Sampler

Object/Artifact

-

Saco Museum

Name/Title

Sampler

Entry/Object ID

2013.25.21

Description

Family Register Sampler made by Mary Lewis in 1807 while she attended the school of Sally Perry in Portland. Worked on unbleached linen with silk thread in cross, satin, and queen stitches. Floral border encloses the genealogy of Enoch and Esther Perry, the parents of Sally Perry, Mary's teacher. Below the family information is the inscription: Wrought by Mary Lewis in the School of SALLY PERRY PORTLAND 1807" above a floral swag. Below the inscription is a scene of several federal houses with a group of trees and animals in between two of them.

Made/Created

Artist Information

Artist

Lewis, Mary

Role

Needleworker

Date made

1807

Dimensions

Height

16-7/8 in

Width

16-1/2 in

Interpretative Labels

Label Type

Cultural/Historical Context

Label

Mary Lewis stitched a very unusual genealogical sampler at the school of Sally Perry. Rather than provide information about her own family, she chose instead to tell the story of her teacher’s family, and then gave the finished sampler to Sally Perry as a wedding gift. Nothing is known of Mary, since she provided no information to help identify her. She may have been the daughter of Ansel Lewis and Comfort Manchester of Portland, born October 29, 1797, who married Job Thomes on November 10, 1812. At least three other samplers from Perry's school are known.

Label Type

Object Label

Label

Mary Lewis (1797–?) Family register sampler, 1807 Worked at the school of Sally Perry, Portland Silk thread on linen Cross, satin, and queen stitches Gift of Sue and Dexter Pond in memory of Grace Lyman Stammers