Sarah Ohmart Traylor, Esther, Montgomery County, Illinois 
Light and Dark Log Cabin Quilt, circa 1850-60 
wool and cotton, 83 by 70 inches
Illinois State Museum collection
Gift of Sarah Laws Gray, Green Valley, AZ (1989.47)

In this Log Cabin setting, the dark-fabric sides of four blocks are set with the corners touching, to form cross shapes tessellated with the light-fabric crosses. The backing fabric is an olive, red, and cream print with a leaf motif. 

Why does this setting of log cabin not have the look of "cabins"? Why does this happen?

Life on the Prairie
Sarah Ohmart Traylor made this quilt while living and raising her family in East Fork Township, Montgomery County, Illinois. She was born in 1827 in Pennsylvania, the daughter of George Ohmart. After living in Ohio and Kentucky, the Ohmart family moved to Illinois in 1841.

In 1846 Sarah married Joel C. Traylor, who owned the only store within a ten-mile radius. Two of Joel Traylor’s children from a former marriage had died in infancy. The other later drowned. Life was hard in pioneer Illinois. Sarah gave birth to 13 children, and six of them died in early childhood. The eldest daughter, Margaret, was chief clerk in her father’s store for many years. Two sons became leading citizens of East Fork and Coffeen.

Sarah was between 23 and 33 when she made this quilt. It may have taken her months to complete it because she also had babies to care for and a house to run. The quilt was passed down to a daughter, granddaughter, and great-granddaughter.