Ann Sherman 1830

Description

A New Jersey sampler, made in 1830

Ann Sherman’s sampler exhibits several motifs distinctive to Quaker samplers, and, indeed, genealogical research done by Barbara Randau has revealed the Quaker connection. Ann was born around 1818 in Monmouth County, New Jersey, to Thomas and Sarah Sherman (nee Cook). These are the initials stitched in the uppermost cartouche, which reads The Happy Union T & SS. Ann would have been about twelve years old when she stitched this sampler. She married George Douglas Tallman in New Jersey around 1835. Together they had seven children. four boys and three girls. She died in 1878 and was buried in Fairview Cemetery in Middleton County, New Jersey. The Quaker connection goes back to her great-great-great grandfather, Philip Sherman, the immigrant ancestor who came to America from England in 1633, settling first in Rosbury, then removing to Portsmouth, Rhode Island, in 1638, becoming the First Secretary of Rhode Island about 1648/ Philip Sherman’s grandson, Thomas, moved to Massachusetts, thence Thomas’s son (Thomas, Junior) moved to Monmouth County, NJ, where he died and was buried at the Quaker cemetery in Manasquan County. Ann’s original sampler, pictured here, is in remarkably good condition. It is now in a private collection.