Uncovering the History of Rokeby’s Textile Collection

by Joan Gorman, Rokeby Museum

One of the joys of working with the textile collection here at Rokeby has been connecting the four generations of Robinsons who lived here from 1793 to 1961 with clothing, accessories, and linens used by each and sometimes by all. Looking through these items with an eye to suggesting ones to display in our 2024 exhibit, Artifacts and Anecdotes: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Rokeby Museum, gave me the opportunity to get to know individual family members in ways that merely reading about them could not do.

One of my favorite items is a very simple white cotton nightgown. Rowland Evans Robinson (1833–1900) married Ann King Stevens (1841–1920) in 1870. The nightgown was part of her trousseau. Anna, as she was known, was the family organizer and chronicler. We know her as “Anna-who-could-could-never-sit-still.” From keeping household and farm records to writing her journals, encouraging her two artistically talented daughters to develop their skills, helping her husband transition from illustrating to writing as his eyesight deteriorated, and finding time to use her artistic talents to paint, she was a very busy woman. 

In a multi-generational household, it was essential to keep track of which kitchen items, linens, and clothes belonged to whom, so many items in our collection are marked with initials or names either embroidered or inked. Anna carefully marked her name or initials on almost everything belonging to her. When I look at this well-worn nightgown, I envision the young bride-to-be, with a fountain pen and an inkpot, carefully writing the date of her marriage and her maiden name (possibly for the last time), on the sleeve of the gown, wondering what her new life on a farm in Ferrisburgh would hold.

Another treasure that came to light while cataloging textiles was a worn, paint-stained white cotton knit undershirt. It has crocheted lace around the armholes and a V-neck with ribbon threaded through the crochet.  Under the V-neck is inked “R. Robinson,” which let us know that it belonged to artist Rachael Robinson (1878–1919). We have a wonderful photograph of Rachael at work at her easel dressed in a painter’s smock and holding her palette. Her easel and palette are displayed in her room in the Historic House. Seeing this undershirt brought those objects and the photograph to life—especially on a hot summer day when she undoubtedly removed the smock and painted in the knit undershirt. 

Sometimes, the treasure people seek is buried not in the ocean or the ground but in a box of hatpins, broken sewing needles, and half-finished bits of clothing. The surprise unearthed in this way is a spectacular gold pocket watch, given by Elizabeth Donoway Robinson to her husband, Rowlie, the fourth-generation Robinson whom we thank for stewarding this beautiful property until Elizabeth willed it and everything in it to become a museum. The watch is surprising not because of what it is but because it never came to light until late August 2022. The heart-fob locket contains a photo of Elizabeth. Rowlie’s initials, RTR, are etched on the inside of the casing and the outside of the fob. A three-strand chain is attached. The back of the watch has an etched floral design, and the works are heavily decorated. Tracing the serial number revealed that the watch was made in 1896 by the American Waltham Watch Co.

These are just a few examples of the thousands of artifacts in our collection. Every discovery contributes to forging new and exciting connections with a very important historic site and its people.