Leadvale, Jefferson Co.

Eliza Jane Graham (1821-1897) was one of four? children of William Graham and Mary Shields. Eliza probably attended school in Graham’s Chapel, a church that had been founded by her grandparents, George and Elizabeth Turnley Graham. At the age of 16 Eliza married Franklin William Taylor, who became an extremely successful businessman. In 1873 Lloyd Branson, a well-known Tennessee artist, painted portraits of the entire family. Eliza Jane died in 1897. She and her husband are buried in Bethesda Cemetery, Morristown, Hamblen Co.

Eliza Jane left her simple marking sampler unfinished. The satin stitch in orange wool in lower right hand corner is probably a later addition. There may be family connection to the 1830 Eliza Ann Rankin/Elizabeth Dickey sampler (TSS 044).