February — Love is in the Air…

February is known for being a month dedicated to and all about LOVE. It’s a month filled with acts of romance. A time for Valentines and sweethearts, lavish dinners and heart shaped boxes of chocolates, engagements and diamond rings.

Who in the fiber art world captures love & romance at it’s best…. 

And yes, sometimes at it’s worst….. 

The Hutchinsons!

If you've read our book, most likely you're familiar with these 1st two LOVE STORIES, so here's just a quick refresher...

Love Story # 1:  James Hutchinson had his own tales of love & romance. First there was Clara Britton, his childhood sweetheart, they eloped in 1899. 

James & Clara

The couple took a quick journey via sailboat from Shelter Island to Greenport, Long Island. Once there, they were secretly married by Rev McKnight. Now isn’t that romantic? Well, maybe not so much, because they eventually divorced.

Above isn't the yacht they eloped on, it is the Cynosure - a yacht that James owned in the 1920s. He used this yacht for pleasure, racing and also to pick up and transport hooked rugs - that he purchased along the Canadian and New England coastline.

James Hutchinson "collected" more than 1,320 hooked rugs, many by yacht, above is one example. These rugs were typically floral or geometric. For another example, see "designed & commissioned" below." 

Love Story # 2: James’ second marriage was in 1920. Family stories confirm it was different this time - James & Mercedes Clifton were very much in love! Plus they made a great business team - both entrepreneurs & loaded with talent!

Mercedes

 What was this couple's claim to fame? --- They designed & commissioned the largest collection of hooked rugs documented to date in the U.S.A. 

This collection was quite different from the "collected" rugs (mentioned above). What made these Hutchinson's rugs so desirable by everyone from the Rockefellers to Movie Stars? There were more than 870 pictorial & humorous rugs & nothing else on the market like it! Not even close! THEY WERE WAY AHEAD OF THEIR TIME! 

Always Save the Women First! A great example of a designed & commissioned Hutchinson rug, and one that can be seen hanging upstairs in Linda Bean's Maine Kitchen & Topside Tavern in Freeport, Maine. She has a number of very nice hooked rugs there, including the Hutchinson rug: He Drinks Whiskey, I Drink Tea, Now is That Fair to He or Me? Most Any Job, Tis Me That Do It, The Day Will Come, When He Will Rue It. 

 There is much more info about Hutchinson hooked rugs in our book:

  Rug Hooking Traditions with James & Mercedes Hutchinson. 

(Many of which focus on the virtues & foibles of love.) 

The following 2 Hutchinson hooked rugs feature — Love at it’s best.

Love Story # 3: The couple featured in the Hutchinson rug below is obviously in love. The rug was originally sold at a 1947 Parke-Bernet auction in New York City. The catalogue described it as:  Engagement Rug - Figure of an astonished brown-haired maiden seated before her ardent suitor, who is slipping a ring on her finger.

The inscription tells you that it’s a memorable event, and one that will not soon be forgotten—and not just for the obvious reason of an engagement. So, one can only wonder... What was that special cologne or perfume she was wearing?

It's a private moment for this couple, unlike today's splashy, public proposals, no stadium billboards or live postings on social media - shared with a billion of their closest friends. I think the Hutchinsons had it right, private proposals are much more romantic!

At the time our book was published, we didn’t have a photo of the rug, not even a black & white photo. Isn’t it simply charming? 

While Hutchinson hooked rugs may “seem” simple, they are filled with movement, sentiment, and so many details! They make you think, they make you laugh, they make you ask questions......

They deserve a second & third look! 

Love Story # 4: I just love the charming couple in this next rug! Didn’t the Hutchinsons do a great job of capturing romance with design & motifs? The gent is holding her so close as they ice skate - cheek to cheek, hand in hand, with his arm tightly around her waist. 

This is another instance where we only had a black & white photo of this rug, when the book went to print. So the color photo is a recent find. Aren’t the colors marvelous? Don’t you just love her velvety purple coat - with the fur collar, cuffs, & borders?

An interesting aspect of this rug is how the Hutchinsons captured 2 seasons so well, in both the inscription & the design. The design seamlessly blends winter clothing & ice skates with a background of summer flowers! Well Done... James & Mercedes!

We’re not quite done telling LOVE STORIES. The next stories come from the "OWNER" of the previous 2 Hutchinson rugs - a glamorous American & one of the most prestigious figures in New York Society.

