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- [S282] Robert Currin, PCHS- Potter County Historical Society Quarterly Bulletin, Potter County Quilters- PCHS No. 203 January 2017 p.2 Clarissa Booth Schollard.
Potter County quilters, Clarissa Booth Schollard (7) facts
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Clarissa Booth Schollard
Clarrisa Booth Schollard, Margaret Allyne Schollard and Emma Nelson Booth.
PCHS No. 203 January 2017 p.2
A Collaboration By Donna Batterson, Julia Kolat and Dianne Caudell, PCHS 2017
Potter County Quilters
Any quilts that were in Potter County in the early 1800s would have been brought with the families and it was more likely that the settlers had woven blankets and coverlets in their possession. Early settlers here would have bartered hides or fur for cloth or would have set up a barn loom for weaving any wool traded for or raised. Early wills listed quilts and coverlets on the inventory of assets of the deceased and were passed down to daughters or granddaughters or sold to settle the estate. Unless a quilt has a signed or embroidered date or name, which is rare, quilts are usually dated by the cloth used, references to the quilt in a family record or diary and the patterns available in the time period.
photo: Clarrisa Booth Schollard, Margaret Allyne Schollard and Emma Nelson Booth.
The acquisition information taken from donor Gary Reynolds, great grandson of Clarissa, dates this quilt around 1874. Clarissa was living with her parents, Hugh and Emma Booth in Oswayo Township at that time and would have been about sixteen years old. It is a simple patchwork of prints of red, brown, blue and beige squares sewn together with a batting and backing.
Clarissa married John Schollard in 1879 and probably took this quilt with her. She and John raised a family of four children. She is shown seated on the left of her mother, Emma Nelson Booth and her Grand daughter, Margaret Allyne Schollard, mother of Gary Reynolds, the donor of the quilt. Clarissa was very active with the SDB Church in Hebron Center.
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PCHS No. 203 January 2017 p.3
A Collaboration By Donna Batterson, Julia Kolat and Dianne Caudell, PCHS 2017
Katherine Hodskin Benson Reese
In June of 2016 the Historical Society was given a very generous donation of four quilts by Nancy Meyer and her husband Ernie from Savannah Georgia. Nancy is the great granddaughter of Katherine, most often known as Kittie. Kittie Hodskin was born in April 1865 in New York. Her parents, Albert A. and Celina Hodskin moved to Coudersport where he was a merchant. On December 3, 1884, Kittie married James Benson. Their wedding announcement in the Potter Enterprise reads like a who’s who of Coudersport and went on to name the quite expensive gifts received by the bride and groom. Living at the Benson estate, it would not have been necessary for Kittie to make quilts out of the need to keep her children warm. It would appear that quilt making was something Kittie did to fill her time when not attending social events. Her quilts are among the most preserved of those given to the museum. They probably did duty at the foot of the bed as extra covers if needed in the guest room. The oldest of the quilts based on the fabric is also the most worn. It may have been made for or by Kittie before her marriage and shows use. It is a blue and white quilt made in a Double Irish Chain pattern. The other three quilts represent popular patterns in ladies magazines, in fact the Tulip Pattern has been found online from one of those publications. It is an appliqué quilt that demonstrates Kittie’s adept needle skills. Another quilt, a peach and white quilt is made in a negative/positive pattern also known as a “Rob Peter to Pay Paul” pattern that was called “Boston Puzzle”. This would also have been a popular magazine pattern. The third quilt may have been made for her daughters and could have been on a bed in their room. It is a very colorful pin wheel pattern in bright yellows and orange.
Perhaps because of her affluent status there are several photographs of Kittie.
Kittie and James Benson had three daughters, Eugenia Celina, Francis Adele and Eloise. James died in May of 1897. Kittie married Dr. Frances Gurney Reese, a dentist in 1899 and had one more child, Albert.
Kiittie died in March of 1951. These four quilts were passed down in the family through Eugenia and onto her daughter Francis and on to her daughter, Nancy, who most graciously donated them. All of the quilts are either over or close to one hundred years old, and are in fine condition.
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At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
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Booth Schollard, Clarissa PCHSBull203 Jan2017
20200506HAv-
Clarissa Booth Schollard
Clarrisa Booth Schollard, Margaret Allyne Schollard and Emma Nelson Booth.
PCHS No. 203 January 2017 p.2
A Collaboration By Donna Batterson, Julia Kolat and Dianne Caudell, PCHS 2017
Potter County Quilters
Any quilts that were in Potter County in the early 1800s would have been brought with the families and… |
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d. 12 Nov 1928, Elmira, Chemung, New York, USA 
