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2023-76, Sampler
Sampler by Sally W. J. Floyd
2023-76, Sampler

Sampler by Sally W. J. Floyd

Dateca. 1833
Maker Sally Floyd (1820-1887)
OriginAmerica, Virginia, Accomack County (probably)
MediumSilk embroidery threads on a linen ground of 29 warps x 30 wefts per inch (fiber identifcation by eye)
DimensionsOH: 26 1/2" x OW: 17"
Credit LineMuseum Purchase, The Friends of Colonial Williamsburg Collections Fund
Object number2023-76
DescriptionThis is a large rectangular sampler worked in faded shades of brown, green, blue, cream, tan, pink, rust, and gold on a natural color linen ground. The sampler has selvages at sides and a ¼” hem at top and bottom. The top half of the sampler contains: Band of cross stitch/ Wide zig zag band of cross stitch/ Band of cross stitch/ Signature line: “Sally W J Floyd’s Work April [?]” in cross stitch/ Band of cross stitch/ “A-Z” uppercase block followed by “& [?]” in cross stitch/ Band of cross stitch/ “a-h j-w” lower case block and numbers “1-10” in cross stitch/ Band of cross stitch/ “A-H” “J-Q” uppercase script in cross stitch/ Band of vine and bud in cross stitch/ “R [S] T-Z” uppercase script followed by “WFM JSG BSF JGF” in cross stitch/ Decorative band of double cross/ “A-I” K-P” uppercase block in double cross/ Band, undulating in eyelet stitch/ “Q-Z” uppercase block in eyelet stitch followed by “ERG GHF EWF” in cross stitch/ Band of double cross stitch/ and the signature line “Sally W J Daughter of Elijah and Rachel Floyd was born nov 14 1820” in cross over one/ band of queen.
The third quarter of the sampler consists of a very large building of 5 stories with a cupola topped with a cross, four chimneys, six dormers, 32 windows, and a front door with steps. There are two three-story wings each with three windows, door, and cupola topped by a cross attached to each end of the building. Flanking the large building on both sides is a tall tree with a bird perched atop. Two birds sit on either side of the roofline. Two baskets of fruit are on each side of the central cupola. The ones on the left are labeled “strawberries” and “oranges”. The ones on the right are labeled “cherries” and “plums”. Also are two sprigs of flowers on each side of the roofline.
Below the building in the bottom quarter of the sampler is an illegible inscription which may read: “The Front View of Ann Castle Roseshire Eng.” Below the inscription are eight sprays of flowers and three birds with rosebuds in their beaks. A fence finishes the bottom of the sampler.
Stitches: cross over one and two, cross variation, double cross, eyelet, queen
Label TextSally Floyd's sampler is one of at least five samplers created by schoolgirls living in Accomack County that are characterized by Quaker motifs of fruit baskets and sprays of flowers, identical alphabet, unusual large size, and zig zag areas at top of sampler worked in cross stitch or Irish stitch. The roots of this group of samplers can be traced to samplers worked in Isle of Wight County, Virginia, as early as 1806. Although the school or teacher responsible for the Accomack samplers has not been definitively identified, one likely candidate is the Margaret Academy in Accomack, which opened its doors to students in 1807.
Inscribed“strawberries” “oranges” “cherries” “plums”
Markings“WFM JSG BSF JGF"
“ERG GHF EWF"
ProvenanceBefore June 16, 2022, [Tom Hall Auctions, Schnecksville, PA]; June 16, 2022, purchased by [Barbara Hutson, Queenstown Sampler Design, Queenstown, MD]; 2023-present purchased by The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation (Williamsburg, VA)

History of sampler maker:
Sally W. J. Floyd (November 14, 1820-October 23, 1887) was the daughter of Elijah Floyd (1793-1837) and Rachel R. Garrison Floyd (1798-1860) of Northampton County, Virginia. She married John Wesley Bruff (1818-1868) on February 22, 1843 in Northampton County, Virginia. They had six children: Sally F. Corbin (b. 1843); Susan A. Bruff (b. 1844); Joseph Elijah Bruff (1846-1912); John W. Bruff (1849-1910), Sally Floyd Bruff (1852-1925); and Laura Bruff (1856-1873). She died of paralysis at the age of 67 years and is buried at Green mount Cemetery in Baltimore, Maryland.