When researching the Hutchinsons for the book, it was captivating, because their lives & families were so fascinating & quirky. But I have to say, this amazing lady, Betsey, proves that you can have your cake....

Betsey Marie Cushing Roosevelt Whitney

1908-1998

Love Story # 5:  Betsey's parents were quite a pair. They were childhood friends, who married after a long courtship, and had 5 children. 

Her father was Dr Harvey Cushing, a neurosurgeon & a pioneer of brain surgery. He was widely regarded as the greatest neurosurgeon of the 20th century & often called the “father of modern neurosurgery.” (Don’t forget Betsey was born in 1908.) He also discovered Cushing's Disease. Her mother was Katharine Stone Crowell, known as Kate. She hailed from a socially prominent family in Cleveland, Ohio. Throughout her life, she was busy raising her 5 children, one of which was lost in a tragic auto accident, & made her own contributions to society.

Betsey's parents: Kate & Dr. Harvey

Love Story # 6:  At 22, Betsey fell in love & married James Roosevelt & became the daughter-in-law of Franklin & Eleanor Roosevelt, our 32nd President & 1st Lady. 

While James served as an Aide at the White House, Betsey would act as White House Hostess. As Hostess, she started a lifelong friendship with Queen Elizabeth.

James & Betsey Roosevelt on their wedding day.

Roosevelt family Photo. Betsey is on the far left seated to the left of her father-in-law, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Eleanor Roosevelt is seated, wearing the large white collared dress. Behind her is her son, and Betsey's husband, James Roosevelt.

Here is Betsey with her 2 daughters Sara & Kate Roosevelt.

In 1938, James left Washington, DC & went to work with Samuel Goldwyn in Hollywood, California. The family packed up & joined him. Unfortunately, love didn’t last - James & Betsey divorced in 1940.

Love Story # 7: Not to Worry! In 1941, Betsey met John Hay Whitney, better know as Jock. He was born into one of the most prominent American families of the 20th century. Jock’s maternal grandfather was a great American statesman, John Hay, who counted among his successes the privilege of being Abraham Lincoln’s Private Secretary. 

Betsey & Jock fell in love & married in 1942. He lovingly adopted both of Betsey's daughters, Sara & Kate, & raised them as his own.

The Whitney newlyweds, just after the wedding.

President Eisenhower named Jock as Ambassador to the Court of St James in 1957 & they moved to London. They often hosted small dinners for close friends Queen Elizabeth & Prince Phillip.

The Whitneys dancing at Buckingham Palace.

Queen Elizabeth, Vice President & Mrs Nixon, Ambassador & Mrs Whitney.

During the 1970s, Jock Whitney was listed as one of the 10 wealthiest men in the world. He was an heir to a fortune, but in his own right - a business magnate & a tycoon. Living back in the U.S., one of his businesses was Hollywood movies. It's said, he paid Margaret Mitchell $50,000 for the rights to make a movie out of her novel Gone With The Wind, he also financed & produced it too.

Olivia de Haviland, Jock Whitney, Vivien Leigh, Laurence Olivier arriving at the 1940 Hollywood movie premiere of Gone With the Wind.

The Whitney's inherited Greentree - a 500 acre estate in Manhasset, New York, but they also maintained residences and horse farms in:

New York City + Manhattan       

Saratoga Springs, NY + Fishers Island, NY      

Georgia + New Jersey + Lexington, KY

Surrey, UK + London, UK                   

And others….

 

Greentree - the Princess Margaret bedroom

The professional Decorator of many of the Whitney's homes was Sister Parish (Dorothy May Kinnicutt Parish). 

Sister Parish

1910 - 1994

The New York Times declared: "Mrs. Parish's six decades of decorating epitomized the rise of women in her own and other professions in 20th century America. Mrs. Parish is widely considered to have originated the decorating idiom known as the American Country style. No one else in America does a room with such patrician aplomb, such life-enhancing charm, such a lack of gimmickry or trendiness”.

A book documenting interiors by Sister Parish & decorator Albert Hadley.

As the 1st Lady of American Decorating, she was decorator to the Astors, Bronfmans, Gettys, Mellons, Rockefellors, Vanderbilts, Whitneys & many other prominent members of society. She also worked with 1st Lady Jacqueline Kennedy to redecorate the White House during the 1960s.

