Description:
William and Mary crook-back side chair with a leather back and seat, an English form introduced into Boston in 1722 which contemporary Boston records called "leather chairs," and elsewhere were called "Boston chairs." The silver plaque on the crest rail is inscribed: "This chair belonged to William Williams (1731-1811), a signer of the Declaration of Independence 1776." William Williams of Lebanon, Conneticut, was the son of Solomon Williams (1700-1776) of Lebanon, Conneticut, and nephew of Dorothy Williams Ashley (1713-1808) of Hatfield who married the Reverend Jonathan Ashley (1712-1780) of Deerfield. Graduating Harvard in 1751, William served in the French and Indian War and later as Lebanon selectman and town clerk. He married Mary Trumball, daughter of Governor Jonathan Trumball, one of the most prominent families in the Colonies. After signing the Declaration, he supported the Revolution through speeches and money and served in Congress for several years; he was a delegate to the state convention of 1788 and voted for the ratification of the Constitution; and he later served on the Governor's council and as local judge. The crest rail has the hollow-round-hollow molding with its flat top and shaped sides; molded stiles flanking a narrow rectangular leather panel held with one line of brass tacks, which have lines of beading on the inner and outer edges that extend along the edges of the crest rail, and which continue into flared, square rear legs; over the rail leather upholstery held with one line of brass nails, which is probably the second recovering; block-and-turned front legs ending in a baluster-turned foot with a central scribed ring; ball-and-ring turned front stretcher and plain square side and back stretchers.
Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+79.012 |
