1888 Shaftsbury Signature Quilt

04/26/2024

08/14/2023

If you missed seeing the quilt at the Galusha House you have a second chance at the Left Bank on August 16th. Hope to see you there.

08/05/2023

Block 26: Mrs. Mattie Jones/Lois Jones North Adams Mass
(mother and daughter)

Lois Jones is the daughter of Martha F./Mattie (Wheelock) Jones and Arthur Herbert Jones of North Adams, Massachusetts. Lois was born 21 December 1874 in North Adams. Lois was named after her grandmother Lois (Cole) Wheelock. Lois was also, a niece of Nahum Wheelock (BLOCK 56).

The Federal Census of 1880 documents A.H. Jones (28) living on North Street in North Adams with his wife Martha F. (29) and daughters Lois (5) and Mabel (3).

When the quilt was signed in 1888 Lois was 14 years old.

The 1990 Census records Lois (25) and her husband, Robert E. Smith (30), living on Pleasant Hill in East Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania. The Census documents their marriage year as 1895.

Church records from the All Saints Episcopal Church in Leighton, Pennsylvania record Lois as having been baptized there on 2 March 1905 at the age of 30.

Through the years each Census documents only Robert and Lois. They have no children and when the Census of 1930 is recorded they are still living in East Mauch Chunk and are taking care of Robert's mother, Sophia Smith (82). Robert's occupation was listed as assistant cashier in a bank.

Lois passes first on 15 February 1945 at the age of 70 years 1 month and 25 days. Cause of death is uremia (a raised level in the blood of urea and other nitrogenous waste compounds that are normally eliminated by the kidneys), chronic myocarditis and hypertension. She was cremated in Reading, PA.

Robert dies 28 November 1950 at the age of 80 years 11 months and 23 days. His cause of death was acute cardia failure and heart disease. Robert's obituary details his passing in East Mauch Chunk, PA. He was a life long resident having been born to Samuel S and Sophie Eberle Smith on 5 December 1869. He attended Wesleyan College in Connecticut and had studied under the late President Woodrow Wilson. Robert worked in the banking industry from 31 December 1902 until 1 May 1948 when he retired from the First National Bank of Mauch Chunk. He was survived by four sisters and two brothers. He was cremated at Maple Hill Cemetery in Wilkes-Barre, PA where it is assumed he and Lois were interred.

08/05/2023

Block 26: Mrs. Mattie Jones/Lois Jones North Adams Mass
(mother and daughter)
Mrs. Mattie Jones a.k.a. Mrs. Martha (Wheelock) Jones, was born in 1851 or 1852 to Martin S. and Lois (Cole) Wheelock in Shaftsbury. Her father, Martin was the son of Nahum and Mary (Corey) Wheelock. Martha/Mattie had one brother Nahum Wheelock (BLOCK 54).
Martha (8) first appears in the Federal Census of 1860 living in Shaftsbury with her father, Martin (45), mother, Lois (40) and brother Nahum (18). Also, a Truman Anderson (18) who's occupation was laborer.
Nineteen year old Martha (19) next appears in the Federal Census of 1870 living Shaftsbury with her father Martin (56), mother, Lois (51) and brother Nahum (29). Also, in the household was Charles Becker (18), a farm laborer.
A marriage license issued in Shaftsbury documents Martha Francesca Wheelock marrying Arthur Herbert Jones on 18 December 1873 when she was 22 years old. He was a bookkeeper, the son of Charles H. and Mary (Southwick) Jones of North Adams, MA.
In 1888 when the quilt was signed, Martha/Mattie would have been about 37 years old and living in North Adams, Mass with her husband and daughter Lois, whom she named after her mother. Mattie and A.H. Jones would have been married for about 15 years. Lois, who shares this block with her mother, was born in 1875. She would have been about 13. Mattie and R.H. have a second daughter, Mabel May who was born 6 September 1889. It is noted Mabel May's parents in the North Adams, MA birth registry are listed as only Herbert and Addie (Herbert Arthur Jones and Mattie Jones).
Martha passes away in North Adams, Mass on 22 April 1890 at the age of 38 y. 10 m. 27 d., only seven months after the birth of her second daughter. Her cause of death was listed as consumption. In her will she leaves to her daughters, Lois and Mabel, two properties; her house at Number 3 Spring Street and another known as 4 Clark and Davis Block, both in North Adams, Mass. Martha leaves them her piano, and paintings to share and share alike. To her beloved husband other property and assets were left.
Nahum Wheelock's will of 1888 leaves to his sister, Martha, wife of A.H. Jones of North Adams, Mass the sum of one hundred dollars if living at the time of his demise, if not to be divided between her and her oldest children, Lois and Mabel Jones (Nahum's nieces). The will of Martha's husband notes he left his daughters all of the paintings in his possession of his first wife, Martha Wheelock Jones. He had married again to Mary Jones of Boston, MA.
This researcher was unable to locate Martha or her husband's final resting place.

