Hannah Pharo

While large, fully-developed family record samplers were frequently made in New England, few were made in the Mid-Atlantic states. Even less commonly found are family record samplers documenting Quaker families, however this is precisely that: an elaborate, pictorial family record sampler with a wonderful house and lawn scene, listing the vital information of the family of Samuel and Phebe (Collins) Pharo.

This prominent Quaker family belonged to the Little Egg Harbor Monthly Meeting, which was established on the mainland across from Long Beach Island, New Jersey, in 1704. All of the dates on the sampler are phrased in the traditional Quaker fashion (“born the 25th of the 2nd month”), and the motif below Hannah’s name is a classic Quaker sampler design.

Born in 1809, Hannah was the second of nine children. Her sampler was likely made after the birth of her youngest sibling in 1827. Interestingly, Hannah attended the Westtown School, the highly regarded Quaker school in Chester County, Pennsylvania, for several months in 1827. She would have learned needleworking skills at Westtown, however, it isn’t likely that she made this sampler while there. 

Hannah may have attended the school that the Little Egg Harbor Meeting built and which was operating on and off, in 1830, according to Quaker Education in the Colony and State of New Jersey by Thomas Woody, published in 1923.

The Pharo family in America began with James Pharo of Lincolnshire, England who sailed on the ship “Shields” in 1678. James was a surveyor for William Penn and the family settled in Burlington, New Jersey; Hannah was born six generations later.

In 1833, she married Henry Leeds at the Little Egg Harbor Meeting and, remarkably, the original parchment marriage certificate accompanies the sampler. Family and friends who attend Quaker marriage ceremonies each sign the actual certificate and this document includes the signatures of the 34 people in attendance, members of the Pharo, Collins, Leeds and other families.

Hannah and Henry’s son, Samuel Pharo Leeds married Sarah West Clement, a descendant of the famed Philadelphia artist, Benjamin West (1738-1820). Hannah Pharo Leeds died in 1840.

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