title of thesis or dissertation, worded exactly as it appears on your abstract

156 Pages·2012·6.92 MB·English

WRITTEN IN THREAD: THE EVOLUTION OF QUILTING IN THE
BETHEL AND AURORA COLONIES

by

HANNAH JESSICA FLIER

A THESIS

Presented to the Department of the History of Art and Architecture
and the Graduate School of the University of Oregon
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of
Master of Arts
December 2012
THESIS APPROVAL PAGE

Student: Hannah Jessica Flier

Title: Written in Thread: The Evolution of Quilting in the Bethel and Aurora Colonies

This thesis has been accepted and approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for
the Master of Arts degree in the Department of the History of Art and Architecture by:

Albert Narath Chairperson
Andrew Schulz Member
Ocean Howell Member

and

Kimberly Andrews Espy Vice President for Research and Innovation
Dean of the Graduate School

Original approval signatures are on file with the University of Oregon Graduate School.

Degree awarded December 2012
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© 2012 Hannah Jessica Flier

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THESIS ABSTRACT

Hannah Jessica Flier

Master of Arts

Department of the History of Art and Architecture

December 2012

Title: Written in Thread: The Evolution of Quilting in the Bethel and Aurora Colonies

According to current models, 19th century American quilts are presented as simple
objects of cultural heritage or considered for their similarities to other forms of modern art.
This thesis follows a three part approach in order to study these objects which are valuable
sources of historical information in their full context. This approach includes the historical,
social/aesthetic, and material contexts of the objects. The topic of the study is the quilts of
the Bethel and Aurora colonies, 19th century Christian “utopian” sects in Missouri and
Oregon. While societies such as the Bethel and Aurora colonies shunned many aspects of
modernization, quilts appear to be an area of connection with the outside world. The quilts
serve as material evidence for the tension between communal and secular worldviews in
the colonies.
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CURRICULUM VITAE

NAME OF AUTHOR: Hannah Jessica Flier

GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE SCHOOLS ATTENDED:

University of Oregon, Eugene

DEGREES AWARDED:

Master of Arts, History of Art and Architecture, 2012, University of Oregon
Bachelor of Arts, Art History, 2007, University of Oregon

AREAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST:

19th Century American Art

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

Graduate Teaching Fellow, Dept. of History of Art and Architecture, University
of Oregon, September 2010-June 2012

Curatorial Intern, Museum of Contemporary Craft, June-August 2012
Collections Management Intern, Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, University of
Oregon, Aug. 2006-June 2007

GRANTS, AWARDS, AND HONORS:

Marion D. Ross Graduate Travel Grant, Department of History of Art and
Architecture, University of Oregon, 2012

Phi Beta Kappa, Alpha of Oregon, 2007

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank Dr. Albert Narath for his guidance throughout the completion
of this manuscript. Additionally, I would like to thank Professors Ocean Howell and
Andrew Schulz for their advice on this project. The Marion D. Ross Graduate Student
travel award was invaluable in the completion of this project, as it enabled me to travel to
Ambridge, Pennsylvania and Bethel, Missouri in order to conduct research on the Rappite
communities and the Bethel colony. I would like to thank the award committee and donor
for this assistance. In Pennsylvania, Old Economy Village Museum docent Sandy Gantz
and curator Sarah Buffington were immensely helpful and I would like to thank them for
taking the time to assist me. Particularly special thanks are due to Michael Gaines,
Executive Director of the Hannibal Arts Council in Hannibal, MO. His help in exploring
the buildings of Bethel, MO contributed to this research greatly, and without his help this
thesis would not have been possible. I would also like to thank Marilyn Shouse and Nancy
Brumbaugh who spent the day with me in Bethel and provided me with valuable
information.

