Matilda Jenness

Signed, “Wrought by Matilda Jenness aged 10 Years Deerfield August 30th 1820,” this delightful little sampler includes alphabets and two splendid baskets of flowers flanking a heart-shaped enclosure that surrounds the inscription. An especially good band of eyelet stitches cleverly worked in four colors creates an excellent graphic. A drawn-work edging is a further indication of the needlework skills that Matilda had learned. 

Deerfield is a lovely town, located about 15 miles east and south of Concord. The town was first established in 1766 when the residents petitioned and received permission to separate from Nottingham. It is perhaps best known today for the Deerfield Fair and Fairgrounds.

The Jenness family in America began with Francis Jenness who emigrated from Rye, England circa 1665 and settled in New Hampshire. Five generations later, Matilda was born on May 4, 1810, the daughter of Thomas and Deborah (Sanborn) Jenness of Deerfield. She remained single and died at age 77 in 1888. She is buried in Granite Cemetery in South Deerfield. 

Published sources for this and much more family information include Memorial of Hon. Richard Jenness (Portsmouth, 1872) and History of the Town of Rye New Hampshire From its Discovery and Settlement to December 31, 1903 by Langdon B. Parson (Concord, 1905).

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

photo of reverse