Vigo County Historical Society
Historical Treasure Article

September 19, 1993
By Alice Zimmerman Johnson
Vigo County Historical Society

Petit point art stitched with precision, love

The Bible says that no task is too great for someone who loves the Lord.

Surely this must have been the case for May Eldred, 15, who meticulously stitched a petit point picture of David and King Saul. And David, he was not much older than she, when he played his harp for the king.

King Saul had terrible fits and David would be called to soothe his spirit. David would sing and play his harp and King Saul would be soothed and fall asleep. Then David would watch over Saul so no one would disturb him and he could rest in peace.

May Eldred depicted in tiny stitches a picture of King Saul asleep and David hushing the king’s soldiers. I wonder at the number of stitches it took to complete May’s petit point which she stitched while attending Xavier Academy in Chicago.

In 1865, May married William Armstrong. He was co-founder of Armstrong and Buntin Drug Company located at Sixth Street and Wabash Avenue. He also was mayor of Terre Haute from 1883-1885.

May died in 1925. Her needlepoint picture was donated to the museum in 1979 by Mrs. Warner Paige.

If you would like to see May’s picture, please visit the museum. And you, too, will be awed that one so young could accomplish so much.

The Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley, 1411 S. Sixth St., is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

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