Historic 1888 Shaftsbury Signature Quilt

Quilt Block #42 - Quilt Signers:

Miss Etta Tinkham

Mrs. Elmer Tinkham

Miss. Etta Tinkham/ Mrs. Elmer Tinkham (Daughter and Mother)

Mrs. Elmer Tinkham's full name was Lucy Frances "Fanny" (Percy) Tinkham wife of Elmer Charles Tinkham. She was the daughter of Benjamin Alanson (1819-1900) and Minerva Miriam (Center) Percy (1815-1860). Lucy was born 6 November 1841 in White Creek, N. Y. She married Charles Elmer Tinkham, the son of Daniel and Chloe (Draper) Tinkham on 16 October 1867. He was born in Shaftsbury on 4 February 1837.

An 1850 Federal Census shows Elmer Pinkham/Tinkham (11), living on the family farm in Shaftsbury with his parents Daniel (45), and Chloe (45) Tinkham. This census documents six of their nine children. Oelannah (17), Syrel (15), Daniel (14), Ann (12) and Myron (6).

A New York State State Census taken in 1885, five years after the Federal Census, documents Frances L. Percy (13) living in White Creek, New York with her parents Alanson (36) and Manerva/Minerva (41) Percy. As of 1885 her siblings were: Mortimer (17), Melville C. (15), Nelson G. (11), Palmer G. (10), Nancy M. (8), Erastmus (6) and Arthur F. (3). The family also had a servant Dennis Borzell (23) counted in this census.

By the time the 1880 Census is taken Elmer (43) and Fanny (33) are living in Shaftsbury with their youngest son Russel E. (3). They are still living on the family farm in Shaftsbury with Elmer's father, Daniel (73). When the quilt was signed in 1888 "Fannie" was 47 and Elmer 51.

The Census of 1900 records Elmer (63) and Fannie (58) with their daughter Etta (16), who shares this block with her mother. Elmer and Fannie's son Russell (23) and his wife Lena (Mattison) Tinkham (25) are living with them. The family has two servants Vesta Clark (31) and James Peters (21).

Lucy Francis "Fanny" passes first on 27 January 1905 at the age of 64 years 2 months and 21 days from cancer of the uterus. Elmer died 29 January 1921 at the age of 83 years 11 months and 26 days from several heart issues. His obituary reports him as being, "the third generation of Tinkhams to own and cultivate the farm in Shaftsbury. His grandparents Daniel and Huldah (Bates) Tinkham settled the farm 125 years before Elmer's death. Mr. Tinkham was a prosperous farmer and a man of sterling integrity of character. His farm is beautiful for situation, slopping towards the southeast with the Bennington Monument and Mount Anthony in full view."

Mr. and Mrs. Tinkham are buried in Center Shaftsbury Cemetery in the Tinkham family plot.

According to the Find-A-Grave website Elmer was one of nine children. The siblings listed on the Find-A-Grave website are; Editha S. Tinkham (1831-1837), Daniel Tinkham (1835-1910), Ann (Tinkham) Mattison (1836-1912). She was the wife of James T. Mattison. Duane Tinkham (1838-1840), Ocanah G. (Tinkham) Niles (1839-1888), Rosaltha H. Tinkham (1839-1845), and Myron Tinkham (1840-1918).

Miss. Etta Tinkham/ Mrs. Elmer Tinkham (Daughter and Mother)

Miss Etta Tinkham was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Tinkham. Her full name was Etta Minerva Tinkham. She was born in White Creek, N.Y. 21 August 1883 to Elmer C. and Fannie (Percy) Tinkham. When Etta's name was placed on the quilt she was five years old and the family was living in Shaftsbury.

Etta marries Carl Horace Mattison. He was the son of Frank/Franklin and Diana (Carpenter) Matteson. Carl was born 20 April 1874 in Shaftsbury. When the quilt was signed he was 14.

The census of 1880 records Carl as one of five children. The family unit consisted of Franklin H. (34), Diana (33), Peter F. (12), Fred C. (11), Hiram N. (8), Carl H. (6) and Eddie (2 months). They were living in Shaftsbury where Franklin earned a living as a farmer.

The Federal Census of 1900 shows Etta (16) living with her parents Elmer C. (63), Fannie L (58), and brother Russell E. (23), and his wife Lena A. (25). The family had two servants Vesta S. Clark (31) and James Peters (21).

Carl and Etta marry in Shaftsbury at the North Bennington Baptist Church on 21 October 1908 when she was 25 and he was 34. By 1910 Carl (32), who is identified as Willis, and Etta (24) were living in Bennington on Burgess Road. They rented a home and he worked in a knitting mill. They had two young children; Lena M. (5) and Curtis N. (3). (This is confusing because their children's names were Florence and Lawrence.) They also had a lodger Emma Harrington (15). One of the largest knitting mills in Bennington at the time was H. E. Bradford & Company but, it is unknown if this is the mill he worked at in 1910.

There is a Word War I Draft record for Carl dated 12 Sept. 1918. The family had moved to Willamstown, MA. where farming was listed as his occupation. He was of medium height, medium build with blue eyes and brown hair. The 1920 census shows the family living on (Meat?) Main Street. His occupation was listed as laborer. He worked out of the home. An obituary for Carl and Etta mentioned they operated a home laundry business for 33 year.

Carl passes first on 3 August 1958 at Simonds Rd. in Williamstown, MA at the age of 83-84 from Bronchial pneumonia and heart disease. Etta died on 7 July 1961 at the age of 77. Her cause of death was a cerebral hemorrhage in the left hemispheric lobe, hypertension and hardening of the arteries. They are both buried in Grandview Cemetery in Shaftsbury along with their daughter Florence (Mattison) Richards (1915-1984). Their son Lawrence Elmer is buried in Eastlawn Cemetery in Williamstown, MA with his wife Irene Edwards (Lapine) Mattison.