Dressing Gown
Period1790 - 1800
Place MadePossibly New Jersey, U.S.A.
MediumPrinted cotton chintz, glazed cotton
Dimensions25 × 10.5 in. (63.5 × 26.7 cm)
ClassificationsCostume, Children's
Credit LineGift of Mrs. Charles Bennett and Miss Louise Hartshorne, 1935
Object number863
DescriptionA child's dressing or "double"gown of printed cotton chintz in a large scale white, blue and red floral print on a rich brown ground. The gown is constructed with a round collarless neckline, long shaped sleeves, and long skirts made with a deep vent from waist to rear hem. The gown's front features left and right shaped waistcoat panels attached along with a button front closure.Curatorial RemarksChildren's garments of this nature are rare survivors, often worn until they were worn out. This dressing gown, with its attached vest, shaped sleeves, and linen lining, was sturdily and well made. Although it shows numerous signs of wear, the seams and fabric are virtually intact. The printed chintz fabric most likely from England.The Historical Association has a number of artifacts owned and used by John and Mary Loyd Hendrickson. In addition to clothing items, the Association also has a clothes press made by Middletown furniture maker Fenwick Lyell (accession number 1984.2.1) and a set of shield back side chairs (1995.530), likely made as wedding gifts for the couple's marriage in 1793.NotesThis lovely little child's dressing gown descended in the family of Mary Loyd Hendrickson (1772 - 1865) and her husband John Hendrickson (1773 - 1807). The couple married on November 27, 1793 and had seven children before John died at the age of 34. Mary Hendrickson never remarried, dying at the age of 93 in 1865. Mary's and John's children were Eleanor (b. 1794), Daniel (1797 - 1845), Eliza Ann (1798 - 1801, John L. (1801 - 1845), Cyrenious (1803 - 1804), Charles (1805 - 1889), and William (dates unknown). Original accession information notes that the gown was worn by Charles Hendrickson as a toddler. Charles was born in 1805, while the gown itself in style and construction dates to much earlier, perhaps as much as twenty years. Children's clothing was often saved and handed down from sibling to sibling. It is possible that one of Mary's or John's family members or frieinds gave the couple the dressing gown for young Charles.After her son Charles married Julia Ann Schureman, Mary Loyd Hendrickson lived with the family until her death. Charles Hendrickson married Julia Ann Schureman in 1826. The couple lived in Philadelphia during Charles' active and successful career as a merchant, later retiring to Middletown in 1860.The Association has other Hendrickson family clothing including John Hendrickson's wedding breeches (accession number 832) and Mary Loyd's ivory silk wedding slippers (please see accession number 849).
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