Historic 1888 Shaftsbury Signature Quilt

Quilt Block #2 - Quilt Signers:

Mrs. H. Merle Bottum/Merle Bottum

Fidie Eunince Bottum Dunlap

H. (Henry) Merle Bottum was born 18 January 1849 to Norman and Helen Louise (Ranney) Bottum. He was one of four children. The Federal Census of 1870 documents Henry (21) living in Shaftsbury with his parents, Norman (47) and Helen (44). His father was a farmer born in 1823. Also, in the household were his two sisters, Fannie (14), Annie (4) and Celia Dolan (14), who was a domestic servant. In 1867 H. Merle attended the Kimball Union Academy in New Hampshire.

The same 1870 census shows Fidelia Dunlap (22), Merle's future wife, living in Shaftsbury with her parents Marshall (52) and Sarah? (50) and her three brothers Thomas (17), Hugh (14) and George (7). George appears on block 4 of the quilt. All other records indicate Fidie's mother was Thalia (Mattison) Dunlap so, why on this census someone named Sarah is recorded as her mother is unknown.

Merle and Fidie Eunice Dunlap marry on 21 Dec 1870 when she was 22 years old. Henry Merle was 21. Her marriage license affirms Fidie's parents were Marshall and Thalia (Mattison) Dunlap. Fidie was born in Arlington on 10 May 1848, which is documented on her headstone. In 1888 when the quilt was signed both Henry and Fidie would have been 40. They would have been married for 18 years and were the parents of three. The Census of 1880 confirms them as living in Shaftsbury: H. Merle (31) and Fidelia B. (32) and their children: Norman D. (7), Stella R. (4), and Molly S. (3).

In the 1900 census, thirty years later, they had been married for 30 years and had four children living with them. Stella (24), Mollie (22), Nathan H. (16) and Peace (15). Also, in the household are Merle's sister, Bertha Bottum (34), who is an unmarried school teacher, and the family relies on one servant, Mary Oatis (41). Unfortunately, Peace dies 5 years later in 1905. BLOCK: 29

A newspaper article from the Vermont Phoenix on 7 August 1903, provides a personal glimpse into the marriage ceremony of H. Merle and Fidelia Bottum's daughter, Stella.

Fidelia passes first on 5 March 1906 at the age of 57. Her cause of death is carcinoma of the stomach and bowels. In 1910 Merle marries Agnes (Carpenter) Ross.

The 1920 Census documents H. Merle (71) still in Shaftsbury with his second wife Agnes (46) and his youngest son H. Hugh (36). Merle passes the following year on 17 March 1921 at the age of 72 from a fecal impaction and senility. Merle's obituary praises him as a widely known Holstein-Friesan breeder. Both Mr. and Mrs. H. Merle Bottum are buried in the family plot in Center Shaftsbury Cemetery.