Julia Ann Smith

Julia Ann Smith was 12 years old and living in Gorham, a town about 60 miles west and south of Syracuse, New York, when she made this delightful sampler in 1819. 

Alphabets and a numerical progression are surrounded by a splendid array of pictorial vignettes including, unusually, a very detailed stagecoach pulled by a pair of white horses. The architectural depictions that Julia Ann stitched include a church and two handsome buildings along with a trade sign. The inscriptions are set within two enclosures, and, in each case, the background linen is solidly worked. 

Julia Ann was born in 1808 to Andrew and Rebecca (Phelps) Smith. Rebecca was born in New London County, Connecticut and the Phelps family had deep roots in that area. In 1830, at age 23, Julia Ann married Dr. Jonathan Pratt (1801-1880) and they remained in Gorham, which had become part of the town of Hopewell. Their two sons were born there in 1831 and 1833. Julia Ann died in 1838 and is buried in Hopewell Burying Ground. 

While researching this family, we were interested to learn that the Pratt Family Papers, dating from 1821 to 1868, are held by Syracuse University Libraries Special Collections Research Center. These papers include biographical material, correspondence, copies of speeches and legal documents from Dr. Pratt, his father, and his sons. 

The sampler was worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition with two very small holes in the linen. It has been conservation mounted and is in a maple frame.