A late Eighteenth Century sampler is missing from the Welles Shipman Ward House, a property maintained by the Historical Society of Glastonbury. The Welles Shipman Ward House was built in 1755 not far from the Connecticut River, and is frequently used for functions sponsored by the society. According to James Bennett, the society’s executive director, the sampler is titled “Remember Me” and was stitched by Matilda Cone in 1799. It disappeared in the fall of 2011.

The sampler reads, “When this you see / remember me / Matilda Cone, Aged 9 years / East Haddam 1799. According to local historical information, the child disappeared, and was never found. Now, 213 years later, the sampler has also disappeared.

Lin Scarduzio, society curator, noted that while the stitching on the sampler is neat and simple, rather than refined, the sentiment and the fact that it was made in a Connecticut River town make it an important element in the society’s collection. The sampler is 87/8 by 77/8 inches in its frame, with the needlework filling the frame.

The sampler has a border of boxes and horizontal lines on four sides in a linear character. The alphabet in block upper case letters is marked on three lines and in block lower case on two lines. The second line of lower case is t-z followed by Matilda Cone. Below that is a line of stitched numerals 1 to 0 then another “1” followed by the initials “MC.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Bennett at 860-633-6890 or hsglastonbury@sbcglobal.net.