Chest of Drawers

Mary “Polly” Glass lived just south of the small town of Charlotte and was part of the large Scotch-Irish population that settled there. This chest of drawers was likely made for Polly when she married Jonathan Rea in 1816.  Jonathan died before 1820, leaving Polly and one surviving daughter. Polly never remarried and lived independently for much of her life.  She successfully managed a small farm, and by 1850 she owned 5 slaves and employed a hired laborer. Three other chests with similar French feet and inlay survive, but the maker of this group, including Polly’s chest, is unknown.