Browse Items (128 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. -
Tablecloth, 1800-1825
Handwoven, linen tablecloth belonging to Elizabeth Tyler Sturgeon. Elizabeth married Thomas Sturgeon in 1816, who died only seven years into their marriage. Elizabeth then took on the responsibility of managing their farm while also raising her three young sons. Elizabeth enslaved seven people who provided crucial labor that contributed to the success of the farm and household. After her husband died, an unidentified enslaved woman helped Elizabeth manage the farm. In 1833, Eliza died from cholera, leaving her three sons, all under the age of eighteen, to live with her brother. We can’t say with certainty that Eliza made this textile because weaving was generally done by professional male weavers or enslaved men and women. Either Eliza and/or an enslaved laborer may have spun fibers that were cultivated on her farm, and then turned over to a weaver to make into cloth. The woven panels would have then been seamed and hemmed at home. There is evidence there may have been a loom house on one of the neighboring Tyler family farms. -
Tablecloth, 1800-1825
Handwoven, linen tablecloth belonging to Elizabeth Tyler Sturgeon. Elizabeth married Thomas Sturgeon in 1816, who died only seven years into their marriage. Elizabeth then took on the responsibility of managing their farm while also raising her three young sons. Elizabeth enslaved seven people who provided crucial labor that contributed to the success of the farm and household. After her husband died, an unidentified enslaved woman helped Elizabeth manage the farm. In 1833, Eliza died from cholera, leaving her three sons, all under the age of eighteen, to live with her brother. We can’t say with certainty that Eliza made this textile because weaving was generally done by professional male weavers or enslaved men and women. Either Eliza and/or an enslaved laborer may have spun fibers that were cultivated on her farm, and then turned over to a weaver to make into cloth. The woven panels would have then been seamed and hemmed at home. There is evidence there may have been a loom house on one of the neighboring Tyler family farms. -
Tablecloth, 1800-1825
Handwoven, linen tablecloth belonging to Elizabeth Tyler Sturgeon. Elizabeth married Thomas Sturgeon in 1816, who died only seven years into their marriage. Elizabeth then took on the responsibility of managing their farm while also raising her three young sons. Elizabeth enslaved seven people who provided crucial labor that contributed to the success of the farm and household. After her husband died, an unidentified enslaved woman helped Elizabeth manage the farm. In 1833, Eliza died from cholera, leaving her three sons, all under the age of eighteen, to live with her brother. We can’t say with certainty that Eliza made this textile because weaving was generally done by professional male weavers or enslaved men and women. Either Eliza and/or an enslaved laborer may have spun fibers that were cultivated on her farm, and then turned over to a weaver to make into cloth. The woven panels would have then been seamed and hemmed at home. There is evidence there may have been a loom house on one of the neighboring Tyler family farms. -
Mammoth Life & Accident Insurance, Co. Stockholders Meeting, 1965
An interracial group of men and women attending a stockholders meeting in 1965.
Please note that the Filson Historical Society does not have insurance policy records for Mammoth Life. Requests for their insurance policy records should be made to Kemper Life Insurance Company at 1-800-777-8467.Tags Women -
A Group of Mammoth Life Insurance Agents
An unidentified group of American-American men and women with the inscription, "Mammoth Agents in front of Home Office."
Please note that the Filson Historical Society does not have insurance policy records for Mammoth Life. Requests for their insurance policy records should be made to Kemper Life Insurance Company at 1-800-777-8467. -
African-Americans on and in front of a parade float, undated
An unidentified group of African-American men, women, and children near, or inside, a parade float promoting Mammoth Life insurance policies for children.
Please note that the Filson Historical Society does not have insurance policy records for Mammoth Life. Requests for their insurance policy records should be made to Kemper Life Insurance Company at 1-800-777-8467.Tags Women -
Order of Richard Woolfolk to Mrs. Hinch, 1 August 1786
Woolfolk, on behalf of Mrs. Christian, requests on half bushel and six quarts of salt for Captain Thomas Hynes as payment for ferrying wagon and horses across the Salt River. -
Order of Richard Woolfolk to Mrs. Hinch, 30 July 1786
Woolfolk, on behalf of Mrs. Christian, requests fifteen bushels salt to Mrs. Sally Taylor on the account between the late Edmond Taylor and estate of William Christian. -
Julia M. Jackson Woods scrapbook, 1942-1947
This scrapbook was created by Julia M. Jackson Woods (1911-2000), an African American woman from Louisville, Kentucky, who enlisted in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) in November 1942. The scrapbook contains greeting cards, newspaper clippings, and ephemera from Woods' service, as well as more than 20 insignia and patches collected from various units, including her own sergeant stripes. The scrapbook documents the social side of military base life - cards from USO groups and friends, marriages, dances, and other interracial interactions between otherwise segregated regiments stationed at the same bases. A few items at the end of the volume relate to Woods' postwar life in Louisville.
Woods served in the all-Black 32nd Post Headquarters Company of the WAAC. She did much of her training at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, near the Mexican border; she also served stints in Des Moines, Iowa and Midland, Texas. A clipping on one of the initial pages of the scrapbook notes that Jackson was one of Louisville's first volunteers to join the WAAC. She was discharged on August 14, 1943. After the United States Congress authorized the creation of the Women's Army Corps (WAC), she enlisted in the WAC on May 1, 1944. She ultimately reached the rank of sergeant and served in the military police force. The Army discharged her on December 24, 1945. After her service, she married Thomas Harry Woods (1914-1961) and was hired as the head of the all-Black Western Kentucky Vocational Training School Department of Cosmetology in Paducah, Kentucky, by 1946.
Want to help transcribe this scrapbook? Check out our volunteer transcription webpage: https://fromthepage.com/filson/african-american-history/jacksonjulia -
Letter from James Wilkinson to Isaac Shelby, 6 June 1796
Refers to children being returned from the Native Americans, declares he has become good friends with Blue Jacket. He believes the females might have "lost their innocence and formed attachments that forbid their returns." -
Letter from Lemuel Wells to Charles Wells, 24 November 1827
Wells writes about trading along the Ohio River, the recent sale of one of his enslaved women named Hannah for $200, discusses current prices in Natchez and Nashville for apples, cider, flour, and other goods. Notes his location as “150 miles below the Falls” and promises to write again when he reaches Natchez.
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Travels through the states of North America, and the provinces of upper and lower Canada, during the years 1795, 1796, and 1797.
Includes view of the natural Rock Bridge, houses, conditions of the enslaved peoples,the land, cultivating tobacco, lower classes of people in Virginia, unhealthy apperances, the Shenandoa Valley, German immigratnts, landscapes, military titles that are common in America, Irish immigrants, etc.Tags African American; agriculture; canada; climate; clothing; clover; enslaved persons; enslavement; European Immigrants; farming; fashion; german immigrants; immigration; irish immigrants; military titles; natural history; natural rock bridge; nature; public health; social class; tobacco; travel; travelogue; wheat; Women -
Receipt of Caleb Wallace for Elizabeth Christian, 15 April 1788
Receipt signed by Caleb Wallace for Elizabeth Christian, received fifteen pounds nineteen shillings from Alexander Scott Bullitt in partial payment of a judgement obtained in the Supreme Court in the name of Elizabeth Christian, executrix of Israel Christian, against Matthew Flourinoy. Witnessed by Sarah Winston Christian. -
Receipt of Caleb Wallace, 12 February 1788
Receipt signed by Caleb Wallace for Mrs. Annie Christian's payment (via Richard Woolfolk of 24 pounds, two shillings on the account of Mrs. Elizabeth Christian of Botetourt County.