In 2010 I inherited a 1903 signature quilt from a cousin with 260 names listed on its blocks. I’ve researched the people and the time and place they inhabited. I’ve worked to bring to life the residents of Jackson Corners (a hamlet in Northern Dutchess/Southern Columbia County, NY) and their neighbors, who in 1903 helped support their Methodist Church pastor’s salary by adding their names to the quilt. By looking into their family histories, the book paints a picture of rural Northern Dutchess & Southern Columbia County at the turn of the century when the “simple” life was coming to an end.

To buy a copy, please visit Oblong Books online by clicking here, or order at one of their locations in Rhinebeck or my hometown of Millerton. Full disclosure, yes, Dick Hermans is my uncle, Suzanna Hermans is my cousin and they are tremendous supporters of local history books!