Exhibit banner for 'Threads of Scotland: The Life & Weaving of Thomas Cranston' at the Jefferson County History & Art Center, featuring a decorative textile background.

Finally! The textile exhibit I’ve worked on for a year has come to fruition. And what an interesting and fulfilling adventure it has been. Coverlets like those of Thomas Cranston, with their excellence of design and skill of weaving, are some of the last widely produced, hand loomed pieces in our country. They deserved a closer look, an appreciation of their artistry – and the man who created them.

Close-up of an exhibit page featuring Thomas Cranston, showcasing a jacquard coverlet with intricate designs and a description of his weaving techniques.

A year ago last June, I traveled to Indianapolis to see the Indiana State Museum‘s exhibit, Woven Together, featuring thirty-two examples of jacquard coverlets made by some of Indiana’s finest weavers. Among the 32 were two beauties by Thomas Cranston, a Scottish weaver who worked exclusively in Jefferson/Switzerland Counties in Southeast Indiana between roughly 1860-1880. Returning home, I asked the Jefferson County History & Art Center Director, John Nyberg, if there were any Cranston coverlets in their collection. They owned four and were more than willing to build an exhibit around them! I started down the long and winding road of research…

Later in the summer a great-great-grandson of Thomas Cranston, Ed Beveridge of Montana, contacted me after reading my blog post on the Woven Together exhibit. After several months, our email exchanges resulted in his gifting his treasured family coverlet – and many other Thomas Cranston artifacts – to the Jefferson County History & Art Center. John and I knew when Ed’s coverlet arrived “Back Home Again in Indiana” that it would be the star of the show. Incredibly, Ed flew in for the exhibit opening earlier this month, and he was able to see fifteen beautiful coverlets woven by his great-great-grandfather.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the 'Threads of Scotland' exhibit at the Jefferson County History & Art Center, featuring three individuals: a woman with glasses and curly hair, a man in a blue plaid shirt, and another man in a light blue shirt, all positioned in front of an exhibit sign.
An exhibition space showcasing colorful jacquard coverlets displayed on walls, with a wooden bed in the foreground featuring a coverlet. A glass display case holds artifacts related to the weaver's story, titled 'Weaver Goes to War'.

Locating Cranston coverlets in other collections was a thrill – especially when those collections were so eager to loan examples for the exhibit! The Switzerland County Historical Society has loaned three, Historic Madison, Inc. has loaned one, Indiana State Museum has loaned four from their John and Janet Simmermaker Collection, Michael Schneider has loaned one from his personal collection, and Jill King loaned two from the private collection of her parents, the Simmermakers of Winamac, Indiana. The exhibit is truly a room full of awesome!

A textile exhibit showcasing a colorful coverlet with floral patterns on display alongside interpretive panels about the history of weaving and textile production.
A historic exhibit showcasing intricately woven coverlets displayed in a room with a wooden bed and a small table, featuring interpretive panels and displays related to the life of weaver Thomas Cranston.
A textile exhibit featuring a large black and white coverlet displayed on a wall, with interpretive panels discussing the Scottish heritage in Indiana. A spinning wheel is positioned on the floor to the left.

When you look at these beautiful tapestries you can see the artistry of the weaver. What they don’t tell you are the life events of the weaver, but those events are woven through the exhibit on interpretive panels and in displays. Leaving Scotland for America, 20 years old and alone, after a seven year apprenticeship with a master weaver. Working in the textile mills of Lowell Massachusetts weaving ingrain carpet for three years. Traveling to Southeast Indiana’s Scottish Settlement in Jefferson & Switzerland Counties. Joining Company A, Indiana Third Cavalry (1863-1865) as part of the Army of the Potomac and witnessing firsthand the horrors of the Civil War. Marrying his sweetheart, Annie Glenn, and raising six children. Weaving “during odd times and wet spells” in a small Indiana limestone loomhouse. Selling his home and land, leaving his loom, and “Going West!” to farm in Kansas. Serving as Commandant of the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) in McCune, Kansas. A full life, not a particularly easy one.

I really loved my deep dives into Ancestry to make family connections and locate images of those connected to Thomas Cranston and his coverlets. Like the coverlet gifted by Ed Beveridge, a few other coverlets in Jefferson & Switzerland County collections were treasures passed down through families for four & five generations. It’s really fitting that local historical societies have these articles and know their provenance/history of the original owners and local families. “Every picture tells a story.”

A historical black-and-white photograph of a group of people, including adults and children, posed together in a formal setting. The individuals are dressed in traditional attire from the early 20th century, and the image is framed with an ornate border.
The Cranston Family
A historical group photo featuring adults and children gathered in front of a wooden building, with some individuals labeled in writing.
The Harrell Family
Two women in historic clothing pose for a photograph indoors, one standing and the other sitting, surrounded by Victorian-era decor.
McCabe-Heckel Family
Black and white photograph of a family portrait featuring four individuals: two adult women seated, a young boy in between them, and an adult man seated to the right.
The Hines Family
A woman seated on a patterned coverlet, positioned in front of a window on a porch.
Norma Stewart 1947

And lest you think weavings of the past are the end of this story, they’re not! The Art of Weaving is alive and well in Jefferson County today. During the exhibit opening we were fortunate to have Glenna Wade spinning wool, and Cherie Rike and Cheryl Peglow demonstrating handloom weaving. Several items they have spun, woven and sewn are on display as well.

Two women engage in conversation at a textile exhibit, one demonstrating weaving on a loom while various coverlets are displayed in the background.
Cherie Rike at the loom
A woman sits at a spinning wheel, carefully spinning wool into yarn, surrounded by baskets of fluffy fiber and traditional spinning tools.
Glenna Wade spinning wool
Two women engaging in a weaving demonstration at a textile exhibit, with a small loom and various fabric samples displayed on a table.
Cheryl Peglow demonstrating weaving
An exhibit featuring vintage spinning wheels, weaving tools, and a decorative coverlet with floral patterns on display at a textile art exhibit.
Fiber prep equipment
Display featuring handcrafted textile pieces by Jefferson County Fiber Artists, including a vest and a purple plaid tunic, alongside woven wall hangings and woven items on shelves.
Woven items

The exhibit has been very well received and will run through October of this year. It’s a wonderul show, well worth a visit. History & Art Center Director John Nyberg did an amazing job creating a top notch visual experience. Here are a few behind-the-scenes photos just to remind you that “Rome wasn’t built in a day!” LOL

A woman sits at a handloom in an exhibit space, surrounded by weaving materials and artifacts related to textile arts.
Cherie setting up the loom
A person repairing a textile piece, holding a needle and thread, focused on their work with a colorful fabric draped over their lap.
Me sewing the mounting strips to the coverlets
An empty exhibition space with a glass display case, a blue ladder, and various artifacts related to weaving, including a spinning wheel and decorative items.
John’s work zone setting up the space

Jefferson County History & Art Center
615 West First Street
Madison, IN 47250
812-265-2335
Tuesday – Saturday, 10am-3:30pm
Non-members, $5/person
Children 16 & under, Free

Written by

sallymcw

One thing that makes my journey unique is that all of my interests are driven by a joyful and genuine curiosity. I delight in finding less expensive ways to make something or creative ways to enjoy something longer. Finding and creating joy - and sharing it - is core to who I am.