(left) Susan Denny Dysart, with her husband Robert S. Montgomery(right) Esther Elizabeth Clinton Dysart
The Dysart sisters of Palmetto, Marshall Co., produced three samplers between them. Susan Denny Dysart (1831-1881), the elder, worked a remarkable piece in 1847, at the age of 16. The large building motif on Susan's sampler may be Solomon's Temple. It is also found on Minerva Ann Elam's sampler of 1831 (TSS 004). Susan's first sampler, like her second and like her sister's, is still in the original frame. The initials A.R.E. are worked at the end of her row of numbers; perhaps they indicate her teacher.
1847 Susan Denny DysartPalmetto, Marshall Co.
silk and wool on 24 ct. learning canvas
25 1⁄4"V x 23 1⁄4"H © TSS 170
silk and wool on 24 ct. learning canvas
25 1⁄4"V x 23 1⁄4"H © TSS 170
Susan's second sampler of 1851 is smaller and less complex. Worked on an unusual blue-gray perforated paper, the motto, border, and motifs features cross, cross over one, half-cross, rice, and satin stitches.
1851 Susan Denny DysartPalmetto, Marshall Co.
silk and wool on 20 ct. perforated paper
9 1⁄4"V x 11 1⁄4"H © TSS 170
Esther Elizabeth Clinton Dysart (1836-1878), known as Clinton, also finished a sampler in 1851. The two sisters probably worked their samplers together, sharing materials and motifs. Clinton suffered from epilepsy and Susan cared for her younger sister until Clinton's death. According to the family, Clinton had a seizure, fell into the fireplace, and later died from her injuries.
1851 Esther Elizabeth Clinton Dysartsilk and wool on 24 ct. wool/cotton blend
Palmetto, Marshall Co.
21 1⁄2"V x 23 1⁄4"H © TSS 172
8 comments:
What beautiful samplers and such a tragic story. I am always so excited to see a post from you!
What a treat to see you had a new post!..I'm from Tennessee and love any history from my home state...
Thanks for the comments. I am trying to blog more often. I have enough stories to share--it's just making the time to write them up and format the images!
I have two more sets of sisters and a mother-daughter pairing I'd like to write about.
Are these Dysarts related to the Ohio Dysarts from whom the Ohio University's Dysart Woods nature preserve takes its name?
Trillium, I'm sorry I didn't respond to your question sooner. I just saw your comment today. I am not certain if there is a connection to any Ohio Dysarts. This family was in TN fairly early. My colleague, Janet, is the genealogist, and I will let her know that there may be an OH branch of the family. We normally only document the stitchers' parents, husbands, and children, since we are currently researching over 200 young women and any more exploration would mean our work would never be done!
Thank you so much for sharing this. I am a distant relative of the Dysart's and I didn't have any knowledge of this. I immediately added it to my genealogy.
Teresa
Teresa, I'm glad that you made the connection to your family history!
I absolutely love the first and third samplers on this post. I love those birds!
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