Jacqueline Kennedy reviewing plans to redecorate the White House. 

When the Kennedys moved into the White House in January 1961 it was dismal, 

dowdy & full of modern furnishings interspersed with a few clumsy period reproductions.

A 2016 article in Vogue magazine listed Sister Parish as one of "7 Legendary Interior Designers Everyone Should Know." They said: "Her designs for clients were romantic, warm, and elegant, but her tactics were precise and exacting."

House Beautiful magazine, 1968 - Featuring Sister Parishes' Manhattan apartment. The article states: "a designer-decorator to whom many great houses owe their panache."

What was Sister Parishes' key to success? According to an Architectural Digest article written by Steven M L Aronson, he said: "Their ingredients were repeatedly these: floors elaborately painted and stained; Anglo-Franco furniture that had seen good—but definitely not better—days; flashes and flares of daredevil color (yet she always knew how not to go too far); masses and slashes of luscious chintz (nobody could bring a room to flower better than Sister Parish); crocheted throws and needlepoint pillows and chair covers; humble mattress ticking for slipcovers; HOOKED RUGS and rag rugs; starched organdy; botanical prints; painted lampshades; dog paintings; exotic-wood bookcases; white wicker; patches of quilts; and bales of baskets.

So we may need to thank Sister Parish for not only introducing HOOKED RUGS to Betsey Whitney & many other affluent members of society, but for also showing them their value, as well as teaching them to appreciate HOOKED RUGS as ART!

Sister Parish's Maine (Summer) house kitchen - filled with hooked rugs. 

So, she not only filled her clients homes with hooked rugs, but her own homes too.

In 2019, New England Home magazine featured an article & photos of the Sister Parish Summer house on Islesboro Island, Maine. At that time, Sister Parish was deceased & her daughter Apple Parish Bartlett was living in the home. In this photo, the hallway is filled with hooked rugs. (Islesboro Island is only a few islands away from the Cranberry Islands - also known for a unique collection of hooked rugs.)

Betsey & Jock Whitney amassed one of the largest collections of Impressionist & Modern Fine Art - it was exhibited in Europe & the U.S.

Betsey looking at a Rufino Tamayo painting.

Jock died in 1982. Betsey never remarried.

Betsey was a prominent philanthropist in medicine, education & art. She served on the boards at Whiney Museum of American Art, a Life Fellow at the Metropolitan Museum of Art; a Fellow of the Frick Collection, a long-term supporter of the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), the National Gallery of Art & many, many, many other organizations.

In 1990, Forbes magazine estimated her wealth at $700 million, which would be $ 1.2 billion today.

In 1990, Betsey made art history at Sotheby’s by selling one of Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s most famous paintings, the sun-dappled café scene “Bal du moulin de la Galette.” It brought $78.1 million, then a record auction price for Impressionist art & the 2nd highest price for any artwork sold at auction.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s painting Bal du moulin de la Galette

The 1998 New York Post article "Whitney Windfall $300 million in art to museums" said it all. Betsy bequeathed remarkable pieces to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, New York’s Museum of Modern Art, & Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.

After her death, her remaining art collection was sold at Sotheby’s in 1999 for a then-record $128.3 million, the 2nd highest single owner auction in history!

Sotheby's Auction, New York City - The Estate of Mrs John Hay Whitney, April 1999

Amongst all the amazing art in Betsey’s collection, 

she owned HUNDREDS OF HOOKED RUGS! 

The following are only a few that were auctioned, after her death, at the 1999 Sotheby's auction:

 

A fine American floral hooked rug, late 19th century, a central floral vase filled with flowers and surrounded by a garland of rose blossoms and rose vines.

Two roosters, late 19th/early 20th century, on a marbleized ground within a square tile border.

Photo from the auction catalogue. A view of the living room, Saratoga Springs, New York. Note the 2 hooked rugs on the floor.

Top: a recumbent lion flanked by trees within scrolling floral borders. Middle: a recumbent spaniel in a landscape. Bottom: large central oval reserve filled with rose blossoms within scrolling borders.

Two rearing horses, a young woman wearing a red dress, and an eagle perched on a monument, the monument initialed JAH and dated 1888, with multicolored striped borders.

Betsey must have cherished Hutchinson rugs! 

Why? 

She owned not 1 but at least 4, 5, or more. 

