Sampler c. 1819

This sampler was made by Harriot A. Raymond, around 1819, and consists of embroidered silk on linen. At its core, this sampler is a family record, a testament to lineage and memory, intricately stitched by a young girl of eleven. These samplers were more than just decorative items; they were a crucial part of a young woman's education and identity formation. Through the act of stitching, girls like Harriot were trained in the skills necessary for managing a household, while also internalizing the values and expectations of their society. The very act of meticulously recording family history can be understood as a way of asserting one's place within the social fabric, reinforcing notions of kinship, legacy, and social standing. The sampler is a poignant artifact that whispers stories of domesticity, duty, and the subtle yet powerful ways in which women shaped and preserved their worlds, stitch by painstaking stitch.