Marie D. (Marie Daugherty) Webster

Born in Wabash, Indiana, in 1859, Marie Daugherty Webster became one of the most influential figures in American quilting. She was a designer, lecturer, entrepreneur, and writer whose work helped turn quilts from everyday household objects into subjects of serious historical and artistic interest.

Webster is best known for Quilts, Their Story, and How to Make Them (1915), widely described as the first American book devoted to the history of quilting. She also built a successful quilt pattern and mail-order business, and her floral appliqué designs became especially admired during the Arts and Crafts era.

Her influence lasted well beyond her own lifetime. Webster's Marion, Indiana, home later became closely associated with the preservation of quilt history, and she is remembered as a key figure in documenting, promoting, and popularizing American quilts.