Susan McCord

Susan McCord (October 7, 1829 – December 12, 1909) was an American quilter. She is best known for her innovative designs and exquisite craftsmanship. Thirteen of McCord's quilts are included in the permanent collection of the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.

Biography Early life Susan Noakes was born on October 7, 1829, in Decatur County, Indiana to Amos and Mahala Noakes. In 1849, at the age of twenty, Noakes married schoolteacher, Green McCord in Hancock County, Indiana. In 1853, the McCord family moved to Iowa where they farmed for four years. In 1857, the family returned to Indiana and rented a farm near McCordsville, a town founded by Green McCord's family. They cleared twenty of the farm's eighty acres and built a small log cabin for their growing family.

Later life and death In December, 1909, at the age of 80, McCord contracted pneumonia after being kicked by a cow she had been milking; she lay on the frozen ground for hours before being discovered. She died December 12, 1909. McCord and her husband are buried in the Oaklandon Cemetery in Marion County, Indiana. McCord's quilts were passed down to members of her family.

Exhibition history On display at the Henry Ford Museum during the early 1970s, Susan McCord's quilts soon gained national attention. In 1981, McCord'a work was featured in a major art exhibition of 100 American quilts at the Oakland Museum of California. The four month long show, titled American Quilts, A Handmade Legacy, broke all previous attendance records. Placed in a prominent position near the entrance of the exhibit was McCord's most famous quilt, Vine, described in an exhibition art review as "a masterful work" and the "Sistine Chapel of quilts". Made from clothing remnants from her children and grandchildren, the quilt consists of thirteen panels of appliqué vines. Each vine is made with over three hundred leaves and strip-pieced buds, with over 9.000 pieces hand-sewn in intricate detail.

Works Thirteen Susan McCord quilts are in the permanent collection of the Henry Ford Museum. Hexagon Mosaic Quilt, circa 1900