After 2 years of being open by appointment only, the Knox County Historical Society Museum will be reopening on Wednesday evening, April 6, with a program beginning at 7:30 p.m. '
The museum is at 875 Harcourt Road (routes 3 and 36).
Sharon Pinka, area quilt expert, will present the program, titled "Signature Quilts."
Pinka is a now-retired junior high school teacher and librarian for Lexington Schools and is known for her interest in and writings on Ohio history, woven coverlets and quilts. She presently serves as an officer and board member of the American Quilt Study Group and also as a trustee of the Richland County Museum.
The presentation will feature several Knox County signature quilts, with special attention to one acquired just one year ago after being brought to the society's attention by Pinka. Soon after, the historically important quilt was donated by the proprietors of the Buckeye and Bluegrass Antique Shop in New Washington, Ohio.
The large quilt has the individually written names, one to a square, of 36 pupils surrounding a center, handwritten dedication square, which reads:
Presented to
Mary L Hurd By
The Pupils of School No. 3
Liberty Township Knox County Ohio
As a token of their love
to her as a teacher
January 1st
1870
From the 1871 and 1896 Knox County atlases, the school was found to have been located at the intersection of Old Delaware and Dunham roads in Liberty Township. The atlases also provided the names of many property owners in Liberty Township that matched those of the students at the school. It was quite an occasion for the Historical Society to be given this quilt, now in its 152nd year, created by and given to their teacher by young students who were born near the time of America's Civil War.
The April 6 meeting also serves as the annual meeting of the Knox County Historical Society, at which new and continuing KCHS board members are considered for election. Meetings are free and open to the public, and all interested in area history are encouraged to attend. For more information, call the museum at 740-393-5247.
Regular museum hours, beginning on April 7, will be Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 2 to 4 p.m. Present policy is that wearing of masks is optional for those visiting the museum.
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Credit
Submitted
Cutline
The names on the quilt were, top row, left to right, Mary Bryans, Clara Bryans, Johnnie Bryans, Thomas Bryans, James Bryans, Lizzie Bryans; second row, Johnnie Hurd, Frank Mostiller, Gilda A. Mostiller, Charlie Mostiller, Alexander Mostiller, Abbie Mostiller; third row, Geo. W. Hyatt, Sadie Cantleberry, Johnnie Hixenbaugh, Will H. Hixenbaugh, Prudie Cantleberry, Mrs. Dehaven; fourth row, Anna G. Hyatt, Eva Rickey, Ella Siler, Charlie Tucker, Jimmie McKown, Mary McKown; fifth row, Sadie White, Ida Cramer, Dora Cramer, Robert Creamer, Ella Anna Jackson, Edward Jackson; sixth row, Mary Lewis, Jacob Chase, Anna Bricker, Laura Bricker, Charlie Hatten, Flora Hatten.
