On Thursday, August 12, 2004 Janice Mitchell Lutz graciously brought to the Presbyterian church, a quilt made up of red and white square and signed with 213 names. Each name was handwritten in ink. She believes due to her long family history as members of Fulton Presbyterian Church and through further research of church records that this quilt was indeed sewn by the missions group of the church in the 1880's.

The quilt has a large center square which contains a handwritten ink message stating that it is a Missionary Quilt which commenced at the suggestion of the President of the Ladies Missionary Society for the purpose of raising money for the support of Missions. The first stitches were taken at the home of Mrs. T.A. Hudson on November 3, 1881 and was completed in April of 1883. The quilt squares are signed with 213 names several of which also signed with their hometown. The quilt raised $20 for Missions. The quilt was later presented by the Ladies Missionary Society to Mrs. Hudson, President.

Further history of the quilt shows that Janice Mitchell Lutz inherited it from her Great-Great Aunt Amanda Mitchell Hudson. Several years ago Mrs. Lutz found the quilt in a tattered plastic covering in the attic of her father's (Janvrin E. Mitchell) home. Two years ago she attended morship at the Presbyterian church and noticed the various other quilts on the walls in the Outreach Center and later decided that this would be the appropriate place for the quilt. At this time an effort is being made to have the quilt registered with the Illinois Quilt Society as a historical quilt.

The quilt is made up of 1326 squares, each square is 2 1/2 inches in size, the finished size is 87 inches by 76. The quilt has never been used and the fabric colors are true still, there has been no fading on the quilt and most of the ink has not faded with time or run from use or being washed.

LOOKING BACK:

The following portion of an article was found by Nancy Kolk, while looking through microfiche at the Martin House Museum. It is from the December 10, 1880 edition of the Fulton Journal. It reads, "A quilting party was held by the ladies of the Presbyterian Society at the lecture room of the church on Thursday afternoon of last week, the quilt being designed for missionary benefit. During the quilting a very beautiful and well written essay on Missionary Work was red by Miss Grace Hubbard. Readings were also given in turn by several, thus combining intellectual entertainment with manual and charitable labor. In the evening an elegant repast was partaken of by the ladies and quite a number of invited gentlemen, and a general good time had."

THOSE WHO SIGNED:

