Jacob Biesecker Jr. (1810-1865) of Franklin Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania wove this Figured and Fancy, red, white, and blue, tied-Beiderwand coverlet in 1852. The coverlet has self-fringe along three sides. The centerfield design is a carpet medallion design featuring “Double Thistle,” “Double Leaf,” and eight-point star floral medallions. There is a double border along three sides made up of an “Eagle and Tree” inner border and a diamond and eight-pointed star outer border. The corner block inscription reads, “J. Biesecker Jr. New Invention Franklin T. Ad. Co. 1852.” This coverlet measures 90 inches by 76 inches and was constructed from two panels initially woven as one length on the loom. In the 1850 Federal Census, Jacob is recorded as a weaver living in the household of his father, Jacob, a farmer with real estate valued at $3000. Jacob’s advertisement of “New Invention” on his coverlets also tells that he had purchased a licensing agreement for a patented loom or patterning mechanism. By the 1850s, it was almost certainly a Jacquard head. Jacob Jr.’s pattern book survives in the family and his probate inventory recorded three looms and their fixtures plus two varieties of carpet valued at different rates. It is presumable that Biesecker was employing and training other fancy weavers and operating a small manufactory from his family farm in Adams County. Many of these farm/manufactories also operated mills. More research is needed to fully understand the economic activities of the Biesecker family.
