A comprehensive exploration and analysis of the historical quilts housed at the May Museum & Park in Farmville, North Carolina (NC). Prepared by Lynn Lancaster Gorges - www.textilepreservation.com - palampore@aol.com

1. The History & Preservation
of the
May Museum Quilt Collection

2. Tabitha Marie DeVisconti
“The grounds on this lot and
around the buildings will be
maintained as a public park and
my home house thereon shall be
maintained as a public museum
for the people of the Town of
Farmville, North Carolina, the
natives who return home for
visits, and all other interested
persons, said property to be
known as the May Museum and
Public Park.”
May Museum and Park
Built circa 1854 and restored in
the late 1980’s

3. History
The May & Bynum families originated in colonial Tidewater region of
Virginia. Like many other families, they migrated from Virginia to
Eastern North Carolina in search of land.

4. May Men as
Local & State Leaders
✾Benjamin May
✾Pitt County Delegate to the North Carolina Provisional
Congress in Halifax (first meeting on April 12, 1776)
✾Became Militia Major during the Revolutionary War
✾John Joyner – Harriett Williams May’s second husband, married in
1835
✾House of Commons Representative, elected 1812
✾North Carolina Senate 1824 – 1828

5. Harriett Williams
1786 – 1868
James Williams May
1820 – 1882
Tabitha Bynum
1822 – 1891
James May
1784 – 1825
Genealogy
After several marriages, Major Benjamin
May had 12 children, including:
m. 25 June 1844
m.
12 February
1806

6. “Broderie
Perse”
This quilt is attributed to
Harriett Williams May Joyner
(1786 – 1868). It was made ca.
1810 – 1820 and is the oldest
May Family quilt known to still
be in existence.
Harriett was the mother of
James Williams May, who
married Tabitha Bynum.
NC Museum of History Collection – Donated by
Frances Massey, a descendant of Mrs. Joyner, in 1997.

7. “Broderie Perse”
Chintz and calico fabrics

8. “Broderie Perse”
Example of buttonhole stitching and Broken Dishes border

9. “Princess Feather”
Prior to Tabitha Bynum’s marriage to James Williams May in 1844,
she made this Princess Feather Quilt of brown chintz.

10. “Princess Feather”

11. “Princess Feather”

12. “Princess Feather”

13. James & Tabitha
built their house
in Farmville
✾ In an 1850 census, James was
listed as owning and harvesting:
✾ 120 improved acres & 655
unimproved acres, valued at
$3,100

15. The family made at least
five quilts, all of which are
still in the family collection.
Four of the quilts share
common fabrics.
Prior to the
Civil War

16. “Blazing Star”

17. “Blazing Star”

18. Both Quilts Use the Same
Brown Chintz
“Princess Feather” “Blazing Star”

19. “Birds in the Air”

20. “Birds in the Air”
Note the use of the Prussian Blue fabrics and other calicos

21. “Birds in the Air”
Deteriorated triangles
(below)
Fabric that was reproduced
(on right)

22. Close-ups
The Prussian Blue sashing
fabric used in “Blazing Star”
is repeated in many of the
triangles in “Birds in the Air”
The sashing from
“Blazing Star”
(above)
“Birds in Air”
(on right)

23. “Streak of Lighting”

24. “Streak of Lightning”

25. Both Quilts use the Same
Brown Fabric
“Birds in the Air” “Streak of Lighting”

26. “Streak of Lightning”
This quilt illustrates the embroidered “A” and the red pen signature
of Tabitha DeVisconti that repeat on many quilts in the collection.

27. “Mexican Rose”
Signed and dated
“Tabitha May 1854”

28. “Mexican Rose”

29. “Mexican Rose”

30. Quilted with the Name & Date
“Tabitha May 1854”

31. May Family Members
in the Civil War
✾Robert Strange May: died in the war, 14 October 1864
✾James Sherrod May: enlisted 1862;
1st Sergeant in the 63rd Regiment, NC State Troops
✾William Fleming “Henry” May: enlisted 1862;
Private in the 17th regiment, NC State Troops
✾Alfred May: enlisted 25 August 1862;
61st Regiment, NC State Troops
✾James Williams May: enlisted 1 February 1862;
44th Regiment, NC State Troops

32. James Williams May
& Tabitha Bynum
✾James Oscar May (1849 – 1883)
✾Gideon Alonzo May
(1851 – 1852)
✾John Edwin May ( 1853 – 1884)
✾Julia Susan Frances May (Sue)
(1855 – 1908)
✾ Joseph Richard May
(1857 – 1858)
✾ Harriett Priscilla May
(1859 – 1861)
✾Amy Adeline Gertrude May
(1863 – 1901)
Pictured: William James May

