2003.36.1

Crazy quilt, with embroidered and painted motifs, made by Kate Huchins Boynton, Oroville, California, ca. 1895. Crazy quilt is made of assorted silk fabrics: brocades, fancy weaves, satin, twill, etc., ribbons, and is bordered (on two sides) with wine colored velveteen. Embellishments include embroidery (a variety of stithces) in ribbon, chenille, floss and twist as well as oil painting. Some of the motifs on the face of the quilt include: dog, swan, cat, bird, butterfly, cherries, morning-glory, leaves, acorns and oak leaves, spinderweb with spider, beach scene with two children under a beach umbrella, and assorted flowers. The velveteen borders are decorated with painted flowers. The back of the quitl, appears to be a fine crepe (also of wine color) dotted with small pompons made of assorted colors of embroidery twist. The edges of the quilt are trimmed with wine color fancy cording, with large, double chenille tassels at the corners. Kate was the donor's great grandmother. Leila Boynton was the donor's grandmother. Shirley Stapleton Newhall was the donor's mother. The Boynton's owned and operated the "Oroville Mercury" (newspaper). Leila was a UC graduate. Kate was active in a variety of civic causes, e.g. served on the Orovill Library board.

Around 1890 Seth and Kate Boynton built their home at 1681 Bird St. in Oroville, CA and started planting a garden. The Sunset Magazine issue of May 1973, had an article describing the garden 80 years later. The garden reflected the skill of their daughter, Leila Boynton Stapleton, who started gardening as a young girl and brought the garden to its present splendor after she and her husband took over the property. Leila was a Sunset garden consultant from the mid-1940's to the mid-1950's and gardened actively until the age of 78. In 1968 the Stapleton property was purchased by a law firm. Katherine Hutchins Boynton 1849-1929, known as Kate The family moved to California in 1857. Kate was educated at a seminary in Marysville, and then at a teachers' college in Chico. While studying at Chico she met Seth Sprague Boynton (1847-1906) whom she married in 1874 at Central House, near Marysville. Kate was a talented artist whose floral paintings on fabric are included in the quilt; she also did florals on canvas and wood. She felt that the canvas and wood paintings were "warm-ups" for the quilt paintings. Kate and Seth had two children: Albert Eugene Boynton (1875-1945 -and a California State Senator) and Leila Bell Boynton (1885-1966). Paintings by Kate and of the Boynton family are on view in Oroville in the Boynton-Stapleton-Minasian building. Kate was one of seven women who founded the Monday Club in Oroville in 1910; she served as President of the group in 1926 and 1927. Kate's daughter Leila married R.G. Stapleton and lived in the family home with her husband and three children: Katherine, Shirley and Roberta. A History of the Boynton-Stapleton House and Gardens, written by Jean Ryan Minasian in 1993, along with two reproduction photos of Kate Hutchins Boynton (taken late in life) are in the donor file.