Matilda Mary Coleman

This is a very handsome and particularly interesting sampler. It exhibits characteristics of other Philadelphia area samplers but was also a bit of a mystery. A brick house is centered within fences and small pale blue cottages with large birds perched on top. The date, 1829, is stitched just below the front door in a little rectangle in between two black dogs. The large octagonal surround contains the name of the maker and her birth date informing all that the samplermaker was 24 years old. After quite a bit of genealogical research, we feel certain that we have figured out the identity of Matilda Mary Coleman and are delighted to reunite the sampler with this information.

In April of 1805, Matilda Mary Vallette was born to Elie and Ruth (Nice) Vallette of Philadelphia. Elie Vallette (1768-1827) was one of the first commissioned American Naval chaplains. He first reported for duty on the ship, Philadelphia, in 1800. Interestingly, his ten-year-old son, Elie, accompanied him on this tour and he later became one of the first rear admirals in the navy when President Lincoln created this rank in 1862. 

At age 19, circa 1824, Matilda Mary Vallette married John Coleman (1798-1862). They lived in Philadelphia and had their first child a year later, in 1825. Several years passed before their second child was born, in 1829 or 1830. Matilda may have been a teacher making a sampler as a prototype for her students or may have been using her needleworking skills to create this sampler at home. The sampler exhibits a compelling sophistication throughout. 

Matilda and John had several more children between 1835 and 1846. She died in 1882 and notice of her passing was published in the Philadelphia Inquirer. She was buried in Monument Cemetery along with family members. 

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