Elizabeth Poultney,
Baltimore, Maryland,
1804

Sampler size:
17½" x 12¾"

Price: $

Enlarged and Printer Version

The family note that accompanies this fine sampler indicates that Elizabeth Poultney lived in Baltimore and that she married James Large of Philadelphia. This information allowed for identification of the specific maker of the sampler and our genealogical research was highly productive - a file with much information and photocopies from many published sources will now remain with Elizabeth's sampler.

Born on December 2, 1792, Elizabeth was the eldest of 7 children born to Quakers, Thomas and Ann (Thomas) Poultney. Baltimore: Its History and Its People, published in 1912, provides a wealth of information about the family which traces its roots to Sir John de Poultney, four times Lord Mayor of London in the 14th century. Thomas Poultney (1762-1828) was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, removed to Alexandria, Virginia in 1789 and two years later removed to Baltimore with his new wife, Ann (Thomas) Poultney, who was from a prominent Maryland family. The Thomas family had ties to notable elected officials, including Ann's niece who was the wife of a congressman and dear friend of Dolly Madison. Thomas Poultney was a highly successful businessman and the family resided on St. Paul Street and belonged to the Baltimore Monthly Meeting. One particular story regarding Elizabeth indicates that she was particularly beautiful and that she didn't adhere to the Quaker notion of plain dress; members of the Quaker meeting took this up with Mr. Poultney who seems to have defended his daughter's taste and, in large part due to his standing in the community, the complaints were set aside. In a Friends ceremony in 1817 Elizabeth married James Large, a gentleman from a prominent Philadelphia family. They became the parents of four children, Thomas, Mary, Ann and Sarah. Elizabeth died in 1833 and this was noted in "The Friend", vol 6, page 232.

Elizabeth's sampler was made in 1804 when she was just over 11 years old. The verse that she worked was written by Alexander Pope and reads:

"A little learning is a dangerous thing;
drink deep, or taste the Pierian spring;
There shallow drafts intoxicate the brain,
And drinking largely sobers us again."

Alphabets and numerical progressions appear above with a delicate border and a fine sawtooth edging finishing the composition. The sampler descended in the family for many generations as indicated by the accompanying note.

Worked in silk on linen, it is in excellent condition and has been conservation mounted into a black painted frame.

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