08/01/2023

BLOCK 25 Myron Barton/Mrs. Myron Barton (husband and wife)

Myron Barton was the son of Hiram and Lucy (Howlett) Barton. He was born in Shaftsbury 17 April 1821. His first wife was Adaline S. (Galusha) Barton was the daughter of George and Lucy (Burnham) Galusha. Adeline was born 6 November 1825. Myron and Adeline marry 1 September 1846. They had one child, Arthur Sedgwick Barton (1848-1897). He was born 17 April 1848. Adeline passed away 1 June 1849 a little more than one year after Arthur was born. Arthur dies at the age of 47 from pneumonia.
According to the census of 1850 Abiah/Abia Fisk (18) is living with her Uncle Lemuel (50) and Aunt Abiah E. (47) Bottum. Abia (18) was the daughter of Truman and Freelove (Andrus) Fisk. Freelove (Andrus) Fisk and Abia (Andrus) Bottum (47) were sisters. Truman and Freelove had moved to Castile, New York which is about 300 miles from Shaftsbury. During the 1830's Castile grew rapidly and was famous for its Sanitarium also called the “Water Cure”. It is assumed they moved there because Abia's (18) mother, Freelove was ill. Abia (18) wanted to stay in Shaftsbury for her upcoming nuptials to Myron Barton. Also, in the 1850's census are her cousins, H. B. Bottum (22) and Edward (17). There were four hired laborers included in the count as Lemuel's large farm required much help.
On 10 September 1850 Abi E. Fisk marries Myron Barton. It is assumed she helps raise Myron's son, Arthur. She and Myron have two children together; Alice May (Barton) Bottum (1857-1922) and Mary/May Parks (Barton) Huntington (1867-1940).
The Federal Census of 1870 records Myron (49) living in Shaftsbury with his wife Eliza AKA Abia Elizabeth Barton (38) and three children; Arthur (22), Alice (13) and Mary (3). Also, in the household are Helen Turner (23), a domestic servant, and John Quinn (16), a farm laborer.
The Census of 1880 reports Myron (59) and Abi E. (47) are taking care of Myron's father, Hiram (85). Their oldest daughter May P. Barton is 12. May P. shares (BLOCK 17) with her Grand Aunt Mrs. Abia Bottum. May P. eventually marries John Huntington (BLOCK 31).
When the quilt was signed in1888 Abia would have been 56 and Myron were married for 38 years.
By the Census of 1900 Myron (79) and Aba (67) were raising their grandchildren Eliza A. Barton (23) and Arthur M. Barton (12), children of Arthur S. and Emma (Hawkins) Barton. Arthur S. died in 1897 and Emma lives to the age of 62. It unknown why her children did not stay with her after Arthur's death. She and Arthur are buried together in Center Shaftsbury Cemetery.
Myron Barton died 30 June 1903 from a Cerebral Tumor. He was 82 years old. Abia died 24 September 1912 of Apoplexy (sudden loss of consciousness from a ruptured blood vessel causing lack of oxygen lack to the brain, now commonly referred to as a stroke) at the age of 80 years, 3 months and 15 days.
Both Myron, Adaline S., and Abi are buried in Center Shaftsbury Cemetery. Their three children are also in Center Shaftsbury but in different plots with their own spouses and children.
_____________________________________________________________
Please review BLOCK 17 for the biography of Mrs. Abiah Bottum. That biography includes a brief history of the the family name of “Abiah/Abia”. It appears to be a well loved, respected and often used in the lineage of the Andrus/Andrews family. One of the first “Abiah's” was born in Tisbury, Massachusetts 22 September 1693.

This group focuses on the genealogical history of the quilts signers.

Signers’ histories were researched using Ancestry.com, Find-a-Grave.com, and Newspapers.com.

