Place

Vineland, Ontario

Date

1838

Materials & techniques

Wool; Woven, sewn

Credit

Samuel Fry and Mary Gross Nash

ID

Town of Lincoln's Jordan Historical Museum, G167

Samuel Fry was born near the village of Grimsby, Ontario on May 15th, 1812. He was the son of Jacob Fry and Elizabeth Wismer, German Mennonites who emigrated with 15 other families from Pennsylvania in 1800. In 1815, Jacob Fry built the house that is now located at the Jordan Historical Museum and which was the home of Samuel.

Samuel became a renowned weaver whose textile legacy consists of many existing coverlets, blankets and other pieces. He wove the wool cloth for his wedding suit which was sewn by his stepmother, Mary Gross Nash. Samuel married Anna Nash, his stepsister, on January 2nd, 1838 and lived in the Fry house until his death on November 28, 1881.