The following names were signed on the quilt. In order to sign your name to the quilt it was decided that a small fee should be paid toward the Missions fund at the church. If anyone recognizes any of the names in the following list, and could give information about that person, plase contact the Presbyterian Church at (815-589-3580). The names include:
D.L. Barber, Mrs. L. Barber, A.W.Bastian, Reuben Bastian, Mary Bellard, Mrs. H.R. Bellard, Miss F.H. Benson, Frank Bittinger, J.E. Bittinger, J.W. Broadhead, Mrs. C. Broadhead, Mrs. J.W. Broadhead, Rockema Brown, Dr. S.J. Bryning, Henrietta Bryning, Mrs. N. Bryning, Mrs. S.G.(J) Bryning, Pearl Bryning, Mrs. S.E. Chamberlain, Mrs. E. Chandler, Dr. E.A. Clendening, Mrs. Dr. Clendening, Mrs. Capt. Conger, Sylvia Conger, Anna Cowles, Mr. Orrin Cowles, Mrs. Orrin Cowles, Dr. J. Cozad, Mrs. J. Cozad, Sara I. Cozad, Mrs. Mary Crue, C.R. Culbertson, May Culbertson, Miss Kate Culbertson, Mr. William P. Culbertson, Mrs. William P. Culbertson, Samuel Dennison, Clara Belle Diannah, Mrs. E.F. Dickson, Mrs. H. Downey, Mr. E.W. Dutcher, Mrs. E.W. Dutcher, Ruth Dutcher, Lillie Eaton, Dr. John Eddy, Mrs. Eddy, Mr. F.A. Faggart, Mrs. F.A> Faggart, Artie Fay, Mr. J. Martin Fay, Mrs. J. Martin Fay, Libbie Fenton, Mr. Ferris, Mrs. Ferris, Mrs. Wm. (Carrie) Gay, Rev. Wm. Gay, Clara Gensman, Charles George, John M. George, Helen Gerish, A.G. Green, Mr. R. Green, Mrs. A.G. Green, Mrs. R. Green, Mrs. W.C. Greeh, W.C. Green, Nellie Grincrold, Mamie A. Griswold, Miss A.M. Hall, Mrs. W.P. Hall, Belle Happer, Mrs. F. Happer, Alice Hardin, Mr. Hardin, Mrs. W. Herrold, Mrs. W.W. Herrold, Mrs. Houghton, Will Housel, Grace Hubbard, Mrs. J.W. Hubbard, Mrs. N.W. Hubbard, Rev. J.W. Hubbard, Hattie A. Hudson, Mattie H. Hudson, Mrs. Mary Hudson, Mrs. T.A> Hudson, Mr. Ives, Mrs. Ives, Mr. J.P. Jacobs, Eddie Johnson, Mrs. Caroline Johnson, J.W. Joice, Mrs. Dr. Jones, Mrs. Lizzie Keme, Father Kilkinney, W.F. King, Mrs. P. Kitchen, Mr. J.L. Knapp, Mrs. J.L. Knapp, Sarah Knapp, Miss Jennie E. Knight, Miss J.E. Knight, Mrs. L.A. Knight, Hellen Lachmond, Mr. C.V. Lachmond, Mrs. C.V. Lachmond, Mrs. C.E. Landford, C. Langford, Mr. C.E. Langford, Mrs. E.A. Lay, Arthur B. Loomis, Fannie E. Loomis, G.C. Loomis, Laura C. Loomis, Mrs. G.C. Loomis, Mrs. M. Lyon, Willie Lyons, Bertie Marcellus, Ella Marcellus, Finimore Marcellus, Frank Marcellus, Histora Marcellus, Mr. F.E. Marcellus, Will Martin, Mrs. J. Martindale, Lester McCoy, Mrs. James McCoy, Mrs. McKenzie, Mrs. John McKenzie, B.L. Mills, Jennie W. Mills, Mrs. B. Mills, Rev. B. Mills (Pastor), Mr. G. Miln, Mrs. G. Miln, Mary A. Mitchell, Mrs. A. H. Mitchell, Hattie Noble, Mrs. H.M. Nugent, Carl Parker, Mrs. Ches Parker, Mr. H. Pease, Mrs. H. Pease, S.M. Powd, Nelson C. Pratt, Mrs. L. Price, Mrs. Hattie Robison (Robinson), Mary Rounds, Mr. J.G. Rounds, Eva Sanford, Sara Sanford, Mrs. Dr. Seeley, Jos. Sherer, Mrs. M. Slocumb, Barney Smith, Emma V. Smith, Mr. Thomas A. Smith, Mrs. B. Smith, Mrs. R.M. Smith, Mrs. Thomas A. Smith, Rev. R.M. Smith, Mrs. J.J. Sprague, Chas. Startzman, Henry Stewart, Mr. Peter Still, Mrs. P. Still, Mr. Cyrus Summers, Mrs. E. Summers, Mrs. L.E. Summers, Oscar Summers, Ruby Summers, J.C. Sutherland, Mrs. J.C. Sutherland, Mr. George Terwiliger, Mrs. George Terwiliger, Bessie Trask, Howard Trask, Mr. Payson Trask, Mrs. (Sarah) Payson Trask, Mrs. P.E. Walters, G.A. Ward, J.F. Ward, Mrs. Ware, Mrs. J. Weeden, Mary E. Wells, Mrs. D.E. Wells, Rev. D.E. Wells, Mr. C.N. Wheeler, Mrs. A.A. Wheeler, Mrs. C.N. Wheeler, Mr. W.F. Whitemore, Mrs. W.F. Whitemore, Mr. Leslie Williams, Mrs. L. Williams, Maria Wythe.

The Missionary Society of the Presbyterian Church was founded in 1875. It met once a month in the homes of its members. The money for its contributions to national and foreign missions came primarily from yearly dues and freewill offerings.

The Thimble Society was organized before 1899 to promote social activities and support the finances of the church. The Industrial Society was active from 1884 to 1913 when the members joined the Thimble Society. This group met in a northwest room of the basement for Quilting, an activity carried on most of its 29 years of existence.

In April 1947, the Women's Association was formed by a merger of the Missionary Society and the Thimble Society. Its purpose was to promote the devotional, benevolent, social and financial support of the church.

Source: The Fulton Journal, Fulton IL - Wednesday November 10, 2004 Page two Section one
The photo at the top is not the same quilt -- The one in the paper was in black and white..