Missionary Ragbabies - Beecher Baby Dolls 1893-1910

My daughter Valerie took some actual pictures of  Missionary Ragbabies Cloth Dolls in GA for me, AS of this posting I am looking for the folder which I saved them in SO i would not loose them :)
 I just LOVE Missionary Rag babies

You do not hear very much about them down here in Florida.  I love , Love the history about  the ,

Beecher Baby or Missionary Rag babies dolls were made from 1893 until 1910, dolls  are handmade of cloth stockinette with hand painted facial features by Julia Jones Beecher and the ladies of the Sewing Circle of Congregational Church in Elmira, New York, USA.

 Cloth Beecher Baby dolls are unmarked.

http://dollreference.com/Cloth/beecher_baby_dolls.html

 

http://www.prices4antiques.com/Cloth-Doll-Beecher-J-Missionary-Ragbaby-Stockinette-Needle-Sculpted-Face-Painted-D9916670.html

Cloth Doll; Beecher (J), Missionary Ragbaby, Stockinette, Needle ...
A handmade stockinette Missionary Ragbaby, made by Julia Beecher of Elmira, New York, having a needle-sculpted face, painted features and the remains of looped wool hair;

 

^^ This is my favorite^^

http://ancientpoint.com/inf/11222-wonderful_late_19th_c_early_old_antique_stuffed_cloth_rag_doll_blue_calico_dress.html 

	Category : Primitives	Item Id: 11222
	Original/Reproduction: Original	Style: Naive, Primitive
	Listed By: Dealer or Reseller	Size Type/Largest Dimension: Small (Up to 14")
	Type: Cloth Stuffed Doll	Region of Origin: Unknown
	Material: Fabric	Date of Creation: 1800-1899

  

 Wonderful Late 19th C Early Old Antique Stuffed Cloth Rag Doll Blue Calico Dress

 I would LOVE to try to re-create my own reminiscent  Missionary Rag babie

I know I don't think I could do very well with the mask.

 

http://www.museumofplay.org/online-collections/2/39/78.358

Missionary Ragbabies

doll

1893-1910

The pastor's wife of the Park Congregational Church in Elmira, NY, Julia Beecher made her first cloth doll for her niece. When others in her family requested a similar doll, Beecher sought the help of the church's sewing circle. Soon the group engaged in making dolls to support the congregation's missionary work, and according to some sources, to pay off the church's debts. The church made the Missionary Ragbabies from 1893 to 1910. The church ladies used needle sculpting and hand painting to detail the dolls' facial features, fingers, or clenched fists and made the distinctive wigs for the dolls of strains of yarn. Beecher dolls were usually clothed in a baby dress and matching bonnet.

 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 20" Early Julia Jones Beecher Black Cloth Doll c1893 Missionary Rag Baby