Mary P. Stickney

A fine, small sampler, this is signed, “Mary P. Stickney born Feb.  22d 1812 aged 11 years.” Mary Palmer Stickney was the third child of seven born to Ebenezer and Hannah (Fitz) Stickney of Londonderry, south of Manchester, New Hampshire. The roots of both the Stickney and Fitz families extend back to the 1630s in New England and photocopies of the published genealogies are included in the file that accompanies the sampler. 

Mary remained single and is recorded in the 1860 census, living in the nearby town of Derry. Her occupation is listed as a dressmaker, not surprising given her talent as a needleworker. She died in 1899 and is buried in Forest Hill Cemetery, in East Derry. 

Mary surrounded her carefully stitched alphabets and numerical progression with a praiseworthy border. Graceful, leafy vines sprouting flower blossoms grow out of handsome, checkerboard urns, framing the composition on three sides.   

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