For the Compasses
Eliza Rosecrans Hussey completed her Feathered Star patterned quilt in 1840. Dispersed among the traditional pattern blocks are various symbols of the Freemasons, a tribute to her husband Edward's active membership in the Masonic Society. Included on the quilt are numerous variations of one of the most recognizable Masonic symbols, the square and compasses, which represent morality and the intersection of the individual and society. Other noteable symbols found on Hussey's quilt are the all-seeing eye, representing the eye of God; the anchor, symbolizing hope; a gavel; the Masonic altar; the cable tow, indicating brotherly assistance; the shoe or slipper, a physical illustration of a verbal contract; and the beehive, which signifies a co-working relationship.
Interestingly, Hussey's creation came on the heels of Anti-Masonry, a mid-1820s political upheaval caused by the abduction and disappearance of William Morgan, an act allegedly carried out by fellow Masons after he threated to reveal the fraternity's secrets. Freemansonry went into a quick downward spiral. Lodges closed their doors, and members, more or less, went into hiding. By the time the organization rebounded in the 1840s, it was much altered from its original form.
[Bibliography: NMAH. "1840 Eliza Hussey's Masonic Symbols Quilt." National Quilt Collection. Accessed October 21, 2022. https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_556176; Lilley, George H. "The Meaning Behind 15 Common Masonic Symbols." George H. Lilley. April 2, 2020. https://www.ghlilley.com.au/blogs/news/freemason-symbols; Gross, Robert A. "Lodges and Lyceums, Freemasonry and Free Grace." Massachusetts Historical Review 19 (2017): 1-22. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5224/masshistrevi.19.2017.0001.]