As most of my readers know by now, I have been enthralled with the life of Ellen E. Webster (1867-1950) for some time now. I have come away “amazed” at her beauty, inner strength, and the products of her labor. What an industrious soul!
Equally amazing has been the misinformation I have read about her. Let’s start with her name. She was born “Ellen Emeline Hardy.” Her middle name is her grandmother’s first name. Her girlhood nickname was “Elly,” and that was only for a short time, a tease by school boys.
She liked her name, “Ellen,” and signed some of her published writings, “Ellen E. Webster.” I even have one of her school rank books from 1900, in which she signed her name in pencil, “Ellen E. Webster.” Her letters to others are signed in various ways, but the first name is always “Ellen.”
Bad enough, the whole “Emily Webster” fiasco, with her name appearing in various print venues as that. “Emily,” she was not. Ironically, in discovering the identity of her friend, “Ellen A. Webster,” whom she mentions on her quilt charts as owning old quilts, by way of a genealogical search, I found that Ellen A. Webster’s sister was an “Emily Webster Browne,” both ladies not related to Ellen E. Webster, except through friendship and common ground: quilts.
Now, here’s the kicker. While working on my book, I bought a family history book written by someone who is indirectly related to Ellen E. Webster. He set forth her correct name, but not the correct names her relatives whom he discusses and shows in photos. Ironically, in a 1923 letter, Ellen tells her nephew, Donald, that she has been giving money to the mother of this same man (author) who has recently maligned Ellen, calling her “upity,” (his spelling), among other things. I wonder if he realizes that circumstance.
Initially, I was happy when Jim told me that he found a family story republished that Ellen had saved by writing it down. Unfortunately, a New Hampshire storyteller has listed “Helen,” not “Ellen,” as the source of the charming story about a pine table acquired by Ellen’s mother. The same story is recounted in the 1976 Hebron, NH Bicentennial publication (which I own) which is cited as the author’s source.
Why is it that Ellen Emeline Hardy Webster can never be assigned her correct name in print, (other than my lengthy e-book about her)? Any information anyone writes about her is severely flawed. You’d think people would be willing to grant her her own given name and not keep assigning false names. We have been treated to “Emily” and now, “Helen.” What is next? Misnaming people is how history gets lost, folks, as it almost was in the case of Ellen Webster!
“Priscilla” Cummings, a.k.a “Patricia”
Cover of e-book
To understand and learn more about Ellen Emeline Hardy Webster’s wonderful life and work, consider acquiring our 355 page book with 340 photos, sold on CD at Quilter’s Muse Publications
