Sampler by Parthenia Browne Davis

Dateca. 1834

Maker Parthenia Browne Davis (American, born 1824)

OriginAmerica, Ohio, Greene County (probably)

MediumSilk embroidery threads on a linen ground of 30 x 32 threads per inch (fiber identification by Textile Lab) Wood frame and glass

DimensionsActual: OH 8 1/2 " x OW 9 1/2" Framed: OH 10 6/8" x OW 12 1/8"

Credit LineGift of Gordon and Kim Ivey

Object number2004-141,A&B

DescriptionThis is a framed small needlework sampler worked in brown, green, red, pale gold, and cream silk embroidery threads on a natural color linen ground. From the top the sampler consists of:
"A-I" "K-Q" upper case block worked in cross stitch over two threads
Band of cross stitch
"R-Z" upper case block "1-7" worked in cross stitch over two threads
Band of cross stitch
"A-O" upper case block worked in four-sided stitch
Band of stitch
"[P]Q-Z" upper case block "1-3" worked in four-sided stitch
Band of cross stitch
"a-i" "k-x" lower case block worked in four-sided stitch
Band of cross stitch
"A-O" upper case block worked in cross stitch
Band of cross stitch
"A-I" upper case block worked in eyelet stitch
Band of eyelet stitch
The bottom fourth of sampler is divided in half with a column of eyelet stitches. In the left section is the signature: "Parthenia Bro/wne Davis/ aged 10 years/ 12345678910." In the right section is the verse: "The Lord Is/ my shepard [sic] I P [sic]/ shall not want." Below this is an undulating band of eyelet stitch.
Three edges of this sampler are raw, indicating that this is a sampler fragment.

Stitches: cross over one and two, four-sided, eyelet
Label TextThis small alphabet sampler was worked by Parthenia Browne Davis, great granddaughter of Peter Pelham, an organist working in Williamsburg, Virginia, during the 18th century. Parthenia was named for her grandmother, Parthenia Browne Pelham, the wife of Peter Pelham Jr. Peter Pelham, Jr. and his family moved to Greene County, Ohio in 1781. Parthenia Brown Davis presumably worked this sampler in Greene County.
Inscribed"The Lord Is/ my shepard [sic] I P [sic]/ shall not want"
ProvenanceThis sampler was sold by Jonas Thompson on eBay August 19, 2004, and purchased by Kim and Gordon Ivey as a gift to the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.

History of Maker:
This small alphabet sampler was worked by Parthenia Browne Davis, great granddaughter of Peter Pelham, an organist working in Williamsburg, Virginia, during the 18th century. Parthenia Browne Davis was the sixth child of Thomas Davis and Caroline Pelham. Named for her grandmother, Parthenia Browne Pelham, she was born on July 20, 1824 in Green County, Ohio. The sampler descended through the family of Parthenia's younger sister, Elizabeth Heath Davis (b. 1836) to Elizabeth's son Hugh Hale Ewing (b. 1867) to his daughter Katherine Ewing Gardner (b. 1898) to the last owner Katherine Ann Gardner (b. 1939).