Sampler

Object/Artifact

-

Saco Museum

Name/Title

Sampler

Entry/Object ID

2013.30.1

Description

Family register sampler worked by Deborah Gordon on unbleached linen with silk thread in cross, satin, queen, and outline stitches. The rose border is worked in queen stitch; an inner border surrounding the genealogy is worked in pale yellow thread in satin stitch. The register includes immediate family genealogy with the birth dates of eight children. The lower half, is inscribed "AET 18 Years Portland dec 1804." Either side has a framed memorial urn with colors brown, teal, white, yellow, and green with slight fading. The family register reads: "The GENEALOGY of Nathaniel and Hannah GorXX Nathaniel Gordon born Mu 1760 Hannah Gordon born Jul 12 1762 Joshua Gordon born Jun 5 1784 Deborah Gordon born Jul 8 1786 Huldah Gordon born Mar 5 1789 Morgan Gordon born May 8 1788 William Gordon born Jan 9 1789 Nathaniel Gordon Jun born Nov 178" The verse reads: "May we from angels learn to sing Then mount aloft on cherubs win[gs] The song of high seraphic strains And soar to worlds that cease from pain" Inscription: "Deborah Gordon Age 18 years Portland Dec 30 1804"

Made/Created

Artist Information

Artist

Gordon, Deborah

Role

Needleworker

Date made

1804

Dimensions

Height

20-1/2 in

Width

18 in

Interpretative Labels

Label Type

Cultural/Historical Context

Label

Deborah Gordon’s genealogical sampler currently represents the earliest known one from a rather large group of Portland-made work. Deborah was the daughter of Hannah Fisher and Nathaniel Gordon. In early 1810, Deborah married Peter Thacher of Gorham. Peter’s mother, Aphia Mayo, was Simeon Mayo’s sister and therefore also the aunt of the Misses Mayo, who later ran a Portland academy. On December 10, 1810, Deborah died; her husband died several months later. Deborah’s nieces Margaret, Susan, Huldah, and her namesake, Deborah Gordon, all daughters of her eldest brother, Joshua, attended the Misses Martin’s School for Young Ladies as day students.

Label Type

Object Label

Label

Deborah Gordon (1786–1810) Family register sampler, 1804 Probably worked at the school of Rachel Hall Neal, Portland Silk thread on linen Cross, satin, queen, and outline stitches Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Larkin