Historic 1888 Shaftsbury Signature Quilt

Quilt Block #19 - Quilt Signers:

James S. & Nellie J. (Galusha) Vosburgh

James S. Vosburgh first appears in Shaftsbury in 1880 when a Federal Census was taken. He was a single 20 year old who worked on a “farm and gardens”. He was born 20 December 1859 in Galesburg, Michigan to Samuel and Caroline (VanDeusen) Vosburgh both of Dutch lineage. James' father, Samuel died during the Civil War in Raleigh, North Carolina in service to his country at the age of 36. Given Galesburg, Michigan is about 95 miles from Ypslaniti, Michigan and George Dunlop (BLOCK #4) was a store keeper in Ypsilanti perhaps the two met and a possible discussion about Shaftsbury led James to move to Vermont?

James S. meets and marries Nellie J. Galusha in Shaftsbury on 24 September 1885. Nellie was the daughter of Augustus and Polly (Chandler) Galusha. (BLOCK #10). James and Nellie's wedding was quite the event in Shaftsbury. A reporter from the Bennington Banner reported it as a “Brilliant Wedding”. “Some seventy invited guests, representing the intelligence, beauty and wealth of local society with similar representatives from Arlington, Bennington and adjoining towns assembled in the morning at the pleasant home of Deacon Augustus Galusha and family.” When the quilt was signed Nellie would have been about 23 and James was 29. Nellie's headstone records her birth as 7 February 1865. The Federal census of 1900 details James (40) and Nellie (35) as living in Shaftsbury. They had been married 15 years. His birthplace was listed as New York, although his marriage license reports his place of birth as Galesburgh, Michigan. His occupation was “Inspector Squeezer”. James passes on 22 September 1912 from typhoid fever at the age of 59 years 9 months and 2 days. His occupation at that time was laborer.

After James' passing Nellie marries Frank Harris (1867-1953) on 1 October 1918 in Bennington. Frank's first wife Calista L. (Knapp) Harris had passed in 1916 at the age of 46-47. According to Find-A-Grave Frank and Calisra had six children. When Nellie and Frank married he was about 49 and she would have been around 53. They lived in Plattsburgh, New York for a while but both return to Shaftsbury. Nellie had five siblings and one half-sibling but no children. Her siblings were: Herbert A. Galusha (1855-1861), Adah E. Galusha (1860-1860), Clarence Galusha (1862-1867), Infant Galusha (1867-1867), and George Galusha (1867-1962). Nellie's half sibling was Edgar E. Galusha (1849-1918).

Nellie passes on 19 April 1936 at the age of 71 from myocardial degeneration, Syringomyelia (the development of a fluid-filled cyst (syrinx) within the spinal cord) and prolonged illness. Frank passes 14 February 1953 at the age of 85 from a sudden coronary thrombosis.

James, Nellie, Claista and Frank are all buried in Shaftsbury Village Cemetery in plots with their first spouses.