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This thesis is dedicated to my husband, Peter, who has been the voice of truth throughout
this process. I give my deepest expression of love and appreciation for the
encouragement that you gave and the sacrifices you made during this graduate program.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter Page

I. THE QUILTS OF THE BETHEL AND AURORA COLONIES ............................ 1
Introduction ............................................................................................................ 1
A Brief History of Quilting .............................................................................. 7
Outline of Chapters ................................................................................................ 9
Literature Review................................................................................................... 9
The History of the Aurora Colony: Primary Sources ...................................... 9
The History of the Aurora Colony: Secondary Sources .................................. 11
Scholarship on the History, Meaning, and Types of Quilts ............................. 17
Fictional and Subjective Accounts of the Aurora Colony ............................... 20
Research Process .................................................................................................... 21
II. HISTORICAL CONTEXT ..................................................................................... 23
The Utopian Movement ......................................................................................... 24
Before the Aurora Colony ...................................................................................... 27
Keil as a Leader ..................................................................................................... 32
Life in Bethel and the Journey to Oregon .............................................................. 35
Travel to Oregon .................................................................................................... 39
Life in the Aurora Colony ...................................................................................... 43
The Visual Culture of the Bethel and Aurora Colonies ......................................... 47
Moral and Domestic Expectations for Women in the Colonies ............................ 49
The End of the Colonies ........................................................................................ 52
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Chapter Page

III. SOCIAL AND AESTHETIC CONTEXT ............................................................. 56
Quilts and Fabrics .................................................................................................. 56
Quilt-Making, Fabric Production, and Dating ................................................. 58
Floral and Botanical Quilts: Origin and Meaning .................................................. 62
Log Cabin Quilts: A Symbol of the American Frontier ........................................ 66
Crazy Quilts: The Aesthetic Movement ................................................................ 69
IV. MATERIAL CONTEXT ....................................................................................... 73
The Quilts of the Bethel and Aurora Colonies....................................................... 73
Woven Wool Blankets in Bethel, MO ............................................................. 73
Botanical Quilts in Bethel ................................................................................ 74
Geometric and Early Log Cabin Quilts in Bethel, MO ................................... 77
Crazy Quilts in Bethel, MO ............................................................................. 80
Botanical Quilts in Aurora ............................................................................... 82
Aurora Log Cabin and Geometric Quilts ......................................................... 82
Crazy Quilts from Aurora ................................................................................ 86
Contemporary Quilts from Surrounding Areas...................................................... 89
Contemporary Amish Quilts .................................................................................. 92
Conclusion ............................................................................................................. 94
APPENDICES ............................................................................................................. 99
A. TABLE OF QUILTS ........................................................................................ 99
B. FIGURES .......................................................................................................... 101
REFERENCES CITED ................................................................................................ 139
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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure Page

1.1. Wolfer Family of the Aurora Colony feat. Christina Stauffer Wolfer with her
Crazy quilt, c. 1860, Aurora, OR ........................................................................... 101

1.2. Installation view of “Abstract Design in American Quilts,” Whitney Museum
of American Art, Curator Jonathan Holstein, 1970. .............................................. 101

1.3. Installation view of “Abstract Design in American Quilts,” Whitney Museum
of American Art, Curator Jonathan Holstein, 1970 ............................................... 101
1.4. Clark M. Will with Aurora colony textile and spinning wheel, Woodburn
Independent, April 1963 ........................................................................................ 102

2.1. Wilhelm Keil in 1855, age 43 ............................................................................... 102
2.2. Johan Georg Rapp (George Rapp) 1757-1847...................................................... 103
2.3. Prayer/ Meditation “Hut” in Economy (Rappite Community), Ambridge, PA .... 103
2.4. Original Street in Economy (Rappite Community), Ambridge, PA ..................... 104
2.5. Map of Bethel drawn from memory by colonist G. Wolfer, redrawn by Clark.M.
Will, Special Collections, University of Oregon ................................................... 104

2.6. Bethel Colony businesses, photographs of prints in Bethel .................................. 105
2.7. Bethel Colony businesses, photographs of prints in Bethel .................................. 105
2.8. Bethel Colony businesses, photographs of prints in Bethel .................................. 105
2.9. “Elim,” Wilhelm Keil‟s residence outside of Bethel, MO, built approx 1850 ..... 106
2.10. Oregon Trail Map of the Bethel colonists, hand-drawn by Clark M. Will,
Special Collections................................................................................................. 106

2.11. Mural of Bethel “funeral procession” on wall of restaurant, Bethel, MO .......... 107
2.12. Drawing/ Map of journey to Oregon of Bethel Colonists by Clark M. Will,
Special Collections, University of Oregon ............................................................ 107

2.13. Mural of Bethel funeral procession on wall of restaurant, Bethel, MO .............. 108
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