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Historic 1888 Shaftsbury Signature QuiltQuilt Block #48 - Quilt Signers: Andrew C. Niles Maria M. Niles  Andrew C. Niles was born 8 December 1863 to Stephen and Sophia (Gurnsey) Niles (BLOCK #44 of the quilt). Maria Niles was born 27 January 1863 to Alfred and Minerva (Bates) Niles. The censuses of 1870 show Maria (7) living in Shaftsbury with her father Alfred (38) and mother Minerva (Bates) Niles (40). The other household members are her two brothers, Herman (16) and Edgar (11). The same 1870 census records Maria's future husband, Andrew (7) living in Shaftsbury with his parents Stephen Niles (48) and mother Sophia (28). He also, has three sisters; Emma (15), Abba (5) and Marietta (2). Andrew and Maria marry 20 January 1887, one year before the quilt is signed. In 1888 they would each have been 25 years old and married a little less than one year. Their first child Alice M. was born 11 October 1887. Alice dies at the age of 4 yrs 10 mo 2 days from diphtheria (a serious infection caused by the cony-bacterium diphtheria, which creates a toxin that kills healthy tissue making it very hard to breathe and swallow. If the toxin gets into the blood stream, it can cause heart, nerve, kidney damage and death.) The slogans added to their quilt block showed Andrew's support for the Democratic Presidential candidate, Grover Cleveland. Most Vermonters, at this time in history, were Republicans. Maria, thought the Prohibitionist Party choice, Clinton Fisk, would reinforce her stance for temperance. Neither of their preferred candidates won and the Republican candidate Benjamin Harrison was sworn into office January 1889. Find-a-Grave website lists Andrew and Maria as having seven children over the course of their fifty-one year marriage: Alice M. (1887-1887), Leroy C. (1890-1901), Barbara F. (1893-1910), William J. (1896-1896), Abbie Aurora (Niles) LaClair (1898-1994), Anna Frances (Niles) Mattison (1901-1975) and Winona Eunice (Niles) LaClair (1909-1942). However, Winona's birth certificate reports Maria (46) a having given birth to eight children. Maria passes on 13 October 1938 at the age of 75. Cause of death is myocardial degeneration and senility. This leaves Andrew (72) a widower who, according to the census of 1940, documents him still living in Shaftsbury with his daughter Abbie LaClair (41) and her husband Arthur LaClair (45). Also, in the house, are their children and Andrew's grandchildren: Avis (20), Wayne (18), Elizabeth (13), Majorie (11) and Joyce (4). Shortly after this last census Alfred enters the Brattleboro Retreat in Brattleboro, Vermont. He stays there for about 4 years before he dies from lobar pneumonia due to chronic myocarditis and psychosis with cerebral arteriosclerosis. He and Maria are buried in Center Shaftsbury Cemetery. |
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Andrew C. Niles
Maria M. NilesAndrew C. Niles was born 8 December 1863 to Stephen and Sophia (Gurnsey) Niles (BLOCK #44 of the quilt). Maria Niles was born 27 January 1863 to Alfred and Minerva (Bates) Niles. The censuses of 1870 show Maria (7) living in Shaftsbury with her father Alfred (38) and mother Minerva (Bates) Niles (40). The other
household members are her two brothers, Herman (16) and Edgar (11). The same 1870 census records Maria's future husband, Andrew (7) living in Shaftsbury with his parents Stephen Niles (48) and mother Sophia (28). He also, has three sisters; Emma (15), Abba (5) and Marietta (2).
Andrew and Maria marry 20 January 1887, one year before the quilt is signed. In 1888 they would each have been 25 years old and married a little less than one year. Their first child Alice M. was born 11 October 1887. Alice dies at the age of 4 yrs 10 mo
2 days from diphtheria (a serious infection caused by the cony-bacterium diphtheria, which creates a toxin that kills healthy tissue making it very hard to breathe and swallow. If the toxin gets into the blood stream, it can cause heart, nerve, kidney damage and death.)
The slogans added to their quilt block showed Andrew's support for the Democratic Presidential candidate, Grover Cleveland. Most Vermonters, at this time in history, were Republicans. Maria, thought the Prohibitionist Party choice, Clinton Fisk, would reinforce her stance for temperance. Neither of their preferred candidates won and the Republican candidate Benjamin Harrison was sworn into office January 1889.
Find-a-Grave website lists Andrew and Maria as having seven children over the course of their fifty-one year marriage: Alice M. (1887-1887), Leroy C. (1890-1901), Barbara F. (1893-1910), William J. (1896-1896), Abbie Aurora (Niles) LaClair (1898-1994), Anna Frances (Niles) Mattison (1901-1975) and Winona Eunice (Niles) LaClair (1909-1942). However, Winona's birth certificate reports Maria (46) a having given birth to eight children.
Maria passes on 13 October 1938 at the age of 75. Cause of death is myocardial degeneration and senility. This leaves Andrew (72) a widower who, according to the census of 1940, documents him still living in Shaftsbury with his daughter Abbie LaClair (41) and her husband Arthur LaClair (45). Also, in the house, are their children and Andrew's grandchildren: Avis (20), Wayne (18), Elizabeth (13), Majorie (11) and Joyce (4).
Shortly after this last census Alfred enters the Brattleboro Retreat in Brattleboro, Vermont. He stays there for about 4 years before he dies from lobar pneumonia due to chronic myocarditis and psychosis with cerebral arteriosclerosis. He and Maria are buried in Center Shaftsbury Cemetery.
All research for this web tour was provided to the Town of Shaftsbury by: Carol Corey-Dziubek. She would like to credit: Ancestry.com, findagrave.com