33. They helped their mother
quilt until her death in
1891
Tabitha’s
Daughters,
Sue and Addie

34. After the Civil War
James Williams May became a
merchant and started a General
Store in 1867
 “a wooden structure on the southwest
corner of Wilson and Main Streets”
This is perhaps why the family
could make so many quilts – they
were buying bolts of fabric
 This is also the time during which
Tabitha, Sue & Addie began making the
majority of the quilts in the family
collection
Similar Farmville General Store

35. This time period saw solid color
quilts and printed fabric quilts
being made in the May home

36. Post-Civil War
Quilts made

37. 9 Block Variant in Strippy
Pattern – ca. 1870

38. 9 Block Variant in Strippy Pattern

39. “Album Signature” – 1870’s
“Album Signature” Quilt
thought to have been
stitched by Addie May
and friends and family in
the 1870’s

40. “Album Signature”

41. “Album Signature” Back

42. “Pinwheel Star” – ca. 1870-1880
“Pinwheel Star”
ca. 1870-1880 fabrics;
signed in ink
“Leon C. Albritton 1877”

43. “Pinwheel Star”
Leon E. Albritton
was married to Sue
May in 1888

44. “Pinwheel Star” – Late 19th Century

45. “Pinwheel Star”
(Late 19th Century)
“Pinwheel Star”
(ca. 1870 – 1880)

46. “Full Blown Tulip”
ca. 1860-1870
“Full Blown
Tulip”, thought to
have been made
by Tabitha Bynum
May ca. 1860-
1870

47. “Full Blown Tulip”

48. “Full Blown Tulip”
Details of quilting done
in two colors of thread

49. “Feathered Edge Star”
ca. 1875
“Feathered Edge Star”
believed to have been
stitched by Tabitha
Bynum May ca. 1875

50. “Feathered Edge Star”

51. “Feathered Edge Star”

52. “Orange Peel”
ca. 1880

53. “Orange Peel”

54. “Eight-Pointed Star”
ca. 1875

55. “Eight-Pointed Star”

56. “Eight-Pointed Star”

57. “Streak of Lighting”
ca. 1880

58. “Streak of Lightning”

59. “Streak of Lightning”

60. “Streak of Lightning”
(ca. 1880 )
“Streak of Lightning”
(ca. 1855 )

61. “Birds in the Air”
ca. 1880

62. “Birds in the Air”
Close-ups of the printed
calico fabrics and the quilting
that can be seen on the back

63. “Birds in the Air”

64. “Birds in the Air”
(ca. 1850)
“Birds in the Air”
(ca. 1880)

65. “Whole Cloth Child’s Quilt”
ca. 1880

66. “Whole Cloth Child’s Quilt”

67. “Courthouse Square”

68. “Courthouse Square”

69. “Courthouse Square”
ca. 1870

70. “Courthouse Square”

71. They used the “Courthouse Square” pattern in both
quilts, but made them in different fabrics

72. “Weathervane Variant Pattern”
ca. 1870 - 1880

73. “Weathervane Variant Pattern”

74. The plaid fabric is seen in the “Weathervane” quilt
blocks and is also used in the sashing of the
“Album Signature” Quilt

75. “Square in a Square”
ca. 1880

76. “Square in a Square”

77. “Square in a Square”

78. “Stars and Square in a Square”
Child’s Quilt – ca. 1875-1880

79. “Stars and Square in a Square”

80. “Stars and Square in a Square”

81. “Whole Cloth Baby Quilt”
ca. 1875-1880

82. “Whole Cloth Baby Quilt”
ca. 1875-1880

83. The madder print is repeated in at least three of the quilts

84. After 1885
Quilts made

85. “Square in a Square”
ca. 1890

86. “Square in a Square”

87. “Mosaic”
(top only) ca. 1890

88. “Mosaic”

89. “Mosaic” (top only) – ca. 1900
the latest in the family collection

90. “Mosaic”

91. Preservation
of the
May Museum and Park
Quilt Collection

92. Signatures that kept
them together

93. Tabitha DeVisconti
The house James Williams May
and Tabitha Bynum May built
in the 1850’s was kept in the
family until their
granddaughter, Tabitha
DeVisconti’s death in 1983. In
her will, she gave the house to
the Town of Farmville to be
made into the May Museum
and Park

94. Genealogy
Addie May
1863 – 1901
Paul Dupree
1883 – 1911
Sue
DeVisconti
1893 – 1946
Tabitha
DeVisconti
1891 – 1983
Frances
Dupree
1856 – 1912
J.A. Lorenzo
DeVisconti
1836 – 1918
m. 1890 &
later divorced
m. 10 May 1882 &
divorced; remarried Aug. 1901

95. Special Thanks to:
May Museum of Farmville, NC
Deborah Higgins, Executive Director
Lynn Lancaster Gorges, Textile Conservator
Hannah Piner, ECU Intern
Guy Higgins, Technical Consultant
W. Christopher Gorges, Volunteer
NC Museum of History