Quilt No.552ST - Sharon Stacy

Sharon Stacy
Owner: 
Sharon Stacy
Location: 
NSW Riverina
Maker
Maker: 
Amanda Graham
Made in
USA
Date: 
1921 - 1970
Description: 
Wholecloth quilt with white cotton centre, sky blue cotton border and dark blue binding. There are 9 repeat designs of cross stitched flowers and leaves in the centre section. Around the blue border there are 18 cross stitched flowers. Blue on blue and white on white cotton quilting of diagonal lines and curls pattern the quilt. The backing is white cotton and there is a very light padding.
2338 x1981mm
History: 

This quilt was one of 8 made in Ohio by Amanda Graham (1889-1978) during her lifetime. They were put in the care of her daughter-in-law Catherine Graham until 1978 when the 8 quilts were divided amongst the grandchildren. This one was brought to Australia by Amanda Graham's youngest grand-daughter Sharon Graham. Sharon arrived in Australia in 1972, completed her University study at A.N.U. and married 6th generation Australian Thomas Llewellyn Stacy of 'Camelot' Tumut NSW. They have 2 children, Joanna and Marcus and Joanna, the great grand-daughter of Amanda, will inherit this quilt at an appropriate time. It is still used occasionally.

Story: 

"The maker of the quilt was Amanda Goehring (1889-1978), daughter of German immigrants to Pennsylvania, U.S.A. She and her family were commonly referred to as Pennsylvania Dutch due to the unpopularity of her german descent of the time. She married Stanley P. Graham, a Scot by ancestry and a veterinarian by training at Ohio State University. Stanley was sent to France during the Great War, leaving Amanda with one son. Stanley returned to Amanda after the war with an illness he never recovered from and died eight years later. Amanda raised her only son, Laverne Pershing Graham, through work as a seamstress and minding a dry goods store with her sister in Ohio. Her son married and had four children and followed in his fathers footsteps graduating from Ohio State University as a veterinarian.
Amanda made 2 quilts for each grandchild (a total of 8) over her lifetime. The quilts are her legacy divided between the four children."
[Sharon Stacy, Tumut, 20.10.98]

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