Andrew Ellicott Family Exhibition

Early in 2006 the Society was the fortunate recipient of artifacts, photographs, and documents from a direct decendant of Andrew Ellicott, one of the founders of Ellicott City and early America's foremost surveyor. On exhibit are materials from five generations of Ellicotts, beginning with Andrew Ellicott "the surveyor" , including a wooden case pocket compass that he made. Clippings of Andrew Ellicott's and his wife Sarah Ellicott's hair with memorial notes, hair jewelry and other treasured mementoes that were saved for generations are on view, along with a quilt (circa 1840) made by Andrew's daughter in law Sarah Griffith Ellicott. Objects in the exhibition include many personal items such as beaded purses, Bohemian glass perfume bottles, tortoise shell cases, and ivory aide de memoir. Photographs from early daguerreotypes to modern prints of Henry Ellicott Magill, the descendant from whom the collection came, along with letters, newspaper clippings and everyday objects help to trace life of an important American family.