The Jackson Purchase Historical Society met on Saturday, April 28th, 2018 in the auditorium of Wrather Museum on the campus of Murray State University. After conducting a short business 
meeting, JPHS President Bill Mulligan introduced MSU student Matthew Meyer as the guest speaker.
Meyer had gathered artifacts and information, especially from personal letters, about his relative, Sophronia Ann Bruce. Sophronia was a gifted quilter and lace maker, who raised three daughters to adulthood with her husband, William Owens Bruce. Sophronia was a very influential housewife in Henry County, Kentucky, an active member of society, a caring mother, and a pioneer at a time when women were a marginalized group.
The family were farmers and Sophronia learned about the business of a working farm. When her father could no longer sustain the family farm, Sophronia was forced into marriage and in choosing William Bruce, the farms became quiet a holding. According to the census of 1850, the Bruce family had an estimated 10,000 acres. Since William was charged with caring for his father’s farm at the time, Sophronia basically was in charge of their own farm. She would cook the meals, ensure the family had clothing and other needs met, manage the farm, and care for all the children, in addition to performing roles like lace tatter, quilter, and more. Sophronia finished a beautiful honeycomb quilt in time for the County Fair in 1857, where she won first prize in the quilt show.
The Civil War affected the Bruce family as it did many families in Kentucky, with some family members sympathizing with the Union and others sympathizing with the Confederates. William helped hide Confederate horsemen when Morgan’s Raiders came to the area, but the Kentucky 14th Cavalry was soon behind and when the Union Army took over the Bruce home as a headquarters, the family was forced to live in a log cabin for much of the war. Once the war was over, the family experienced the same economic issues as most did.
In 1868, the last daughter was born and Sophronia’s health was virtually destroyed. She had already begun to show signs of an illness known as Telogen Effluvium, which cause her to lose her hair. For most of the rest of her life, she was known to wear a curled wig. The three daughters were able to complete one last quilt together, known as The Crazy Quilt. Due to some family issues, Sophronia at one time was forbidden to contact her daughters. Sophronia’s health deteriorated. The family never truly reconciled and Sophronia died on the first day of May in 1888. 
Meyer brought many of the family artifacts, including the two quilts for members and guests to see first-hand. If you are interested in more of the story about Sophronia and her family, please visit Sophronia, a New Castle Pioneer. Also visit Kentuckians of the Civil War to learn more about how the Civil War impacted the Bruce family and others in Kentucky. The JPHS thanks Matthew Meyer for sharing his family’s story.
