Ohio Finds: Ohio River Quilt

With the chill of autumn, it’s time to start unpacking the blankets, and this floral quilt, made in the Steubenville area in 1862, makes a bed more colorful and cozy. Although the quilt’s rich reds and greens catch the eye and the skillful applique needlework inspires admiration, the most unusual aspect lies in the signatures inked in its blocks.

Signature quilts were popular in the 19th century, often made by community groups as gifts for new brides or as fundraisers for local efforts, and historians love them for clues they offer about family genealogies and small-town social groups. 

The Ohio River was historically viewed as a hard boundary line during the Civil War, but this 100-inch-square quilt shows a connection between neighbors on opposite sides of the waterway. It confirms what researchers have long known: the river was crossed for trade and social opportunities.

Most signatures indicate ties to Steubenville, but there are also ones from neighboring river towns. Sugar Hill and Happy Retreat are listed among the Ohio communities, but Holidays Cove (then part of Virginia, but now part of West Virginia) also appears. This quilt sold in September 2024. 

Sold: $1,140

Hollie Davis is a co-owner of Meander Auctions in Whipple, Ohio. meanderauctions.com

For more Ohio history, sign up for our Ohio Magazine newsletters.

Ohio Magazine is available in a beautifully designed print issue that is published 7 times a year, along with Spring-Summer and Fall-Winter editions of LongWeekends magazine. Subscribe to Ohio Magazine and stay connected to beauty, adventure and fun across our state.