Hannah West Jenks

Many schoolgirls in Philadelphia and environs attended Quaker schools and produced a body of praiseworthy samplers that share highly identifiable characteristics. This large and beautifully worked sampler, made by Hannah West Jenks in 1822, is one such example. The lettering of the two stanzas of the precisely stitched Extract was accomplished in the classic Roman font favored by the Quaker schools. The large number of well-documented pictorial motifs - over 30 - can all be found on other samplers made at Friends schools. Hannah’s outstanding sampler offers much to admire in both composition and execution. 

While we don’t know the school that Hannah attended when she made this sampler, records show that she entered the acclaimed Westtown School in Chester County, Pennsylvania in June of the same year.

A great deal is known about Hannah’s family. The samplermaking tradition began with her mother, Ann West (1774-1842), whose excellent sampler made in 1787 is in the collection of the Daughters of the American Revolution Museum, Washington, D.C. Here is a link to that sampler which includes a family register listing the births of Ann’s family members. 

The Jenks and West families feature prominently in the published histories of Philadelphia and Bucks County. The Quaker records held at Swarthmore Friends Historical Library are another source of much information about the family. The file that accompanies the sampler contains a great many photocopies, including copies of the handwritten records from Friends Meetings. 

The Jenks family roots in Pennsylvania trace back to the early 18th century and include several prominent citizens. Hannah’s grandfather, Thomas Jenks (1738-1799), served in the colonial assembly in 1775 and as a member of the constitutional convention of 1790. 

Hannah was born on September 28, 1811, to Joseph Richardson Jenks (1767-1858) and Ann (West) Jenks (1774-1842). They had been married in 1809, under the care of the Philadelphia Monthly Meeting for the Northern District. When Joseph Richardson Jenks died, the Philadelphia Inquirer of June 28, 1858 published this significant notice: 

"DEATH OF AN ESTEEMED CITIZEN

We learn with regret that Joseph R. Jenks, a well known citizen of Philadelphia, and an esteemed member of the Society of Friends, departed this life on Saturday evening last, in the ninety-first year of his age. Mr. Jenks was for many years a successful merchant, was benevolent, upright and honorable, and from time to time occupied various offices of trust, the duties of which he discharged with scrupulous fidelity. He was in all the relations of life a pure hearted, high minded and honorable man."

In 1843, Hannah married a Quaker gentleman from New York, Stacy Budd Collins (1791-1873), and the description of him in a published family history indicates that he supported many causes, including the American Peace Society, the New York City Hospital and the New York Society Library.  He was very supportive of the suffrage movement and was a close friend of Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell.

Hannah and Stacy lived in New York and had two children. Hannah died in 1885 and notice of her passing was published in the New York Evening Post.

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

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