Tag Archives: Burnap

New Hampshire and the Easter Bonnet

Posted on 19 April, 2014 by Janice Brown

I am not making a claim that New Hampshire invented the ‘Easter Bonnet.’   Head-gear has been worn by women as far back as the Middle Ages, and probably much earlier in both cold and warm climates. It would not be … Continue reading →

Posted in History, New Hampshire Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

New Hampshire’s Burnap "Leghorn Bonnets"

Posted on 7 September, 2006 by Janice Brown

A sample bonnet from the 18th century found in Connecticut. Note: this is not a photograph of the bonnets made by the Burnap sisters. Samples of leghorn straw bonnets can be found HERE.

According to the Merrimack NH town history, presented at the Bicentennial celebration in 1946 (written by my grandmother, Mattie Kilborn Webster): “The Burnap sisters, daughters of Merrimack, New Hampshire’s first minister [Jacob Burnap], had other ideas of a woman’s usefulness. It is claimed that in this Town [Merrimack] they invented the making of “Leghorn hats” or bonnets, as they were called. Continue reading →

Posted in Genealogy, New Hampshire Inventors, New Hampshire Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments