Eliza Wake

A fine sampler featuring a delightful pictorial scene, this is signed, “Eliza Wake’s Work Aged 9 Years New York.” The large house is shown with details that include two chimneys, dormer windows and an arch-top doorway. Birds and a running deer provide animation and a small cottage on a hill complete the scene. The verse, entitled, “Friendship,” was published as early as 1775 in London and republished many times after that. 

Eliza was born on November 7, 1810, to Peter Wake, a native of England, and his wife, Elizabeth (Hatfield) Wake of Elizabeth, New Jersey. Published information states that Peter was a businessman in New York and although the family maintained ties to New Jersey, we can see that Eliza attended school and worked her sampler in New York. 

In 1839, Eliza married Dr. William H. Day (1810- 1876) at Trinity Church in New York. He was a prominent physician in Bergen County, New Jersey. History of Bergen and Passaic Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Prominent Men (Everts & Peck, Philadelphia, 1882) includes a wonderful section about Dr. Day, “whose clear mind, excellent judgment in the diagnosis of the complicated cases of disease, and devotion to those whose lives were entrusted to his care made him esteemed by all who knew him, not only in the discharge of his professional duties but as a citizen of the community. He was never known to refuse to respond to a professional call, whether coming from the poor or those in opulence, and his services were given with the same anxiety and care to those from whom he could not possibly expect remuneration as to those whose abundance would be no sacrifice to meet his regular fee.” 

Eliza and William had one child, Anna Blanchard Day, born in 1842. Eliza died at age 94 in 1905 and is buried in Ridgefield Cemetery in Ridgefield, New Jersey. 

The sampler was worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition. It has been conservation mounted and is in a molded, black painted frame.

photo of reverse