Images(5)

Sampler by Mercy Beal

Date1796

Maker Mercy Beal (1779 - 1854)

OriginAmerica, Virginia, Frederick County or Loudoun County or Alexandria (probably)

MediumSilk embroidery threads on a linen ground of 47 x 48 threads per inch Linen warp and cotton weft tabby-weave tape at top and right side; cotton warp and weft tabby-weave tape at bottom (fiber identification by Textile Lab) Frame: Painted black wood with gilding; cardboard backing

DimensionsOH: 18 in.; OW: 12 1/2 in.

Credit LineGift of Michael and Joyce Kunstadt

Object number2017-281,A&B

DescriptionThis is a rectangular needlework band sampler worked in shades of pink, green, black, gold, yellow, blue, cream, and maroon silk embroidery threads on a natural color ground. Sampler has a tabby weave tape at top, bottom, and right side. From the top the sampler consists of:
“A-H” “K-M” uppercase block worked in cross stitch
Sawtooth band in satin stitch
[?] “O-S” [T] “U-Z” uppercase block in cross
Band consisting of a single row of chain stitch
Small decorative band in cross stitch
Sawtooth band in satin stitch
“A [B] C-I [K]” uppercase block in eyelet stitch
Band consisting of a single row of chain stitch
Band consisting of undulating tulips, carnations, and vine with “[?], [?], 2, 9 c, y, [?], B, 2, J[?], 6[?], [?]” and “1796”
Sawtooth band in satin stitch
L-T” “V” uppercase block in eyelet stitch
Band consisting of a single row of eye stitch
Large band of undulating flowers and vine with “WB”, “RB”, “ P
P R” in satin, cross, and chain
Sawtooth band in satin stitch
The last band consists of a central vase/basket of flowers with large pears extended from either side and birds perched on each side of basket. To the left is an octagonal with 4 flowers and a centered bird. To the right is an octagonal-shaped flower. Above these motifs is the verse: “This work in Hand My freinds [sic] May have/ When I am dead [in black embroidery threads] and lade [sic] in My Grave”. Below motifs is the signature line, “Mercy Beal Her Sampler 1796”.
There is an inner border at top, bottom, and left side in half cross. An undulating flower and vine border encloses sampler on all four sides. Below this at bottom is the inscription, “Born in the Year 1779 October 12th”. An outer border of herringbone also encloses sampler on all four sides.
Stitches: chain, cross, eyelet, herringbone, and satin

Label TextMercy Beal's 1796 sampler, worked in an old-fashioned band format, size, and shape, is characteristic of Philadelphia samplers worked between 1725 and 1750. The samplermaker was born in 1779 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, into the Quaker family of William and Rachel Parry Beal. Stitched beneath the large undulating vine of tulips and carnations on her sampler are the sets of initials "WB" and "RB" probably representing her parents. In 1795, William and Rachel Beal and their six children moved from Buckingham Monthly Meeting in Bucks County to Fairfax Monthly Meeting in northern Virginia. On March 26, 1796, Mercy and her family once again moved to Hopewell Monthly Meeting in Winchester, Virginia.
Inscribed"This work in Hand my freinds [sic] May have/ When I am dead and lade [sic] in My grave"
Markings“W B” “R B” “ P
P R"
“Mecry [sic] Beal Her Sampler 1796”
“Born in the Year 1779 October 12th”

“[?], [?], 2, 9 c, y, [?], B, 2, J[?], 6[?], [?]” and “1796”

ProvenanceThe donors of the sampler wrote: “Interestingly, in 1860, the Beals lived next door to the Yonley family. Elizabeth Yonley Bryarly signed the cardboard backing of the sampler in 1928: "Sampler of Great Great Granmother [sic] of Elizabeth Yonley Bryarly."
The samplermaker's daughter, Maria Rogers (1812-1878) married Samuel Yonley and their daughter Elizabeth A. was born in 1844. Elizabeth married Jacob B. Heironimus in 1866 in Winchester, Virginia, and died in 1925. It's likely that the sampler descended in this family. The Virginia Death Records identify Elizabeth Yonley Heironimus Bryarly (1885-1948) as the daughter of John Heironimus (not Jacob) and Elizabeth Yonley.

History of Samplermaker:
Mercy Beal was born on October 12, 1779, in Bucks County, Pennsylvania to William and Rachel Parry Beal. The family was Quaker (Society of Friends) and members of Buckingham Monthly Meeting in Bucks County. In 1795, William, Rachel, and their six children, Mercy, Philip, Sarah, Joseph, William, Jr., and Hannah, moved from Pennsylvania to norther Virginia. They were received into Fairfax Monthly Meeting, Loudoun County, Virginia on May 23rd, 1795. On May 2, 1796, they were received in the Hopewell Monthly Meeting in Winchester, Virginia.
Mercy married Robert Rogers (1760-ca. 1824) on April 15, 1798, in Frederick County, Virginia. She was subsequently disowned from the Quaker church "for marrying contrary to discipline." She was later allowed to continue in membership. The couple moved to Hampshire County, Virginia (now West Virginia) where Robert had purchased land on the Potomac North and Greater Cacapon Rivers. They had at least five children including: Mary Ann (b. 1806-after 1850); Rachel (1808-1824); Maria (1812-1878); Lydia Melinda (1813-1834); and Owen W. (1815-1817). In the 1850 federal census for Hampshire County, Mercy (aged 70) was living with George M. Rogers (probably her grandson) and Mary A. Rogers (her unmarried daughter). Mercy died on November 28, 1854, in Bloomery, West Virginia, outliving her husband and three of her children. She may have been buried in Champlain, New York.