Most could be found at either the Saratoga Springs mansion or the Greentree mansion, both in New York state. 

 

Here are some of the additional Hutchinson hooked rugs in Betsey's collection. (Don't forget, she owned the two above in Love Stories # 3 & 4.)

 

Well Matched

Said to have been part of the Greentree Estate in Saratoga Springs, New York. Horses were a common theme throughout the mansion.

The Whitney family had been involved in the sport of Thoroughbred horse racing since the 1800s. It’s said that their contributions to the sport have been immeasurable. Greentree Stables was inherited by Jock and his sister Joan in 1927 and valued at $200 million. (Joan Whitney Payson later became well known in the baseball world as the original owner of the New York Mets.) Betsey & Jock summered at Greentree Mansion.

Betsey & Jock at the Horse Races.

Back From The Sea So Deep & Wide—is another Hutchinson rug that was owned by Betsey, unfortunately, we still don’t have a photo of this rug. In the original auction catalog, it is described as: Sailor and Sweetheart Rug—A straw-hatted sailor welcomed by a lady with yellow hair amid pink and white morning-glories. It sounds so romantic!

The Impetuous Lover—May also have been another one of Betsey's Hutchinson rugs - according to Susan & Mark Laracy, when they sold this rug at Sotheby’s auction in 2007, they state that it was part of Betsey's collection in the provenance. But as of this moment, I was unable to confirm/document that Betsey Whitney owned it. So, more digging to do on this one. However, the color photo is a recent discovery, due to the 2007 Laracy auction, which came after the printing of the book. A wonderful find! And definitely fitting in our romantic theme this month!

For more info on the Rug Hooking Traditions - Book Series & specifically the James & Mercedes Hutchinson book, check out out website: https://rughookingtraditions.com/ 

To order our books, you'll find us on Etsy:  https://traditionsco.etsy.com

Betsey may have owned more Hutchinson rugs.... We'll keep on researching!

If you would like to read more about Betsey Cushing Roosevelt Whitney, there is a book about her & her equally famous sisters:  The Sisters: Babe Mortimer Paley, Betsey Roosevelt Whitney, Minnie Astor Fosburgh - The Lives and Times of the Fabulous Cushing Sisters. And much has been written about both of her famous husbands and their families.

And just so you don't get the wrong impression...

REGULAR PEOPLE do own Hutchinson hooked rugs. 

But the stories of the RICH & FAMOUS are just so much fun to tell!

 Here's hoping that February brings you LOVE & ROMANCE!

Kathy

 

If you have hooked rug questions or discoveries, be sure to contact Kathy!

Be sure to tell your friends about our Blog & Facebook page, it's where we post updates, photos & news relating to our books, hooked rugs & the fiber art world! Subscribe to the Blog by entering your email address in the box at the top right.

In memory of a Beautiful Life!

 Ellen Margaret (Greaney) Jacobs

 April 1, 1919 – December 9, 2021

102 years young!

 In memory of a beautiful life!

 A lovely, kind and generous lady.

 She touched many lives and made wonderful memories.

How lucky one is to have known her.

 Ellen was the Great-Granddaughter of 

Magdalena (Briner) & Jacob Eby.

 On a personal note... I treasure the short-times I spent with Ellen and appreciate the family & community history she generously shared with me, as I researched the Magdalena book. It gave me great insight. I also greatly admire Ellen, for her generous bequest of an original Magdalena hooked rug to the Perry County, PA community. This was a remarkable gift, both for future generations to enjoy and as an excellent example of fiber art created by a Pennsylvania woman.

 Warmest Condolences to her family, friends, & community.

Kathy Wright

Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving --- Hutchinson Style!

 

Sharing a bit of James & Mercedes' 

unique brand of "Hutchinson Humor" in reference to... 

«   THANKSGIVING   «

We hope you enjoy these rugs & our interpretations.

Happy Thanksgiving!

A noble bird

Catalogue Description: Thanksgiving Rug - Portraying a family seated about the festive board avidly eyeing a turkey about to be served at the table, all in colorful costume; a banderole at the top inscribed A Noble Bird. 

Interpretation:  Dad, seated at the head of the table on the right, holds a large carving knife & fork. At the other end of the table the large roasted turkey makes it's grand entrance. Everyone is wide eyed & you can almost see their mouth's watering, even the family pet. Don't you love the charming eye glasses on, what could be, Grandma & Grandpa? And do you think the girls in the front are twins? 

