John Hewson (artist)

John Hewson
Born	1744 London, England
Died	1821 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Occupation	Textile artist

John Hewson gravestone in Palmer Cemetery in Philadelphia

John Hewson (1744 – 1821) was a textile artist. He trained in a cotton-printing factory in London, but moved to the United States on the advice of his friend Benjamin Franklin, and set up a calico printing factory in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His chintzes were used in American quilts, often as the centerpiece.[1] In November 2014, a DNA test revealed Hewson to be the paternal fifth great-grandfather of American actress and comedian Tina Fey.[2]

He is interred at Palmer Cemetery in Philadelphia.

References

1. Quilt with center medallion by Hewson at the Smithsonian
2. "Ancient Roots – Full Episode". Episode transcript. Finding Your Roots. 18 November 2014. Archived from the original on 31 December 2014. Retrieved 23 April 2015.

• John Hewson in Remembering Kensington & Fishtown: Philadelphia's Riverward Neighborhoods, by By Kenneth W. Milano, 2008 ISBN 978-1596294486