Dear Friends,
For those who care, and I am sure that many of you DO NOT CARE, let me reiterate that Ellen Webster, New Hampshire’s early quilt historian, did not travel far and wide to collect quilt patterns. In fact, contrary to the following statement that can STILL be found on the New Hampshire Historical Society’s website, Ellen Webster reproduced quilt patterns on her charts that were from quilts found in her travels to Vermont, Massachusetts and within New Hampshire.
The NHHS site says this: “She found most of the patterns in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, but also collected them during travels across the rest of New England, New York, Illinois, South Dakota, and Virginia.” The names of these states are mentioned on her charts.
At the time that Ellen Webster was collecting patterns, she was a judge at Storrowton and Eastern States Exposition and so, had access to prize-winning antique quilts from New York, Illinois, South Dakota and Virginia.
As a widow, Ellen was age 65 when she actively began making her quilt charts. Keep in mind that it was also the Great Depression, and she was caring for family members who boarded with her. She also had a heart problem and financial concerns. While she had traveled to the Holy Land and to California, in part by stagecoach, earlier in her life, she did not stray beyond New England in her later years.
I had called this error to the attention of the New Hampshire Historical Society but was told that since it had been part of a press release that already went out, the error could not be corrected.*
I guess I am just a real stickler for details. I insist on calling Ellen by her name of Ellen, and not “Emily” or “Helen” as others have falsely reported her name to be. But, my friends, the rampant errors have not ended there. To see a very “insightful” title of a talk, just visit the International Quilt Study Center, Symposium 2007, that describes a talk about Ellen Webster called: “Patterns and Insight: The Work of Emily Webster.” Very bright! Very scholarly. NOT!
I sound like a broken record…even to myself. I have tried very hard to let people know that errors have been made and have asked that they be corrected, most often to no avail. Apparently, I am the only one involved who cares about presenting the correct facts to the public. Everyone else is too busy trying to save face, or cover their own or someone else’s butt. Sad, indeed.
I am struck by the lack of scholarship or responsibility from people and institutions who are charged with presenting the truth, which should include updates to their misconceptions, as needed.
These kinds of continuing errors make me want to withdraw my financial support of certain institutions in question.
All I can say is, if you want the true facts, “Read my book!”
Amen.
*Update: As of July 6, 2010, the Assistant Director of the NH Historical Society has amended the false statement that previously appeared on their website. Wonderful!
Patricia Cummings, author of Ellen Emeline (Hardy) Webster (1867-1950): Her Amazing Quilt “Charts,” Her Writings and Her Life
Quilter’s Muse Publications