Advice to the young bride rug

1941 Catalogue Description: Advice to The Young Bride Rug - Shows her two hands carving a turkey and admonishes against the pitfalls of early married life.

Inscription: Unknown or none.

Interpretation: Unfortunately, a photo of this rug has not yet been found. But, as you review the next rug....Could it be one in the same rug? The timing is about right & the description has much in common.

Let This Carpet Serve To Guide,

A Young Wife By Her Fireside,

A Man May Coy With Too Much Kissing,

& Think Of His Mother’s Food He’s Missing

1942 Catalogue Description: Advice To Young Wife Rug - Announcing Let This Carpet Serve To Guide A Young Wife by Her Fireside, A Man May Coy with too Much Kissing and Think of His Mother's Food He's Missing. The food carved by mother's hand also depicted.      

1945 Catalogue Description: Advice To Brides Rug - Depicting two hands in the act of carving a turkey, on each side a deep bowl with spoon, on a blue ground border of fruits and vegetables; inscribed Let this carpet serve to guide / a young wife by her fireside / A man may coy (sic) with too much kissing / & think of his mothers food he is missing. (Hutchinson) 3 feet 11 inches x 3 feet 2 inches

1956 Catalogue Description: Advice To Young Wives Rug - Showing a pair of hands carving a turkey, within a border of stylized vegetables. Inscribed Let This Carpet Serve To Guide / A Young Wife By Her Fireside / A Man May Coy With Too Much Kissing / & Think Of His Mother's Food He's Missing. (Seller - Western Museum) 3 feet 11 inches x 3 feet 2 inches

Interpretation: This Inscription may have appeared on one, two or even three rugs, it is unclear, perhaps resold or perhaps it sold well the first time and another was created with the same inscription. Or perhaps it didn't sell, what auction houses refer to as a "pass", and the rug was returned to the Hutchinsons, who then may have put it in a future auction. 

We do know that an unidentified "Western" Museum purchased & then resold one such rug.

The floating hands appear in a number of Hutchinson designs, such as I Got the Best Man. The hands direct the viewer to the action. This rug also has a unique border, filled with fruits and veggies.

 HEALTH, WEALTH AND HAPPINESS RUG

Catalogue Description: Health, Wealth and Happiness Rug - Indicated by a bag of cash, roast turkey and the hand of friendship and appropriate comments. 

Inscription: Unknown or none.

Interpretation:  Another rug that we don't have a photo. But here again, use your imagination. Would the bag of cash be similar to the one in I Bring You Luck, see top right corner. And this time, we're pretty confident that the rug had an inscription, as the catalogue makes note of "appropriate comments."

 

Thanksgiving Luck

Catalogue Description: Thanksgiving Rug - A man shooting a wild turkey amid posies of flowers. Captioned Thanksgiving Luck.            

Interpretation:  While we don't yet have a photo of this rug, the Hutchinsons featured the hunting theme in a number of their designs. Here is one example of duck hunting...

What We Don't Know, Won't Hurt Us

Catalogue Description: Ignorance is Bliss Rug - Depicting a fat turkey above a roast fowl between knife and fork; at centre the legend What we don't know won't hurt us. 

Interpretation:  While we don't have a photo, from the description, we feel that the Hutchinsons seem to show sympathy for the turkey, but with a little tongue in cheek.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

The following Hutchinson rug didn't officially feature Thanksgiving or Turkeys... but it certainly expresses the humor & challenges of large "family gatherings."

This 1st rug depicts 13 people grouped around an oval table. It appears that the wife is hiding behind the curtain - ruefully gathering strength to walk into the room and serve her extended family. Meanwhile, the various guests portray characters of all ages, fighting, fuming, flirting, gorging on food, gossiping and grandstanding—all oblivious of their unhappy hostess. This Hutchinson rug tells a complex and fascinating story. Can't you just hear all the nosy chatter?

  

This final rug offers a common old saying...

Man Works From Sun to Sun, Woman's Work is Never Done

A kitchen scene with a woman working at a stove, a child carried under one arm, two other children are quarreling at left. All while her husband reclines on a couch. Note: the only thing missing, if this were a contemporary design, is a TV tuned to a football game. (Apologies to all the men out there who do the Thanksgiving cooking.)

Again, just a little Hutchinson Humor!