07/25/2023

BLOCK 24: W. S. Rhoades/ Maud D. Wilkins

This researcher was able to find a headstone for a W. S. Rhoades (1866-1919), who is buried in White Chapel Cemetery, Bennington, Vermont. Others in the same plot are: Wm. Goodamote (1862- ____) and his wife Lydia Mattison (1861- _____). If this is the W. S Rhodes whose name appears on the quilt he would have been 22 years old in 1888. He moved from Shaftsbury to Kansas the following year.
An obituary found in the Roseville Reporter (Roseville, Kansas) printed on 27 March 1919 records the death of Scott Rhoades (Winfield Scott Rhoades). He died in a hospital in Roseville and his body was shipped to his half-brother, Mr. Goodamote, in Bennington for burial. Winfield, who seemed to prefer using his middle name, had lived in Roseville for 30 year. He was a farmer on the Mulvane Ranch. There are no records indicating he had a wife or children.
A Federal Census of 1910 documents Scott (45) as being a farmer living in Roseville. At that time he was single.
His half-brother William Valentine Goodamote was the son of Valentine and Adelaide (Cross) Goodamote. He was born in New York 28 March 1862 and passed 19 April 1928. According to his obituary he came to live in Shaftsbury when he was about 13 year old. He was a Teamster and worked for Henry M. Tuttle Co. He married Lizzie (Lydia) Matteson in White Creek, New York. They had no children, which is most likely why their dates of death were never placed on their headstone.
Other than stated In Winfield Scott Rhoades' obituary that he and William Goodamote were half-brothers there are no records indicating William's mother, Adelaide (Cross) Goodamote was ever married to a man named Rhoades.

07/25/2023

BLOCK 24: W. S. Rhodes/Maud D. Wilkins
� Maud D. Wilkins' life is recorded in Newspaper announcements from the various social events she attended. The first notice was on 28 September 1892 when she left her home in Bethel, VT to go to Bishop Hopkins Hall which was a finishing school at Rockpoint Farms in Burlington, VT. 28 December 1892 she returned from school to her home in Bethel, VT. On 28 March 1894 the Burlington Free Press states “Miss Maud Wilkins is home from Bishop Hopkins Hall on a vacation. Miss Gratia Wilkins is also home from Saratoga Springs, N.Y.” In doing research on Gratia I. Wilkins (Block 27) it is apparent they are sisters; the daughter of Rev. G.A. and his second wife Mary M (Mack) Wilkins (Block 20). Maud was born about 1878. When the quilt was signed she would have been 10 year old.
Maud graduates from Bishop Hopkins Hall 15 January 1894 with a 96.3 average. On 10 July 1895 she returned from Isle La Motte. 14 June 1901 she is in West Lebanon, N.H. visiting Miss Annie M. Batchelder. 6 August 1902 she and Mrs. F. B. Ball of Brooklyn, N.Y., who was possibly a cousin, were visiting the family of the Rev. G.A. Wilkins in West Lebanon, VT. Word of her wedding appears 10 January 1903 in the Burlington Free Press. “Announcement is made of the marriage of Miss Maud Wilkins to Edward Brown Wardle at Brooklyn, N. Y. Christmas Eve. Mrs. Wardle is the daughter of the Rev. George A. Wilkins, formerly rector of the Episcopal Church in Bethel, VT and was formerly a scholar in the Bethel High School and at Bishop Hall at Burlington.” Maud and Edward's marriage on 24 December 1902 is recorded in the N.Y. U.S. Extracted Marriage Index, 1866-1937. According to the Federal Census of 1875 Edward Wardle was the son of Joshua and Annie W. Wardle of N. Smithfield, Rhode Island. He was a graduate of Dartmouth College, New Hampshire class of 1899, majoring in engineering.
The 1910 Federal Census records them as living in Essex, N.J. Edward (35) is a civil engineer. Maud (31) was home with their children Gratia (5) and Harry (0) months. In the household was her mother Mary Wilkins (76). Maud's father, Rev. George A. Wilkins had died 18 April 1907. This census states her mother was born in England so this is definitely not the Mary Wilkins on Blocks 1 & 20. Maud names her daughter Gratia after he sister Gratia Wilkins (Block 27).
Maud's husband registers for the WWI draft on 2 October 1918. They were living in Grand Mere, Quebec, Canada at the time. He was 44 years old and described as being slender with medium height and build. He had blue eyes and brown hair.
The census of 1921 documents Edward (48) and Maud (43) and their three children still in Grand Mere, Canada. The children are Gratia (17), Harry (11), and Rosemary (8). Edward's father, Joseph (77) lives with them and there is no mention of Maud's mother. They have a servant and gardienne (nanny).
Edward dies first on 11 July 1951 at the age of 77. He died from metastatic cancer, was cremated and buried in the Wardle family plot in Slater Cemetery at North Smithfield, R.I.. Maud dies two months after his passing on 29 September 1951 in Queens, N. Y. at the home of her daughter Gratia (Mrs. Phillips Wood). She is buried in Hartford Cemetery in Hartford, VT. The death year on her headstone is incorrect. Perhaps a descendant knows why she was not buried with her husband.

