Shaker sampler 1844

This is Mariah Boil’s Shaker sampler, created with needlework on linen, sometime between December 1843 and March 1844. Boil was born in Lexington, Kentucky, in 1832, and moved to Pleasant Hill, a Shaker community, in 1837. Samplers like these were common among young women, especially in the 19th century. They served as a display of skill in needlework, but also reflected the values and beliefs of the communities in which they were made. Boil’s sampler, with its precise stitching, alphabets, and numerical sequences, speaks to the Shaker emphasis on order, simplicity, and communal living. Consider the time and dedication it would have taken a young girl to create this piece. There is a quiet beauty and dedication to the work. These objects are not merely demonstrations of skill; they are testaments to the lives, labor, and identities of the women who created them.