Do you own a Hutchinson rug?

Have you designed & hooked a contemporary Hutchinson-esque rug?

Be sure to send us a photo!

Have a Wonderful Turkey Day!

For more info on the books, check out our website:

Rug Hooking Traditions - Book Series
To order the books:

https://traditionsco.etsy.com

 

Hutchinson Wedding Bells --- Marriage Confirmed…December 16, 1920

When each Rug Hooking Traditions book went off to the printers, that was not the end of the research or the discoveries, by far. For James & Mercedes Hutchinson, Kathy has put in more than 15 years of digging through archives, interviewing authorities, & meeting with rug collectors. One of the topics, that has taken a full 15 years, was to find out if this couple was "legally" married…. or just claimed to be! On the evening of July 20^th, the official document arrived via email, from a lovely New Jersey genealogist named Debbie Hadley. (Thank you, Debbie!)

The recent discovery, was possible because of an Ancestry.com update for the New Jersey Marriage Index. (Did you know that the Genealogy websites periodically add & update info & records?) The update was in late 2019 or early 2020. In the NJ Index, Kathy found a Hutchinson marriage in 1920. She had already narrowed down the marriage timeframe to 1920-1924, so that was promising, but there were a number of inconsistencies in the New Jersey (transcribed) info. She hoped that the original (hand-written) document would reveal the correct info, leading to our couple.

Then COVID hit & all the government archives were locked down & we would just have to wait until they reopened, which they did, just last week. Debbie, the genealogist, contacted Kathy & said she would make the trip to the New Jersey state archives & see what she could find. voilà, here is James & Mercedes’ Certificate & Record of Marriage….

Looking at this document, and comparing it with our other findings, we will try to re-create this auspicious event in this couple’s life…

The wedding day, December 16, 1920 was a mere 10 days after James’ birthday (Dec 6) - he had just turned 39. At that time, he was divorced from his first wife Clara (Britton) & his occupation was listed as a Salesman. He was living at 1825 7^th Avenue in New York City.

Mercedes was 24, single & this was her first marriage. At the time, she was living wither her mother Emma (Travis) Clifton, sister Dorothy (age 28), & brother Robert (age 22). Her father had passed away 7 years prior, in 1913. The family rented a place at 284 14^th Street in Brooklyn, New York.

On their wedding day, 101 years ago, James & Mercedes probably took a ferry from New York City to the Jersey City Station, because the Holland Tunnel had only begun construction in 1920.

Holland Tunnel - Before the Holland tunnel was constructed, residents of New York and New Jersey seeking to cross the Hudson River used ferries which carried vehicles onboard. At the turn of the century as automobile ownership became more common, up to 30 million vehicles were transported across the Hudson using ferries. In 1920 the New Jersey Interstate Bridge and Tunnel Commission and the New York State Bridge and Tunnel Commission allocated funds for the creation of Holland Tunnel, then referred to as the Hudson River Vehicular Tunnel project. Initially, it was thought that building a bridge would be the most practical and affordable solution to connect New Jersey and Manhattan. However, commercial ships required a minimum clearance of 200 feet, and since the Manhattan side of the Hudson River did not have sufficient clearance to meet this requirement, it was determined that a long approach to the bridge would also be required. Since a long approach to the bridge on the Manhattan side would not be feasible, in 1913 it was decided that a tunnel was the best method of achieving the desired result.  The Holland Tunnel construction started in 1920 and was completed in 1927.

Jersey City - The Pennsylvania Railroad Station was the intermodal (2 or more modes of transportation) passenger terminal for the Pennsylvania Railroad's (PRR) vast holdings on the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay in Jersey City, New Jersey. It was one of the busiest stations in the world for much of the 19th century. The rail terminal and its ferry slips were the main New York City station for the railroad – as you can see in the photo below, it was quite impressive. The PRR referred to the location simply as "Jersey City." 

So which ferry did they take? It may have been the New Brunswick, photo below, owned by Pennsylvania Railroad.  

Jersey City Ferry - a major ferry service that operated between Jersey City in New Jersey and Cortlandt Street in lower Manhattan for almost 200 years (1764-1949). The ferry transported people & vehicles, & was notable for being the first to use steam power, which began in 1812. 