06/28/2023

BLOCK 23: Barney Dolan/ Mrs. Barney Dolan (husband and wife)
A Bernard Dolan age 22, who was born about 1828, leaves Liverpool, England and arrives in New York City 29 June 1850 on the ship “Columbus”. A Betsey Dolan born about 1830 leaves from Liverpool, England and arrives in New York City on 8 April 1850 on the ship “George Washington”. __________________________________________________________
*In the 1850s, New York City and state officials pooled their efforts to create a more protective landing experience. Their solution was the country’s first immigration station: the Emigrant Landing Depot at Castle Garden. At the time, Castle Garden was already a local landmark. Originally a military fort on an artificial island, the city had filled in land to connect it to Manhattan and turned the old fort into a theater and restaurant complex. Castle Garden opened to immigrants in 1855 on the eve of a dramatic wave of European immigration. During the next 35 years, more than 8 million people passed through Castle Garden, especially from Germany and Ireland, and later from Italy and Eastern Europe. The place was a cultural cacophony. According to the New York Historical Society, Yiddish immigrants coined the term “Kesselgarden”from their experience here, meaning “any space that was noisy, chaotic, and confusing.” ________________________________________________________________________________
If these are the Mr. & Mrs. Barney Dolans, whose names appear on the quilt, they would be about 60 and 61 when the quilt was signed. There is a record of another Betsey Dolan, born about 1827 (age 19) who arrived in Boston four years before Bernard. It is unlike this is the Betsey whose name is on the quilt. This researcher hopes descendants of the Dolans will confirm the couple who arrived in 1850 are the husband and wife living in Shaftsbury in 1888.
They first appear together in the Federal Census of 1870 as residents of Shaftsbury. Both of them were born in Ireland. Barney's occupation was recorded as laborer. He was 52 and she was 54. They have four children; Joseph (17), b.+/-1853, Mary (16) b. +/- 1854, Celia (14) b. +/- 1856 and Kate (11) b. +/- 1859. There are no birth certificates for any of the children in Shaftsbury's records.
In the 1880 census Barney (52) is listed as farmer and Betsey (54) as his wife. Their daughter Celia married Joseph Green and live with Barney and Betsey. Unfortunately Celia dies from consumption 15 October 1880 at the age of 24. In looking at the quilt and the censuses many of their neighbors' names appear on it.
Barney died intestate on 11 July 1898 at the age of 70-71, about six months after the quilt was signed. He left no will but Betsey and Kate A. Dolan petition their interest in his estate valued at $15.00. Betsey makes her “mark” X on the document and the mark is witnessed in the presence of H. Merle Bottom, Shaftsbury Town Clerk.
The Federal Census of 1900 records Betsey (75) and her daughter Kate (42) as living in a house on Division Street in Bennington. She had been living in the US for 50 years. Betsey died in Bennington 11 March 1905 at the age of 77-78, about 17 years after the quilt was signed, from lobar pneumonia. Both she and Barney are buried in the Old Catholic Cemetery in Old Bennington.

06/25/2023

Block 22: Isaiah Bates/Emma Bates (Father and Daughter)

