Sarah Wadsworth 1836

Description

SARAH WADSWORTH 1836
A New York sampler

When Sarah Wadsworth was born on July 13, 1824, in Erie County, New York, her father, John Wadsworth and her mother, Nancy Davenport Wadsworth, were both 35 years old. In 1842 Sarah married Henry Lamb (1810-1890) in Buffalo, New York. Henry was born in Northumberland, England and died at the age of 79 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. They had four children: Ella (1851-1936), William Henry (1852-1922), George W. (1856- ?) and Lavinia (1869- ?). By 1870 Sarah and Henry had moved to Saint Paul, Minnesota. Sarah died May 20, 1896 in Saint Paul, Ramsey County, at the age of 71 and was buried there with her husband.

Sarah’s sampler came to The Scarlet Letter in its original frame, with her penmanship exercises sewn together and still attached to the reverse side of her sampler’s frame.

This rare biblical group of samplers from New York are examples of some of the longest running identifiable schools in early America, made from the 1740’s through the 1830’s. The samplers feature many variations with some of the most appealing depicting Adam and Eve beside the tree of life, full of large fruits.

The reproduction sampler stitched on 32 count linen will be nearly the same size as the original: 15-1/2″ x 16″. Stitches used are cross stitch over two threads of linen, back stitch, and a small amount of petit point (cross over one) in the lettering.

The piece is recommended for any level of skill.