After arriving in Jersey City, New Jersey, James & Mercedes were married by Reverend Orman M West (photo below) at the Trinity-Hedding Methodist Episcopal Church located at 242 Montgomery Street. Rev West’s wife Dora E and her father Charles A Dorman were witnesses. Rev West was a highly respected Pastor of Trinity-Hedding Methodist Episcopal Church from 1917 – 1921. 

According to John Beekman, MLIS Dept. Head - New Jersey Room, Jersey City Free Public Library… Trinity-Hedding Methodist Episcopal Church was among the oldest religious institutions in the city, founded in 1829. While the church itself is gone, John shared a photo & some background… In 1911 it had merged with Hedding and shortly after its centennial in 1935, was in turn merged into Simpson-Grace Methodist Episcopal Church. Sometime around 1965, Simpson-Grace merged with Emory Methodist Episcopal Church, into Christ United Methodist Church, which still exists today.

If you recall, James eloped with his 1^st wife Clara (Britton) & they were married by Rev William C McKnight at the Presbyterian Church in Greenport, Long Island, New York. Greenport was just across the bay from Shelter Island, where both their parents had summer homes. Below, a charming photo of James, Jr. & Clara, along with a newspaper clipping covering their romantic elopement...

So, his 2^nd marriage to Mercedes may have been rather impulsive too, as the Certificate states --- they were married at 11pm on December 16^th. The 1^st question is… “Why so late?” and the 2^nd more humorous question… Were the good Reverend, his wife, & father-in-law roused out of bed & in their Pajamas during the marriage ceremony? Or was this simply a typo, and the recorder meant to write 11am? And yet another question pops to mind… Did any of the couple's family or friends accompanying them at this marriage ceremony? Probably not, as they would have typically been the witnesses, instead of the Reverend’s own family filling that role. Again, much like James’ first marriage MO (modus operandi) & elopement – It all seems impulsive, mysterious & adventurous! 

There are some details that we can’t confirm & we may never know. But this wonderful discovery does confirm... Yes, they were "legally" married & there are many first-hand life experiences that led to the Hutchinson’s humorous hooked rug designs & inscriptions – especially relating to LOVE, ROMANCE, & MARRIAGE. 

Of which, here are some charming, cantankerous, bold & wary examples – especially for that timeframe - 1920s-1940s. These hooked rug “photos” were discovered after the printing of the book, but the titles & info were included in the book. 

We hope that these Hutchinson Hooked Rugs give you a chuckle…. Enjoy!

Inscription: The Impetuous Lover

Click her for our website & more info: Rug Hooking Traditions - Book Series

To order the books, you'll find us on Etsy:  https://traditionsco.etsy.com

Genealogy Buffs - Amazing Animation...

For all the ancestors you've never met...check out My Heritage to enhance, colorize & animate your old black & white photos. It's free for 14 days & then there is an annual fee. Here's  a sample...

Magdalena Briner Eby...

Esther Knipe...

James L Hutchinson, Jr...

Mercedes Hutchinson...

Technology that's  SIMPLY AMAZING! 

Give it a try!

Kathy

In the News ---- MBE Historic Marker

 

MBE's historic marker was recently in the news. 

The marker was featured in Pennsylvania's Perry County Times newspaper, February 11, 2021. 

With the current Covid-19 situation, what a great way to get out safely 

this Spring by taking a scenic drive & visiting all the MBE historic sites. 

(Thanks Deb Smith, Editor, RHM for sending me the article)

For more info on the Magdalena Briner Eby book & the other books in the Rug Hooking Traditions - Book Series ---- check out our website:  https://rughookingtraditions.com/

To order the books:  https://traditionsco.etsy.com

Happy Presidents Day - Hutchinson Style....

Presidents Day --- Trivia...

Did you know that Presidents Day was originally established in recognition of President George Washington? 

The story of Presidents' Day date begins in 1800. Following the death of George Washington in 1799, his February 22 birthday became a perennial day of remembrance.

At the time, Washington was venerated as the most important figure in American history, and events like the 1832 centennial of his birth and the start of construction of the Washington Monument in 1848 were cause for national celebration. 

While Washington’s Birthday was an unofficial observance for most of the 1800s, it was not until the late 1870s that it became a federal holiday. Senator Stephen Wallace Dorsey of Arkansas was the first to propose the measure, and in 1879 President Rutherford B. Hayes signed it into law. The holiday initially only applied to the District of Columbia, but in 1885 it was expanded to the whole country. 

