In its upper half the sampler has seven rows of alphabets and numbers separated by simple crossbands. Immediately below is a grouping of flowering potted plants and birds. Below is the difficult to read verse, a variant of the King James Version of Psalm 84:1, (“How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts!”),and the signature line. These read:

oh how amiable are thy
dwellings thou Lord of hosts

Mary Ann Burland
Sampler July 10 1857 ABC

Mary Ann (Polly) Callender Burland was born on September 5, 1852 in Verona, Boone County, Kentucky to John Burland (1822-?) and Julia Macke (1824-?). John and Julia were both born in Ireland. John departed from Liverpool, England arrived in the New York harbor on January 8, 1841 aboard the ship, “George Washington”. Julia was living in Kentucky by 1850 and she and John were married in Kentucky in 1849. Mary Ann had at least seven siblings including Catherine (1848-?), William R. (1850-1934), Anna Stacia (1854-1929), John A. (1857-?), Elizabeth (1858-1907), Margaret (1860-?), and Sarah (1863-?).
Mary Ann married John P. (“Cheeky”) Maurer, (1855-1913), a Covington harness maker, in 1871 in Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky where they subsequently took up residence. Their offspring included Katherine (Katie) Mary (1873-1931), Julia Mae (1875-1897), John Frederick (1877-1878), Mary Elizabeth (Bessie) (1878-1900), Emily (Emma) Loretta (1881-1881), Roy Vincent (1891-1942), and possibly another daughter named Alberta.

By 1930 Mary Ann had removed to Lockland, Hamilton County, Ohio.

Mary Ann (Polly) Callender Burland Maurer died on July 2, 1939 in Wyoming, Hamilton County, Ohio while living with her daughter Katherine Mary Burland Burke and family. Mary Ann was buried on July 5, 1939 in Fort Mitchell, Kenton County, Kentucky, at Saint Mary’s Cemetery with her husband, as well as several of her siblings and children. Mary Ann’s grave stone is marked with her cemetery location- “Lot 28 Sec 6”. (See ancillary images.)