Description:
One of a set of five bamboo Winsdor side chairs and an armchair, originally stained red, made by George W. Skellorn (b. ca. 1775) of New York City. According to the donor, Captain Edgar Miller Williams (1889-1986), "these chairs came from the same house and owner and have always been known as a set. All were originally labelled." Captain Edgar Miller Williams was the son of Admiral Clarence Stewart Williams (1863-1951) who married Anna M. Miller (1860-1955), the daughter of Dr. J. M. Miller of Springfield, Ohio, in 1888; his grandfather was Orson Bennet Williams (1834-1912), who was born in Ashfield and married Pamelia L. Floyd of Springfield, Ohio, in 1862; his great-grandfather was Samuel Barnard Williams (1803-1884) of Deerfield who married Mary A. Bennet (d. 1839) of Ashfield, Massachusetts, in 1834, and Caroline Johnson (d. 1885) in 1844; his great-great grandfather was Elijah Williams (1767-1832) who married Hannah Barnard (1772-1853), daughter of Samuel Barnard (1721-1788) of Deerfield, in 1803; and his great-great-great grandfather was Dr. Thomas Williams (1718-1775) of Deerfield. This branch of the Williams family is also related to Elizabeth Williams Champney (1850-1922), a well-known writer of her period, who was the half-sister of Orson Bennet Williams and the wife of the artist, James Wells Champney (1843-1903). Although all the chairs were said to be labeled originally, only the armchair has the remains of a label for: "GEORGE SKELLORN/WINDSOR CHAIR MAKER/No. 356, PEARL STREET/...& executed...[sh]ortest notice." Skellorn made chairs at that address from 1800-1828 when he discontinued chairmaking. The rectangular bomboo-turned back has seven plain spindles, over a thin plank seat, over a bamboo-turned "H" stretcher and legs.
Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+80.104 |
