Murfreesboro, Rutherford Co.

Mary (Polly) Carson Tomlinson (1805-bet. 1860 and 1870) was eldest of three daughters of Humphrey B. Tomlinson and Euphremia Nichols.The family was living in Rutherford Co. when the 1820 census was taken, making it likely that Polly attended school in Murfreesboro. According to family history, Mary and Elijah Glenn married in Lincoln Co., although no marriage record could be located. The couple had nine children. Mary was likely buried on the family farm near Belfast, Marshall County.

Mary’s sampler features an unusual looped stitch below the row of numbers. Ink lines are visible where the free embroidery has suffered thread loss. Mary used a wide range of stitches in both counted and free embroidery.