description
The sampler has three rows of alphabets and numbers and the subjacent verse separated by lines of stitchery. The verse reads:
Tis education forms the common mind.
Just as the twig is bent, trees inclined.
Below the verse is the signature:
Mary. J. Sharp
Franklin. Seminary.
Kentucky.
June. 10.
1832.
The signature is framed both to the right and left by flowers and vines while the entire sampler is surrounded by a rectangular border and a more peripheral flower and vine border interrupted by beautiful and unusual eight-pointed stars or rosettes at each corner.
Mary Jane Sharp was born on May 23, 1825, in Kentucky, when her father, James (b 1783 in VA, d. ?), was forty-two years old and her mother, Elizabeth Ruddle (b. 1799 in VA, d.?), was twenty-six. They married on May 28, 1816, in Woodford County, Kentucky and had five children in thirteen years with Mary being the eldest (William Ellis, b.1832 in Kentucky; Ann, b.1833 in Owen County, Kentucky; Nancy b.1834 in Kentucky and Rachel, b.1838 in Kentucky).
Mary wed Charles W Breedon (b. May 30, 1832, d. August 10, 1912) on November 25, 1852, in Scott County, Kentucky. They had seven children in thirteen years. (James W, b. October 25, 1854, Owen Breckinridge, b. March 11, 1856, Sara "Sallie" Ellen, b.June 5, 1862 and Mary, b.March 26, 1866, were all born in Scott County, Kentucky. Llewellyn, b. 1862 and Nancy S, b. May 2, 1865 were born in Kentucky but the location has not been further determined. Mary's seventh child, Kate, was born on July 13, 1868, in Owen County, Kentucky.
Mary Jane Sharp Breedon died at age seventy-five on October 2, 1900, in Scott County, Kentucky, where she was buried.
The locations of Mary's birth and the Franklin Seminary are currently unknown. AKS's attribution of the sampler being made in Franklin County, Kentucky is based on other family life events being documented in adjacent Owen, Woodford and Scott Counties. It is conceivable that there may have been a Franklin Seminary in Franklin, Simpson County, Kentucky (or elsewhere). Franklin, Simpson County, Kentucky is near the Tennessee border and Bowling Green, Kentucky, fairly distant from the remainder of the documented family life events.
Tis education forms the common mind.
Just as the twig is bent, trees inclined.
Below the verse is the signature:
Mary. J. Sharp
Franklin. Seminary.
Kentucky.
June. 10.
1832.
The signature is framed both to the right and left by flowers and vines while the entire sampler is surrounded by a rectangular border and a more peripheral flower and vine border interrupted by beautiful and unusual eight-pointed stars or rosettes at each corner.
Mary Jane Sharp was born on May 23, 1825, in Kentucky, when her father, James (b 1783 in VA, d. ?), was forty-two years old and her mother, Elizabeth Ruddle (b. 1799 in VA, d.?), was twenty-six. They married on May 28, 1816, in Woodford County, Kentucky and had five children in thirteen years with Mary being the eldest (William Ellis, b.1832 in Kentucky; Ann, b.1833 in Owen County, Kentucky; Nancy b.1834 in Kentucky and Rachel, b.1838 in Kentucky).
Mary wed Charles W Breedon (b. May 30, 1832, d. August 10, 1912) on November 25, 1852, in Scott County, Kentucky. They had seven children in thirteen years. (James W, b. October 25, 1854, Owen Breckinridge, b. March 11, 1856, Sara "Sallie" Ellen, b.June 5, 1862 and Mary, b.March 26, 1866, were all born in Scott County, Kentucky. Llewellyn, b. 1862 and Nancy S, b. May 2, 1865 were born in Kentucky but the location has not been further determined. Mary's seventh child, Kate, was born on July 13, 1868, in Owen County, Kentucky.
Mary Jane Sharp Breedon died at age seventy-five on October 2, 1900, in Scott County, Kentucky, where she was buried.
The locations of Mary's birth and the Franklin Seminary are currently unknown. AKS's attribution of the sampler being made in Franklin County, Kentucky is based on other family life events being documented in adjacent Owen, Woodford and Scott Counties. It is conceivable that there may have been a Franklin Seminary in Franklin, Simpson County, Kentucky (or elsewhere). Franklin, Simpson County, Kentucky is near the Tennessee border and Bowling Green, Kentucky, fairly distant from the remainder of the documented family life events.
Owner/History of Owner/Credit Line
Private Collector #26
AKS Catalog Number
2020-054
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