Friday, August 20, 2021 Staff

Flashback Minis: Daniel Bury Coverlets

Woven coverlets, usually made of a combination of wool and linen or cotton, played an important role in early American history. They provided warmth in the sometimes harsh frontier environment but could also be quite beautiful, evidenced by these coverlets made by Daniel Bury.

Born in Switzerland, Daniel Bury came to the United State at age 21. Bury’s earliest known coverlets were made in New Portage, the area now know as Barberton. Bury and his family, which included his wife and their four daughters, relocated to Cornersburg in the late 1840s.

Most of Bury’s coverlets span the 1830s through the 1850s. The natural fibers used were dyed in vibrant colors and woven into geometric patterns, figures of flora and fauna, patriotic and domestic scenes, and more.