Worldly goods in Edgecombe County, North Carolina 1750s versus 1770s
While perusing through inventories and various county records, I have come across a few inventories that I believe are store inventories.
Edgecombe County was formed in 1741 out of Bertie County, the county is named after Richard Edgecombe, a member of Parliament and a lord of treasury, who became the First Baron Edgecombe in 1742. Edgecombe’s boundaries have changed a few times until it reached its current edges. In 1746, part of the county became Granville County; in 1758, another part was used to create Halifax County; and in 1777, yet another small portion was used to establish Nash County.
North Carolina’s ninth oldest incorporated town, Tarboro served the county and the state as a thriving inland port and merchants and farmers used the Tar River largely for trade and transportation until the Civil War.
Not quite the eastern seaboard of wealth, it could be considered the back country at one point in the early settlement of the county 1740s-1750s but as trade routes were created, wealth and worldly goods expand into these areas. What I noticed is that one sees a lot of Virginia currency noted in these inventories and sales papers.
Edgecombe County was formed in 1741 out of Bertie County, the county is named after Richard Edgecombe, a member of Parliament and a lord of treasury, who became the First Baron Edgecombe in 1742. Edgecombe’s boundaries have changed a few times until it reached its current edges. In 1746, part of the county became Granville County; in 1758, another part was used to create Halifax County; and in 1777, yet another small portion was used to establish Nash County.
North Carolina’s ninth oldest incorporated town, Tarboro served the county and the state as a thriving inland port and merchants and farmers used the Tar River largely for trade and transportation until the Civil War.
Not quite the eastern seaboard of wealth, it could be considered the back country at one point in the early settlement of the county 1740s-1750s but as trade routes were created, wealth and worldly goods expand into these areas. What I noticed is that one sees a lot of Virginia currency noted in these inventories and sales papers.
William Whitehead in 1751 has three pages of inventory ranging from woolens, linen, check, stockings, shoes, hats, blankets and etc.
Noted textiles are: blue linen, 3/4 check, sheeting, narrow garlix, calico, plads, duroy, broadcloth, lincey-wollce, brown sheeting and shalloon. 9 pairs of thread stockings are listed as well. This is the first time I have seen a reference to "lince woolce" in North Carolina. We see many references to linsey-woolsy north of the Carolinas but very few
90 1/4 yards of fine osnaburg, coarse ditto (62 Ells), 53 23/4 yards of Scotch osnaburg, 66 yards of fine cotten? 51 3/4 yds of 3/4 check and then a piece of red stripes 23 yds, 1 piece of 3/4 ditto 69 Ells.
Here is another page from his inventory again "blew" linen is listed along with other textiles. There are "worsted" caps, linen handkerchiefs, culge handkerchiefs, knitting needles and variety of buttons, threads, and etc. What we do not see are ready made goods of womens' hats, bonnets, clothing and etc.
Joseph Howell has several pages listing various textiles, goods and etc. in his inventory. We correspond it with the sale papers to clarify the textiles and goods listed and how much they sold for.
Then we transition to a store inventory in 1770 which lists finer goods being imported into Edgecombe County such as silks, manchester goods, flowered sattin, muslin, leghorn hatts, silk hatts and bonnets and etc.
Capt. Micajah Thomas inventory of Edgecombe County is 4 pages long. What is interesting in his will he states that his wife Mourning has her choice of 1 piece of check, 1 piece of striped holland and 2 pieces of Irish linen. His daughter Bathsheba is given 1 piece of chintz, 2 pieces of sattin, 1 piece of striped holland; her choice of one piece of checks, her choice of one callimanco gown and 2 pieces of Irish linen.
This is page one of his inventory taken in 1770.
What stands out on this inventory, striped holland, white kersey, red flannel, womens cloaks, muslin, spotted lawn, silk velvet, flowered sattin, mens' cotton caps, chintz, 5 silk caps, 2 dozen and 7 silk handkerchiefs, 11 yards of PINK persian, 15 7/8 yds of Manchester stuff, flowered silk, 10 fine mens hatts and a box, 10 felt & womens silk hatts, 2 bonnets for ditto and case, 10 leghorn hatts and case.
The sales papers for Micajah Thomas' estate is 8 pages long.
Page 2
On this page above we see many of the silk women's hats being sold, women's worsted shoes or hose(?), silk handkerchiefs, checked handkerchiefs, 5 silk caps, 7 yds of cambrick, a parcel of ribbon
This page shows the variety of common goods being sold like nails, brushes, hammers, saddle bags, tin funnels and etc.
