Alice G. Updike

Signed, “Alice G. Updike Her Sampler Made In The Fourteenth Year Of Her Age February th6 1820,” this sampler displays particularly fine needlework along with a highly appealing five-line verse. The band of needlework along the bottom, solidly worked in the queen’s-stitch, is quite an accomplishment. Interestingly, we owned another very fine sampler made in East Greenwich that exhibits the same band; these two samplers were no doubt worked under the instruction of the same talented instructress. 

Alice was the daughter of Daniel and Adolissa (Arnold) Updike. The Updike family is one of the oldest and most prominent in Rhode Island. Much has been published about the family’s history, beginning with Gijsbert Op Dyck / Updike who was born in 1605 in Germany and emigrated to Rhode Island. Alice’s great-grandfather, Daniel Updike (1693-1757) was Attorney General of the Rhode Island colony from 1722 to 1732. Her father, Daniel Updike (1761-1842) also served as Attorney General. Alice remained single and, with two of her siblings, ran the Updike Hotel on Main Street in East Greenwich. She died in 1895 and is buried along with many family members in East Greenwich Cemetery. A substantial file of family history accompanies the sampler. 

The sampler was worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition. It has been conservation mounted and is in a cherry frame with a maple bead.