Local seeking to solve quilt mystery

Jean Fisher of Clovis has a mystery on her hands, and she's looking for our help.

Fisher, who is 82, worked for 37 years as a nurse at the Retirement Ranch, but she's also a long-time quilter.

That means (this will come as no surprise to other quilters) that she has accumulated a lot of cloth over the decades.

She and her late husband, Gerry, loved to frequent auctions and estate sales, and were regulars at bidding wars all over eastern New Mexico and west Texas until Gerry's death 21 years ago.

Here's the mystery: At one of those events - probably 25 or 30 years ago - the Fishers bought an unfinished quilt top that has remained hidden all these years. Each of the blocks has a signature written in long hand and a date embroidered on it.

When Jean Fisher started doing some "straightening up" in the spring, she discovered it.

"I don't think I would have bought it by itself," she said. "It was probably in a box of material."

You may be familiar with "signature quilts" or "friendship quilts." They became popular in the mid-1800s and were commonly made for decades after that, sometimes as projects by homemakers' clubs, Sunday school classes, quilting groups, or other circles of friends.

Each block was crafted and "signed" in ink or in embroidery by a different individual.

The finished blocks were stitched together and quilted into a piece that could be presented to mark a milestone in the recipient's life, such as an engagement, a wedding, a move to a new home, maybe the arrival of a baby.

Fisher's quilt-top likely has a similar story behind it, and she knows it could be meaningful to someone out there who may not even know it exists.

The quilt top measures 63 by 86 inches and features 24 blocks, each with a white stylized cross sewn on a different colored background. The blocks are individually dated, and (I find this both curious and intriguing) all are from either 1931 or 1932.

Most have first and last names, and a couple add the title "Mrs."

"Tulsa, Okla.," is embroidered on two of the blocks, but is that a clue to the origin of the whole quilt top, or the hometown of two of the makers?

One block is simply embroidered, "Mother."

The 24 signatures are: Fay Adams, Gladys Adams, Ruth Albright, Verna Barnes, Eula L. Beago, Ella M. Boody, Lettie B. Cooper, Maude Hallonall, Gertrude Jackson, Anita Jones, Laura Jones, Lula E. Lucas, Mother, Neta McCord, Mayme McLain, Bessie McClure, Mrs. Vana McKandles, Dola Robinson, Hazel Sage, Mrs. Shelton, Ruby Simms, Mrs. Lois Shook, Mary Wallis, and Ruth Wright.

When Fisher first contacted me about this a few months ago, I was certain with a little digging we would turn up a connection to at least one of these families.

Many hours of searching later, I remain stumped.

Fisher and I are hoping that someone reading this column might recognize one or more of the names and this quilt top could be gifted to one of the original makers or a descendent.

If any of these names rings a bell with you, please contact me and I'll pass information along to Fisher.

Let's put on our sleuth hats and see what we can turn up.

Betty Williamson loves a good mystery, especially if it has a happy ending. Reach her at:

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