Margaret Harry

Margaret Harry’s sampler offers much to admire. It features a wonderful house with a dependency structure, likely for the kitchen, set on a lawn with trees and a fence. Birds are perched in some of the leafy branches. The depiction of the house is very detailed with mullioned windows and transoms, green shutters and three chimneys. 

It is signed, "Margaret Harry's work made in the 12th year of her age York Pennsylvania 1827." The moralistic verse and the inscription are framed within a praiseworthy enclosure of fine flower blossoms and leaves. 

Margaret was born on July 22, 1817, to James and Lydia (Brown) Harry. She married John Dennis Truett and remained in York where they had 12 children. John was a constable, auctioneer, lumberman, hotel and tavern owner who owned many properties in York. 

Here are two photos of Margaret taken as an adult from her findagrave.com entry.

More information about the family is published in History of York County, Pennsylvania (J.H. Beers & Co, 1907) and photocopies are included in the file that accompanies this sampler. 

Worked in silk on linen, it is in excellent condition and conservation mounted into a cherry beveled frame with a maple outer bead.