This week's block is
Block 26, Elizabeth Cummins.
Elizabeth's daughter Ellen also made a block for the Chester Criswell quilt. Ellen's block had two names, Ellen Cummins and Humphrey Hood.
Ellen and Humphrey must have been betrothed when the quilt was made, but they did not marry each other. What happened? Humphrey Hood was easy to trace, he served as a surgeon in the American Civil War and went on to be a well respected member of his community. His big claim to fame was being a representative at the Republican convention that elected .... Abraham Lincoln. Ellen Cummins did not marry but worked as a domestic servant.
When I made each pattern and block for the quilt I also wrote a story to go with the block. I'd like to share the Cummins story here, it's one of my favourites*
Margaret Dickey felt
satisfied as the Faggs Manor congregation gathered outside the church
building, waiting to greet the new Mr and Mrs Jesse Jackson Smith. A
sensible match with good prospects for health and prosperity. As the wife
of a congressman Margaret was used to being the focus of social gatherings, but
today she was free to pay her attentions as she chose. Margaret’s
coachman would not bring the carriage around for another twenty minutes and
Margaret was enjoying a chance for a little gossip before returning home to her
busy husband and her eight children.
Margaret made her way across to John
and Elizabeth Cummins. Elizabeth looked
well, thought Margaret, but their daughter Ellen was very pale with dark
circles under her eyes.
“Mr. Cummins, Mrs. Cummins, so lovely
to see you once again. What a lovely
day, and didn’t the bride look charming.
Good afternoon, Ellen, are you quite alright? You don’t look your best.”
John Cummins glared at his daughter
and left the women. Elizabeth spoke
hesitantly. “Good afternoon to you, Mrs. Dickey, it is very kind of you to ask
about our Ellen. You see, uhm, well…
Ellen’s young man has broken their engagement.”
“I am sorry to hear your news, no
wonder you look distressed. That was Mr.
Humphrey Hood of Philadelphia, was it not?
He is at the medical school there, isn’t he?”
Mrs. Cummins nodded. “Yes that is
correct, Mrs. Dickey. He has recently
qualified as a doctor but has decided to return to his home state of Illinois
to start his practice. We were expecting
that Mr. Hood and Ellen would be married soon, but he informed Mr. Cummins that
he no longer wished to be betrothed to my Ellen.”
Margaret gave an
exasperated "pshaw" at the unreliability of young men. Obviously an
unsuitable match from the outset, and one her parents should not have
approved. “You poor girl. I imagine that Mr. Hood has
tempted by another young lady?”
Ellen spoke with a quaver in her
voice. “I made the block for Mary’s
quilt with his name and mine. He doesn’t have anyone else, Mrs. Dickey, he’s
going to Illinois with his sister!” A
tiny sob escaped Ellen as she hid her face in a much used handkerchief.
Margaret Dickey was used to being in
charge. “This will never do, here, use my hanky. That man doesn’t deserve you, Ellen, I hope
his sister is a horror to him. Now, I
need some help at home now that my sister-in-law Rachel is aiming for her own
medical career. I need a nanny for the
little girls not in school, that’s Sarah and Maggie and the twins. Get your mother to help you with your
wardrobe and your father can bring you over, say in ten days’ time. I will get Mr. Dickey to settle terms with
your father.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Just say yes, there’s a girl, don’t
cry. Men are not worth crying over, they don’t notice anyway.”
* I'd like to take full credit for this story but my editor and daughter Jennie waved her magic wand around my words. The end result is a collaboration.
