Her Handiwork . . .

2007-11-24 Dixfield Historical Society 007 A, originally uploaded by jessica_beagan.

This sampler was made by Betsey Canton Rolfe when she was 10 years old. According to local historian Peter Stowell, Betsey grew up to marry Captain Peter Trask, whose first wife, also named Betsey, is buried in Eustis Cemetery. Her grave, beside her infant son Hiram's, is shown below.

This is one of those strange connections I had in Dixfield. Peter showed us this sampler, made in 1823. After breakfast, and before I learned the women were connected, I drifted to the grave of another Betsey, who happened to be the first wife of Betsey Rolfe's future husband, Peter Trask. Maybe it's just a small town, with a limited history, but I find it an interesting connection. Perhaps the attention paid to Betsey #2 roused Betsey #1 to seek a bit of attention for herself . . . .