More of the women's hats are being sold and then also listed are the leghorn hats. 4 leghorn hats are sold 11/4; 3 leghorn'd hats sold at 9/3 ditto 6/. 23 check'd handkerchiefs, 1 hatt box.
Ribbon garters are listed, a parcel of knitting needles, several yardage of negro cotton, 2 dozen check'd handkerchiefs, 5 silk handkerchiefs, several pairs of shoe buckles
Again, more silk and checked handkerchiefs, womens shoes, 11 yards of persian silk, several yardage of negro cotton, shoe buckles, sleeve buttons, callimanco, womens' cloak, 3 flowered handkerchiefs, silk and check'd handkerchiefs.
The total amount from the sale of Micajah Thomas' estate.
Even though Edgecombe county is inland, due to river trade on the Tar River, worldly goods are being brought in and sold. There is a shift from the 1750s to the 1770s in the types of textiles being imported and by the 1770s ready made goods like hats, shoes, hose, cloaks, and caps are available.
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| Sale of William Whitehead's estate listing numerous textiles and goods 1750 Edgecombe County, North Carolina |
More thread stockings, sagathy, milled duffil, german serge, holland, a parcel of ribbon, note there is shoes listed as well.
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Then in another possible store inventory is the estate of Major Joseph Howell dated 1750. Joseph Howell is listed as a merchant in 1746.
90 1/4 yards of fine osnaburg, coarse ditto (62 Ells), 53 23/4 yards of Scotch osnaburg, 66 yards of fine cotten? 51 3/4 yds of 3/4 check and then a piece of red stripes 23 yds, 1 piece of 3/4 ditto 69 Ells.
Here is another page from his inventory again "blew" linen is listed along with other textiles. There are "worsted" caps, linen handkerchiefs, culge handkerchiefs, knitting needles and variety of buttons, threads, and etc. What we do not see are ready made goods of womens' hats, bonnets, clothing and etc.
Joseph Howell has several pages listing various textiles, goods and etc. in his inventory. We correspond it with the sale papers to clarify the textiles and goods listed and how much they sold for.
1770s Micajah Thomas Estate
Then we transition to a store inventory in 1770 which lists finer goods being imported into Edgecombe County such as silks, manchester goods, flowered sattin, muslin, leghorn hatts, silk hatts and bonnets and etc.
Capt. Micajah Thomas inventory of Edgecombe County is 4 pages long. What is interesting in his will he states that his wife Mourning has her choice of 1 piece of check, 1 piece of striped holland and 2 pieces of Irish linen. His daughter Bathsheba is given 1 piece of chintz, 2 pieces of sattin, 1 piece of striped holland; her choice of one piece of checks, her choice of one callimanco gown and 2 pieces of Irish linen.
This is page one of his inventory taken in 1770.
What stands out on this inventory, striped holland, white kersey, red flannel, womens cloaks, muslin, spotted lawn, silk velvet, flowered sattin, mens' cotton caps, chintz, 5 silk caps, 2 dozen and 7 silk handkerchiefs, 11 yards of PINK persian, 15 7/8 yds of Manchester stuff, flowered silk, 10 fine mens hatts and a box, 10 felt & womens silk hatts, 2 bonnets for ditto and case, 10 leghorn hatts and case.
The sales papers for Micajah Thomas' estate is 8 pages long.
Page 2
2 7/8 yards of flowered silk, 7 yards of gauze, 8 1/4 yard of flowered gauze, 1 womans' scarlet cloak, 1 woman's cloak, and then at the bottom 1 women hive(?) 11/ and then 1 women hive sold at 11 shillings. Talking with a fellow blogger and bonnet wearer, we believe that these "hives" are bonnets that were listed in the inventory. I have seen "hive" bonnets imported in Savannah in the mid 1760s.
More of the women's hats are being sold and then also listed are the leghorn hats. 4 leghorn hats are sold 11/4; 3 leghorn'd hats sold at 9/3 ditto 6/. 23 check'd handkerchiefs, 1 hatt box.
Even though Edgecombe county is inland, due to river trade on the Tar River, worldly goods are being brought in and sold. There is a shift from the 1750s to the 1770s in the types of textiles being imported and by the 1770s ready made goods like hats, shoes, hose, cloaks, and caps are available.
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