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Region: Middle Tennessee
1840 Eliza Jane Womack
Lynchburg, Lincoln Co.
Tennessee State Museum, Nashville

1712"V x 1934"H © TSS 058
fibers: silk
ground: 24 V/28 H ct. linen
Biography:
Eliza Jane Womack (1828-1901) was the daughter of Elisha H. Womack and Mary Crawford. The Womacks lived near Lynchburg, which was in Lincoln Co. at the time and is now in Moore Co. The family must have been Democrats as Eliza’s sampler expresses anti-Whig sentiments. After marrying John Atkins Motlow, a merchant, Eliza moved to Aberdeen, Mississippi, where she and her husband raised nine children.
Description:
Eliza's inscription combines text from two sources.

He goes to meet his gentle mate
His young with long eyes that waite
So wold i fain hast home to be
My own native land my tennessee
Ye who fought with Washington
Ye who oft with jackson
Turn your back on Harison
And to victore [sic]

The first four lines are Verse 3 from Albert Pike's poem "My Native Land, My Tennessee" published in 1839. The last four lines are a slogan from Martin Van Buren's presidential campaign. Incumbent Van Buren lost the election to challenger William Henry Harrison. Eliza patriotically completed her sampler on Independence Day, July 4, 1840.