Very Rare Slave Quilt Still Survives In Bristol

The slaves who made it and long used it have been gone for more than 140 years, yet the old quilt still survives.
It is rather crudely made of varying sizes of old faded pieces of wool clothing, sewn together but following no pattern or design. No one would call it beautiful. As just a quilt, it would not likely bring a dollar at a yard sale or auction.
Yet it is priceless because of its unique historical connection to an era that is long past, and because of its extreme rarity. Rare indeed. How many do you know of in this area, how many have you seen and where would you go to find another?
Philip Bushong and his wife, Mary Ellen Dryden Bushong, were married in 1835 and for several years, lived in or near Blountville, Tenn. Then, they established Stoney Point plantation out on what is now King College Road in Bristol, Tenn. Their plantation house stood within a few feet of the large old brick house (erected 1884) that is now numbered 2061 King College Road. It is currently occupied by Ann Foley. The house was a large, two-story log house which was later covered over with wood siding, and a fancy portico was added at the front.
The Bushongs had four slaves. There was Martha, born July 1, 1832, her daughter Rosy (or Rosie), born in 1848, and Martha’s much younger sister, Sarah, born about 1844. Then, there was old John, born about 1828.
It is thought that all four had originally belonged to the Hammers of Paperville, who long operated the Hammer Inn in that village. According to Martha Jane Hart, a great-granddaughter of the Bushongs, these slaves were purchased and brought on to Stoney Point about the time the move was made from Blountville.
The women occupied a loft room over the kitchen, while old John occupied a small log cabin in back of the main house. Old John’s cabin was taken down a few years ago by a Bushong descendant and moved to Alabama, where it was re-erected.
In the mid-1850s, the slave women made the quilt pictured with this article, and another very similar to it. These they filled with wool and thus had very good covers for their bed in the kitchen loft.
Martha was the family cook and housekeeper. Sarah and Rosy worked the land, along with old John. Tragedy struck at Stoney Point in the spring of 1864. Rosy died on May 24 that year, and Sarah died on June 15. Martha was left alone in the loft room over the kitchen.
When the Civil War ended, Martha thought she would have to go out in the world alone to make her own way. (Many ex-slaves did have to do that.) One chilly spring morning, she came downstairs carrying the two quilts and asked Mrs. Bushong if she could take them with her to make a bed wherever night might overtake her.
The kind and compassionate Mrs. Bushong told her that she would not have to leave and that she could stay on there. She went on to tell her that as long as there was food in the house, it would be shared with her.
Martha took the quilts back upstairs, very grateful for the kindness that had been shown to her. She died in that little room Nov. 9, 1867. She and the other two slave women were buried outside the fence of a little cemetery, located near the intersection of King College and Trammel roads. The graves are not marked.
Old John did not leave such a pleasant memory. He did leave the place and found work near Bluff City. As he left, he vowed to come back and burn every building at Stoney Point.
Later, someone came by and told Mrs. Bushong that she need worry no longer, that old John had recently come down with typhoid and had died.
Philip Bushong had died April 30, 1859. Mrs. Bushong died May 31, 1883. Both are buried in the Paperville Cemetery.
In 1990, the slave quilts were entrusted to me for future preservation. One was put in the Crab Orchard Museum at Tazewell, Va. The other is kept here at Pleasant Hill. Plans have been made for its future preservation.

BUD PHILLIPS is a local historian and author. He can be reached at (276) 466-6435.