The shift from Washington’s Birthday to Presidents' Day began in the late 1960s, when Congress proposed a measure known as the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. Championed by Senator Robert McClory of Illinois, this law sought to shift the celebration of several federal holidays from specific dates to a series of predetermined Mondays.

The proposed change was seen by many as a novel way to create more 3 day weekends for the nation’s workers, and it was believed that ensuring holidays always fell on the same weekday would reduce employee absenteeism.  

The Uniform Monday Holiday Act also included a provision to combine the celebration of Washington’s birthday with that of Abraham Lincoln, which fell on February 12.

If you asked most people today, they would probably say that Presidents Day is a celebration of the birthdays and lives of "all" U.S. presidents.

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Presidents Day --- Hutchinson Style....

George Washington was a common figure in the hooked rugs attributed to James & Mercedes Hutchinson. Their Washington themed rugs sold as well in the 1920s-1950s as they do today, mostly due to their popular & collectable Americana theme.

In celebration of Presidents Day, we hope you will enjoy this collection of Washington themed hooked rugs by the Hutchinsons....

General Washington

Noblest of Men

His House - His Horse - His Cherry Tree & Him! 

This B&W photo is from the Parke-Bernet 

Auction Catalogue #798, where it originally sold in 1946. 

The photo above was taken by Kathy Wright during a 

visit to Barbara Kristina (Piasecka) Johnson's Princeton, New Jersey 

estate in 2009. In Barbara's entry, you can see a similar Washington 

rug on the floor (left front). However, if you look closely at this rug, 

see below, you will see some notable differences in the house, horse, George's chair, lettering, etc. So Barbara's rug is not the same as the Parke-Bernet rug, B&W photo above. Is Barbara's an original Hutchinson or was it done by a contemporary artists? We don't know...

But we do know...

In the photo above, there are 2 examples of the Hutchinsons' 

General Washington - Noblest of Men design - which were adapted slightly, reproduced, hooked with yarn, & sold by Claire Murray So there are a number of reproductions out where in the world.

Barbara Kristina (Piasecka) Johnson

The Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical heiress was one of the most respected hooked rug collectors in the U.S. Her hooked rug collection was sold at several auctions after her death in 2013. She also had many other collections, of which were a decoy collection & whaling collection. Over the years, she would get calls from museums & even the White House to borrow her collections for exhibits & state dinners. 

This is only one small wall of hooked rugs, which was in her office.

General George Washington

This Washington rug also features Washington's 

Mt Vernon home, horse & cherry tree. 

First in the Hearts of His Countrymen

When the book - Rug Hooking Traditions with James & Mercedes Hutchinson was printed, we didn't have a photo of this Washington themed rug.

Father of His Country

Above & below are two versions of this rug. Many collectors & 

antique dealers claimed there were no two Hutchinson rugs with 

the same theme, inscription or motifs, this is just one 

example that research proved this theory to be incorrect. 

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One final bit of trivia --- George Washington's horses 

Blueskin was a (light) gray horse ridden by Washington, photo above. He was one of Washington's two primary mounts during the American Revolutionary War. The horse was a half-Arabian & said to have been obtained from the Sultan of Morocco. Blueskin was a gift to Washington from Colonel Benjamin Tasker Dulany of Maryland. Dulany married Elizabeth French, a ward of Washington's, who gave her away at her wedding to Dulany on February 10, 1773.

Nelson was Washington's other primary riding horse, a gelding said to be calmer under fire than Blueskin. Of the many horses that Washington owned, Nelson was a favorite and carried General Washington almost always during the American Revolution War. Described as a "splendid charger," the animal stood sixteen hands high, and was a light sorrel or chestnut in color, with white face and legs.

Both horses were retired after the Revolutionary War. Blueskin lived at Mount Vernon, until he was returned to Mrs. Dulany in November 1785. 

Blueskin, due to his light gray, almost white, hair coat, was the horse most often portrayed in artwork depicting Washington on a horse. The Hutchinsons also chose to primarily depict Blueskin in their Washington themed hooked rugs.

For more info on James & Mercedes Hutchinson, check out the Rug Hooking Traditions - Book Series, here is our website:  https://rughookingtraditions.com/

To order the books, here is where you will find us on Etsy:  https://traditionsco.etsy.com

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Happy Presidents Day from Snowy Ohio!

Kathy