Browse Items (581 total)
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Empire Wedding Dress
Early silk empire style wedding dress. Empire dresses emerged in the early 19th century and rapidly became fashionable across Europe, particularly England. -
Multicolored Silk Dress, circa 1800
Silk dresses of the early 19th century embodies the period between the whiteness of dresses of the early Regency gowns and the decorative frills and flounces of the 1810s. This dress belonged to a woman of the McNair -Anderson family. -
Brown and White Cotton Dress, circa 1800
This cotton dress is a great example of the changes (simplified, 'natural' dresses) occurring in women's fashion in the late 18th century to early 19th century. 'Naturalness' in this context refers to the use of lightweight , easily washable materials (like muslin, cotton, linen, poplin, and batiste) for dresses. -
Blue Empire Dress, circa 1800
Empire dresses emerged in the early 19th century and rapidly became fashionable across Europe (particularly England). -
Ann Clark Shawl
This shawl is said to have belonged to Ann Rogers Clark Gwathmey (1755-1822). See also 1943.5.1 (miniature portrait). Paisley Shawls were a luxury item worn by affluent women. Paisley, as a style, didn't get its name until the 1830s-40s, named after the Scottish town that began to reproduce designs copied from textiles that were originally imported from India. The pin and cone design motifs had their origins from Indo-Iranian people in Persia. Luxurious textiles from India were in high demand among the upper class and often can be seen in portraits of affluent women. By the mid 18th century, England's East India Company was importing shawls to London. In the early 1800s, Scottish mills began producing their own version of the highly sought after shawls, which made them more accessible to the rising middle class. -
Darning sampler, 1809
This darning sampler is a great example of the various embroidery techniques that young girls were expected to learn and be proficient in. Samplers were a staple in the education of girls. The samplers were designed to teach needlework skills needed for household duties and could be a symbol of the girl's culture, religion, social class, and personal accomplishments. Sampler making was seen as the ground work for civic, social, and familial responsibility. -
Spinning wheel belonging to the Slaughter Family, circa 1800
This spinning wheel is said to have belonged to Caldweller Slaughter who came to Kentucky as early as 1787. It could also have come from the family of one of his wives. His first wife, Margaret Ransdell Slaughter, died in 1786. Some sources indicate he may have remarried Mary Fowke who died a few years later (unverified). He then married Lucy Slaughter in 1790. Slaughter owned 200 acres in the area today known as Cherokee Triangle in Louisville. Spinning wheels were crucial to early pioneer families. Generally, weaving was a professional occupation for men, and in Kentucky was also done by enslaved men and women. Spinning on the other hand, was a woman’s task and was done in between gardening, milking, preserving crops, cooking food, making/mending clothes, doing laundry, and rearing children. Fiber was painstakingly cultivated, processed, and spun on the family farm and then taken to a community weaver to be made into cloth, which might be finished at home or sewn into clothing. Approximately 3 lbs. of spun flax or 4/12 lbs. of spun wool was needed to make a single sheet or blanket. Spinning wheels, for some American women, were more than just tools and were also political statements. Prior to the American Revolution, and then during the embargos of the War of 1812 some colonial women (particularly in New England) hosted and participated in 'Spinning Bees' to create yarn and thread to boycott English-made goods. -
Account of sales of the estate of John Lyon, 29 January 1813
Account of sales of the estate of John Lyon and the hiring out of the people he enslaved, including their names. -
Cover page from a publication of the Kentucky Democratic Party, 1985
Cover page from a publication entitled "Democrats '85" regarding the mayoral election in Louisville, KY and County Judge position in Jefferson County, KY. -
"Abramson for Mayor" bumper sticker, ca. 2001
Bumper sticker to re-elect Jerry Abramson for mayor, ca. 2001. The bumper sticker says "Abramson | Mayor" -
Campaign letter to alumni of Seneca High School (Louisville, KY), ca. 1985
Campaign material in the form of a letter written by Jerry Abramson to classmates of Seneca High School -
Three Brothers, 1956
Photograph of brothers Morris, Sidney, and Lester. The back of the photograph reads"3 Brothers. (L to R) Morris and Ruth; Sidney and Sadie; Lester and Ida." -
Roy, Jerry, and Shirley Abramson, circa 1948
Roy, Jerry, and Shirley Abramson ca. 1948 -
Last Will and Testament of William Christian, March 13th, 1786.
The last will and testament of William Christian, dated March 13th, 1786. This document lists the forty-seven people he enslaved and who they will be transferred to upon his death. The people William Christian enslaved are named as follows: James Kavanaugh, James Lumpkins, Peter, Lewis, Titus, John, Dinah and her child Wilson, Tom Body, Sarah, Hannah, Edincurg, Cloe, Little Jame, Jenny and their children Sarah, Adam, Betty, Jenny, and Moses, Noah, York, Sam, his wife Ruth, and their children Bill, Poll, Luke, Tom, and Little Sam, Phebe, Riah, Ben, Delphi, Simon, Lydia, Hannibal, Cesar, Will Trigg, Charles Trigg, Jame Trigg, Venus, Ben, Billey, Melissa, Betty, Harry, Tom Body, and Salley. He bequeaths the people he enslaved to his wife, Anne Christian, and advises her to create a road connecting Oxmoor and Alexander Scott Bullitt's home. Alexander Scott Bullitt married Priscilla Christian, William Christian's daughter.Tags Adam; Annie Christian; Ben; Betty; Bill; Billey; Bullitt, Alexander Scott; Cesar; Charles Trigg; Cloe; Delphi; Dinah; Edincurg; Hannah; Hannibal; Harry; Jame Trigg; James Kavanaugh; James Lumpkins; Jenny; John; Lewis; Little Jame; Little Sam; Luke; Lydia; Melissa; Moses; Noah; Oxmoor; Peter; Phebe; Poll; Priscilla Christian; Riah; Ruth; Salley; Sam; Sarah; Simon; Titus; Tom; Tom Body; Venus; Will Trigg; William Christian; William Trigg; Wilson; York -
Inventory of Israel Christian’s estate, January 14th, 1785.
An inventory of Israel Christian's estate, dated January 14th, 1785. Israel Christian enslaved five people: Isaac, Dorson, Rachel, Kate, and Bill. -
Last Will and Testament of Israel Christian, July 12th, 1784.
The last will and testament of Israel Christian, dated July 12th, 1784. Israel Christian lists the people he enslaves by name - Isaac, Dorson, Bill, and Kate - and transfers them to his wife, Elizabeth Christian, in death. -
Last Will and Testament of Elizabeth Christian, August 23rd, 1788.
The last will and testament of Elizabeth Christian, dated August 23rd, 1788. Elizabeth names the people she enslaved - Dorson, Isaac, Kate, and Bill - and who will continue to enslave them upon her death. -
Advertisement for Hope, a man running from his enslaver, William C. Bullitt, October 7th, 1822.
A copy of an advertisement for Hope, a man running from his enslaver, William Christian Bullitt, dated October 7th, 1822. -
Letter to Thomas W. Bullitt from the Chenoweth Family mentioning Judy and Rose, two women enslaved by the Bullitt family, December 27th, 1859.
Letter from Henry Chenoweth, Mildred Ann Chenoweth, and Helen M. Chenoweth to Thomas Walker Bullitt, dated December 27th, 1859. The letter mentions Judy and Rose, two women enslaved by the Bullitt-Chenoweth families.