According to her birth certificate Emma Caroline Bates was born 19 February 1848 to Isaiah and Dametta (Dudley) Bates. The Census of 1850 records Emma (2) living in Shaftsbury with her grandmother, Elizabeth Bates (73), her father, Isiah (33), mother Dianthia (27) and siblings Elizabeth and an infant (0). Also, in household was Micael Redington, a 22 year old laborer from Ireland.
The census of 1870 documents Emma (22) still living with her parents Isiah/Isaiah (53), Dayetta (47) and siblings: Elizabeth (25), Myron (17) and Frank (5). The same Census of 1870 documents her future husband, George Washington Cunningham (32) living in Newell, Illinois with his first wife Holly (33) and their five children: George (9), John (7), Ettie (5), Monroe (3) and Emmerilla (4 months). G.W. is a farmer. There are two other people in the household, John Taylor (15) and Mary Fuget (16), a domestic servant
According to George W. Cunningham's service record he enlisted in the Union Army on 10 August 1862. He was a Corporal in the Illinois, Company B, 125th Infantry Unit. He was severely wounded on 27 June 1864 at Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia and had his left arm amputated. He was mustered out of the service as a Sergeant on 10 December 1864
George Washington Cunningham's first wife, Holly passes 5 January 1874 at the age of 37. She is buried in Leonard Cemetery in Danville, Illinois with G.W. and several of their children.
When the quilt was signed in 1888 Emma was 40 years old. G. W. was 50. The quilt block says Emma was from Danville, Illinois so she was either in Shaftsbury in 1888 for a visit, or her father purchased the square for her and added her address. This researcher was unable to find a marriage license for Emma and G.W. or a death certificate for him. A photo of them and four of G.W.'s children was found on Ancestry.com. It was posted by one of his descendants.
It is unknown how G.W. and Emma met. What is known from her obituary is that after George W. died on 23 November 1910, Emma returned to Vermont to live with her brother Myron in Landgrove and collected G.W.'s military pension.
Emma died 5 May 1918 at the age of 70. Her obituary states she lived in Shaftsbury for 30 years and then moved to Bismark, Illinois to marry George Washington Cunningham. It was her first marriage but, his second. He and Emma and had no children together. She is buried in New Landgrove Cemetery in North Landgrove, VT with her brother Mryron and his family.

06/25/2023

BLOCK 21: Mrs. Gilbert Frisbie/Gilbert Frisbie (husband and wife)

Mrs. Gilbert Frisbie's maiden name was Margaret Taber. Her parents were Stephen and Sarah (Allen) Taber. She was born in White Creek, New York on 9 March 1842.
Gilbert Joseph was the son of Joseph and Patience (Allen) Frisbie. He was born in Westford, Vermont 5 May 1842. Both Margaret and Gilbert were 46 years old when the quilt was signed.
The Vermont census of 1850 documents Gilbert (9) living in Westford, Vermont with his parents Joseph (51) and Patience (28) Frisbee, and siblings Zara (16), Sarah A. (14), Allen (10), John (6) and Abenzo (Alonzo), who was less than one month old.
The New York census of 1855 shows Margaret (13) living in White Creek. N.Y. with her Uncle, William Taber (56), and her parents Stephen (brother of William) and mother Sarah Taber, both 53. Margaret's siblings were Elizabeth (18), Hugh (16), William (15) and Sarah J. (10). The family unit had three servants at the time. Electa Barnes (54), Electa Martindale (49) and Desire Martindale (42).
When the 1860 Census was taken Gilbert (18) and his family were still in Westford. His father Joseph was 68, his mother Patience was 48 and he had three siblings: John (16), Alonzo (11) and six year old Charles.
When Gilbert was 21 he was drafted into the Civil War May 1863 as a Class I (persons who served for military duty over the age of 20 and under 35) He was single. He was called up from the counties of Chittenden, Orleans, Franklin, Essex Lamoille and Grand Isle, Vermont. The Provost Marshall was R. Gleason. His occupation was farmer and he was assigned to 3rd Headquarters Congr. District of Vermont. This document was signed June 22, 1863.
By the time the 1880 Census was taken Gilbert J. (38) and Margaret (37) were married and living in Shaftsbury with their two children. Edith L. (8) and Frances (4 1/2). Gilbert's occupation was listed as Merchant.
Gilbert passes first on 1 August 1908 at the age of 66 from heart disease. Margaret lived to be 96 and died 5 January 1939 from hyper-static pneumonia and senility. The information on her death certificate was provided by their daughter Edith's husband, George Galusha, a son of Augustus and Polly Galusha (BLOCK #10). Margaret's obituary records her religion as Quaker and her personality as “always cheery looking on the bright side of everything, always a good word for everyone.”
Gilbert, Margaret, and their daughter Edith and her husband George Galusha are buried in Center Shaftsbury Cemetery.

06/19/2023

BLOCK 20: Mary M. Wilkins/ G.A. Wilkins

Please read Mary M. Wilkins biography found on BLOCK 1. She was the mother of George Arnold Wilkins on this block, as well as the grandmother of Gratia Wilkins and Georgie W. Wilkins BLOCK 27.

Two other sons are mentioned in these biographies, Bryon and John Riley Wilkins.

Two pages from the Last Will and Testament of Seymour Wilkins, son of Mary M. and Selah Wilkins helps to further explain the relationships between brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews.