One of the
beautiful things about an artifact is the way it can carry the story of those
that held it first.
Many items
in our collection hold just a whisper of their original owners – a set of
initials embroidered in a lace handkerchief, a single name carved into the
handle of a wooden tool. Today’s artifact, however, carries a complete family
history.
In 1844, eleven-year-old
Mary McGowan used needle and thread to capture her family’s New Brunswick
story. On a fine piece of linen, encircled by a delicate border of flowers and
birds, Mary stitched the details of her father’s emigration from Ireland:
Samuel McGowan born in the parish of Loughgilly in the
county of Armagh Ireland 2’d of August AD 1800. Emigrated to New Brunswick
British America in the year of our Lord 1823.
Samuel was
one of thousands of Irish immigrants to arrive in New Brunswick at this period,
seeking a new life and new opportunities to grow. Mary’s fine handwork goes on
to show how just five years after his arrival part of that dream was realized
as Samuel was married in St. David, New Brunswick to:
Jane Seccond Daughter of Mr. Moses Clindinnin of St. D---s
[St. David’s?] on
the 28th of April in the year 1828.
As the
sampler attests, the marriage was soon blessed with four children: Robert McGowan born 2nd July 1829;
Moses McGowan born 3rd June 1831; Mary McGowan born 18th
January 1833; and James McGowan born 30th April 1835.
But for
Samuel, this joyful start to his new life in New Brunswick would soon change.
Mary’s sampler next quotes the funeral hymn:
Hark from the Tomb a Doleful Sound
Mine Ears attend the cry
Ye living men come View the ground
Where you must shortly lie.
The quote
would be terribly prophetic for the McGowan family. It was added to the sampler
in reference to Mary’s mother who had already died when the sampler was created:
Jane McGowan Died May 23rd 1836 in the 27th
Year of her Age.
What the
sampler does not tell us is that the ‘doleful sound’ of the tomb would continue
to call out to the members of the McGowan family. Samuel and his hopes for a
new life in New Brunswick would meet with tragedy again and again. His wife was already lost to him after eight short years of marriage. And of his four
children, three would soon lie next to their mother in St. David Ridge
Cemetery; sons Robert & James and daughter Mary, the artist of this piece, would
all die in their 22nd year. Only Moses would survive to marry and
have a family of his own.
Samuel McGowan
immigrated to New Brunswick in hope and expectation of a better life but the
promise of those early days was met with many sorrows. Would his choice have
been different if he had known what would come to pass? It’s impossible to say.
What we do know is that his daughter’s sampler is a beautiful testament to one family’s
history in early New Brunswick, capturing both the hope and sorrow that would
make up their lives.
A poignant stitch
in time.
What a wonderful story. My grandfather Hugh McElroy came over from Ireland around that time, but I can't find anything out about him. Hoping to go to Ireland and would like to have a little background on how to research him. Any suggestions? Tried the usual ones, found one McElroy but not my grandfather.
ReplyDeleteHi Stella,
DeleteHave you tried the Irish Portal Database on the Provincial Archives website? If you would like to send us any info you currently have on Hugh we would be happy to do a search in our archives! Just email kingscm@nbnet.nb.ca.
This is a wonderful sampler and a great addition to KCM artifacts.
ReplyDeleteIt is a favorite here - such a moving piece!
Delete