This Twilight Tidbit showcases the work of Alexander Lucius Twilight’s wife, Mercy Ladd Merrill Twilight. We will be looking at Mrs. Twilight’s sampler she created in 1818 at the age of 13. We will also examine other samplers from the period that are currently on display at the Old Stone House Museum & Historic Village. These samplers show us the cultural influences in these girls’ lives in the Nineteenth Century.

In the Nineteenth Century, young girls often made samplers to help them learn embroidery and different sewing techniques. Mothers, teachers and other female relatives would supervise their sewing and instruct the girls. Because women did the household sewing and mending, it was important for girls to learn these skills. By creating samplers, they were able to learn different stitching techniques that would be useful for their future role in running a household. Often these samplers contained the alphabet, verses and personalized designs.

Mercy Ladd Merrill Twilight created this sampler in 1818 at the age of 13.

As you can see, Mrs. Twilight’s sampler is very simple but this was the basic blueprint of a sampler. It contains a few lines of the alphabet in different styles and a decorative border. The distinct styles of lettering show us that Mrs. Twilight was capable of multiple types of stitching techniques at the age of 13. Mrs. Twilight also signed her name and age on the sampler, which was common. Samplers were designed to be displayed in the home so it was important for the girls’ to sign their work once they finished it.

This sampler was made by an unnamed Browington girl in 1830.

Lucretia M. Moodie made this sampler in 1846 at the age of 10-years-old.

Some girls also incorporated buildings and landmarks familiar to them in their sample. The samplers by Lucretia M. Moodie and an unnamed Brownington girl contain the standard rows of the alphabet using different stitching techniques. They also include elaborate designs. Both depict a similar style building, possibly a replica of the girls’ school. The school in the unnamed Brownington girl’s sampler is believed to be the Old Stone House. The decorative borders and the pictorial scenes show us these girls were capable of complicated sewing techniques, and they also attended a school. The Brownington girl’s sampler also contains a verse. Moral and religious verses were commonly included, and they functioned to teach young girls societal expectations. The text says “Friendship is a name few conferred. The offspring of a generous mind. Gentle warmth that fills the breast. But better felt than expressed.”  In other words, the verse states friendship should be a special relationship between two people that enriches one’s life. But it also asks for control of one’s emotions—an idea that was promoted in the Victorian society of the day.

When you come to the museum, please ask us more about the role of women in the Nineteenth Century. You can also see Lucretia M. Moodie’s and the Brownington girl’s sampler on display on the first floor of the museum.