Massachusetts School Girl Sampler made by Emily Sparhawk (Perry) (1813-1894), silk on linen, having rows of alphabet letters, numerals, and other decorative images above a poem reading "Religion should our thought engage/Amidst the youthful bloom/Twill fit...for declining age/And for the silent tomb" with images of birds, above images of three houses flanked by willow trees, all surrounded by one scrolling foliate border and one geometric border. Unsigned. Pencil and ink inscriptions from a descendant indicate that the sampler was made by Emily Sparhawk (Perry) with a Jordan Marsh Company label en verso. Housed under glass in a wooden frame. Sight: 17" H x 16 1/2" W. Framed: 18" H x 17 1/2" W. Biography: Emily Perry (born Sparhawk) was born in 1813 in Massachusetts, to Calvin Sparhawk and Betsey Sparhawk (born Marsh). Emily married Lendall Perry in 1832, at age 19 in Massachusetts. They had 3 children including Lewis Wyman (born Perry). Emily passed away in 1894, at age 80 in Massachusetts.

The Collection of Richard H. and Kathleen L. Hulan. Overall toning, areas of stitching are not present, primarily to rows of letters and numerals. Not examined outside of frame.