Ellen Harding Baker
Ellen Harding Baker, née Sarah Ellen Harding (June 8, 1847 - March 30, 1886) was an American astronomer and a teacher. She is known for her Solar System Quilt, used as a teaching aid in her lectures on astronomy.[1]
Ellen Harding Baker | |
|---|---|
 Ellen Harding Baker | |
| Born | Sarah Ellen Harding June 8, 1847 Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Died | March 30, 1886 (aged 38) Johnson County, Iowa |
| Nationality | American |
Notable work | Solar System Quilt |
Biography
Sarah Ellen Harding (born in Cincinnati, Ohio; 8 June 1847 - 30 March 1886) was the daughter of Stephen and Ann (Terry) Harding.[2]
She married Marion Baker (10 October 1867) and the couple lived in Cedar County, Iowa. Ellen Harding taught and lectured astronomy in West Branch, Moscow, and Lone Tree, Iowa.[1]
In 1878, the family moved to Johnson County where Baker had a general merchandise business in Lone Tree. They had seven children together before her death of tuberculosis.[1][3]
Solar System Quilt
In 1876, Ellen Harding created the Solar System Quilt to assist her during astronomy lectures.
She may be the woman from local newspapers in the winter of 1883–1884, which mentioned that it took seven years for an Iowa woman to embroid the Solar System on a quilt.[4]
The quilt has a wool top embellished with wool-fabric applique, wool braid, and wool and silk embroidery. The quilt bears a striking design which resembles illustrations in astronomy books of her period.[1] The quilt shows the sun at the center and the eight planets of our solar system (with indicated orbits around the sun), as well as the asteroid belt. The myriad of stars that exist beyond our solar system are also shown. The Galilean moons of Jupiter, as well as moons of Earth, Saturn, Neptune and Uranus are included, as are Saturn's rings. A comet with an eccentric orbit is also present - perhaps Halley's comet which had last been seen in 1835.
The quilt is large; it measures 89 x 106 inches (225 cm x 269 cm).[1]
The quilt is currently in possession at the Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of American History, donated by Patricia Hill McCloy and Kathryn Hill Meardon.[1] However, since 2018 it has not been on view.
References
- "1876 Ellen Harding Baker's "Solar System" Quilt". National Museum of American History. Retrieved 2018-04-21.
- "Sarah Ellen Parker". find a grave. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
- "Sarah Ellen Baker (Harding) (and her kids)". www.geni.com. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
- Barbara Morgan (April 20, 2018). "Solar System Quilt". barbarabrackman.blogspot.com.