Notes
These embroidery scissors are part of a sewing kit that belonged to Margaret Henry Gammon (1898–1985), a descendant of Patrick Henry through Henry’s son, John Henry (1796–1868).
The scissors and kit were given to the donor, Jane Gammon Shore (1942–living), along with a handwritten note from Margaret Henry Gammon stating that she was gifting her a sewing kit with a golden thimble. Margaret Henry Gammon writes that the thimble belonged to Margaret Anne Henry Miller (1827–1881).
Made of molded steel, the scissors feature an elegant swirl and floral motif. Because they are molded steel, they were likely produced after 1840, when hand-forged production gave way to industrialized manufacturing methods. Early American scissor manufacturing was centered in Naugatuck Valley, Connecticut; Newark, New Jersey; and Fremont, Ohio, and was primarily the result of generations of cutlery manufacturers who immigrated from England and Germany. These scissors closely resemble examples made by the American Engineering Co. and Wilsa Manufacturing Company, as seen in a circa 1921 advertisement, suggesting they were likely produced in the early 20th century.
These scissors were gifted to the Patrick Henry Memorial Foundation on October 23, 2024, by Jane Gammon Shore, a descendant of Patrick Henry, through his youngest son, John Henry (1796–1868). She descends through John’s daughter, Margaret Ann Henry Miller (1827–1881), through Margaret’s daughter, Rose Cabell Miller Gammon (1868–1954), and finally to Rose’s son, Dr. William Miller Gammon (1900–1970). Jane Gammon Shore is the daughter of Dr. William Miller Gammon.