Worked in multi-color silk on linen ground at Miss Barton's School, Elizabeth Town, New Jersey, centered with a large scale urn "In / Memory of / Washing / ton" beneath the branches of a weeping willow tree, under the inclining lawn, the maker stitched, "Mary Woodruffs Sampler March 8 AD 1835 / Elizabeth Town N J Taught by Mrs Barton," encircled by a floral and foliate wreath all within a Greek Key border, conservation mounted and presented in a molded gilt frame.

Previous research that accompanied the lot indicates that the teacher of Miss Barton's school, Maria M. Barton (1805-1861), lived in Elizabeth Town throughout her life and is buried at the Burying Grounds of the First Presbyterian Church and St. Johns Church.

The research also found two young ladies of the appropriate age for the sampler named Mary Woodruff living in Elizabeth Town in 1835, so the exact identity of the maker is unknown.

Sight size 16.25 x 16.25 in.; Frame size 20.25 x 20.25 in.

Private Collection, Wilmington, North Carolina

Purchased in October 2010 from M. Finkel & Daughter, Philadelphia and accompanied by photocopy of original sales receipt and additional information on the Woodruff family of Elizabeth Town, New Jersey.

Darkening to border; some looseness to threads; frame with some nicks and gilt loss; frame with split to base; not examined out-of-frame.