 |
| Cousins, Shirley Jean and Beatrice, on July 6, 2010 |
On the day of that visit, I had no plans to create this website yet. I think those plans began to develop in my mind as I looked at the women's signatures and handiwork on the quilt. Some of these women were relatives of ours, but not all of them. Others were neighbors and fellow church members of Mount Zion Missionary Baptist, part of the McCracken Community of Christian County, Missouri. Looking at the names on this quilt filled my mind with questions. Who were these women? What were their lives like? How were they connected to one another? What were those days like? My heart, too, was filled. It was filled with the overpowering sense of responsibility that came to me as the current keeper of the quilt. I got the feeling that my life had been joined with those of these women from 1937 Christian County.
I have a part. In my imagination, my hands have joined with theirs in a circle around the quilt. I can be one of the co-storytellers, along with my mom, Shirley Jean, my other living relatives, and others whose ancestors helped in creating this wonderful piece of art and history!
 |
Three generations: Beatrice (mother), Judy (my sister), and Jamie (my niece)
|
Mary! How exciting that you have this quilt and can use it to bring people together and share a rich history.
ReplyDeleteAs I read your post all I could keep thinking about was the Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco. I'm sure you have read it, but it is just like your families quilt. It would be so neat to read that with your students and then bring in your quilt. Then even have your class make a "paper" version of a quilt sharing facts about their families histories.
As I read I had a few questions about the quilt... which might have been answered in other posts....but... each time someone got the quilt were they required to add a square and a signature?? Have you been able to locate and start talking to women who were part of this quilt outside of your relatives??
Lindsey, those are great classroom ideas and very good questions! The quilt was completely done in the 1930s, sometime around 1937. One of the women put the date '37 on her square, so that is a piece of evidence I am using to date the quilt. I believe the quilt was initially made as a present to Julia Marcy Boatwright's daughter, Lucille. I need to interview my cousin, Shirley, again to clarify. Lucille later passed it down to Shirley and Shirley handed it down to me. The quilt was never added to after the 1930s. I just feel that my part in blogging and documenting the quilt is like participating with those women from the 1930s.
ReplyDeleteI'm in the process of trying to contact descendants of the other women who were part of this outside my relatives. So far, it looks like most of the women have passed away, so I would be talking to their children or grandchildren. The entry for Lena Garrison Farthing was done with help from some of her descendants. They contributed some photos.
Wow, Mary this is so incredible! My mom quilts and I know how special her quilts are to me so I can't imagine how neat it feels to have such a honoring quilt in your hands. I love how you will be researching and documenting it to see exactly who all of the woman were that helped create it. It makes me think of a family tree. This is such a keepsake and what a great idea to document it all in your blog!
ReplyDeleteI was drawn to reading your blog not necessarily because of the quilt part of it but because of the history of the quilt. What a special feeling that you must have to have something to tend to that is so much a woven part of your families past. I love Lindsay idea of using your quilt as a model or as a culminating piece to a student paper quilt assignment. The art and research that goes into making a quilt, real or paper is beneficial to all involved. I look forward to following your blogs in the future.
ReplyDelete