Franklin / Williamson County, TN silk-on-linen needlework sampler by Roxana McGee. Worked in cream, light and dark green, yellow, black, brown and red silk threads in a variety of stitches including cross, chain, eyelet and satin. Floral garland border on three sides surrounding seven text registers, including 5 alphabetic bands above the identifying register, “Roxana M’Gee’s sampler/Franklin, Tenn august, 1839,” and a verse: “May I govern my passions with absolute sway/ And grow wiser and better as life wears away”. Below is a central vase of fruit flanked on either side by wreaths, dated “1793” and “1799”. Later stained wood frame. Sight – 16″ H x 16 1/4″ W. Framed – 20 5/8″ H x 21″ W. Note: This sampler has been documented by the Tennessee Sampler Survey, which attributes it to the “Vase and Cartouche” group of Middle Tennessee samplers. Roxana’s grandfather was Rev. John McGee who owned a large land grant near Henpeck Lane, south of Carnton Plantation (Williamson County, TN). His home, Mendenhall, still stands. Roxana’s father was a physician who died young leaving her mother with six children in 1832. Roxana (B. circa 1825) married William Cole (B. circa 1813 in NC) in Williamson County in 1842. Shortly after marrying, they moved to Tippah County, Missouri and later to Pueblo, Colorado. Illustrated “19th Century Williamson County Samplers: Emerging Research” by Jennifer Core, Williamson County Historical Journal, No. 43, 2012 (pp. 26-27). Provenance: Private Tennessee collection; Christie’s New York auction of Important American Furniture, Folk Art and Decorative Arts (Mr. J. Hays, sale #7980), Oct. 21, 1994, Lot #4; the collection of Katherine Prentiss Murphy. Condition: Overall very good condition with some light overall background discoloration and thread fading, archival framing under UV-resistant glass.