Middle TN JASNA members took a "field trip" to Travellers Rest, home of early Tennessee settler, John Overton, at their February meeting. In addition to touring the Overton home originally built in 1799, JASNA members enjoyed a "spot" of tea and learned about Regency Era fashion from Tonya Staggs, educational co-ordinator at Travellers Rest.
The detailed house tour, led by Brian Allison, curator of Travellers Rest, informed the group about the role John Overton played in the development of Tennessee, his relationship with Andrew Jackson as well as his interesting personal life (he was a short man married to a much younger woman who was over 6 feet tall!) Many of the furnishings in the house belonged to the Overton family and much was said about hospitality and entertaining that went on in this home in the 1800's.
Following the house tour, JASNA members went to the "barn" where they sipped tea, ate sweet delicacies and listened to Tonya Staggs give a wonderfully illustrated lecture about clothing of the Regency period. Tonya did an especially good job of linking historical happenings such as the French Revolution and Britain's war with France to the changes in clothing that appeared in the early 1800's. She also showed a bonnet which she had made that looked much like ones in fashion plates of this period. JASNA members were glad to hear that workshops about hat and dress making from this era will be offered in the future at Travellers Rest.
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