What are men actually wearing in the Carolinas?

 Men's clothing sometimes can be easier to find than women's clothing when examining estate and inventory records in the 1700s.   Earlier in the period, clothing is listed more frequently but by the 1770s, household or trade goods are listed more often than clothing. In this post, I will examine men's clothing listed in estate and inventories from the following counties; Duplin, New Hanover and Cumberland, North Carolina.  

John Matchet, 1774 Duplin County, NC inventory of estate

John Matchet lived in Duplin County, NC and his inventory from his estate listed the following clothing items:  2 hats, 4 coats, 5 jacket, 3 pairs of breeches, 1 pr of trousers, 5 shirts, 2 prs of stockings, 1 pair of Indian boots, 1 pair of shoes and buckles, 1 silver shoe buckle, 1 pair of knee buckles, 1 stock buckle, 2 razors and 1 watch

Not much description of the textiles of his clothing but as you can see he has both coats and jackets and breeches and trousers.   One thing to note is the Indian boots.   I have seen these mentioned in other inventories like in A Holden's estate in 1774 again from Duplin County.   Are these moccasins or a boot that you would wear while hunting?

Maurice Nevin, 1767 New Hanover County, NC inventory of estate

Next we have Maurice Nevin of New Hanover County who estate was inventoried in 1767.  Again we see 2 coats, 2 pairs of breeches, 2 jackets, 3 pairs of Hose, 4 shirt, 2 handkerchiefs, 1 hat, 1 pair of shoes, 1 pair of silver buckles.    Are the 2 coats actually long bodied coats or are they waistcoats?  As there are no waistcoats listed in this inventory.   Also, the word hose is used instead of stockings.   Is this traditional hose or just a term used by the person carrying out the inventory?  Also note the 2 muskets and pistol listed at the top. 

Here we have the inventory of James Steele of Cumberland County in 1774.   He has 2 coats, 3 jackets, 1 pr of leather breeches, 2 prs of plush breeches, 1 pr of thread hose.  Down at the bottom of his inventory they list 2 coats and 2 prs of breeches

James Steele, 1774 Cumberland County, NC inventory of estate

Another 4 coats are listed but I wanted to point out that Mr. Steele was a freemason.  As he has 1 freemason apron, 1 pr of white gloves and a 1 T-- Wigg in his inventory.   Again, note razors, strops and shaving boxes listed in his estate.   I have seen other freemason items listed in a few other inventories across North Carolina.

Andrew Gunderson, 1774 Cumberland County NC inventory of estate

Here we have Andrew Gunderson's inventory and they list the following items.  1 old blue jacket, 3 old pairs of trousers, 2 old ozenbrig shirts, 2 old linen shirts, 1 old stamped jacket, 1 old pair of shoes, 7 shillings of Proclamation money.

Not much here but the two types of shirts, ozenbrig and linen. a blue jacket and a stamped jacket?  We find stamped fabric for women's clothing but for men's?   Would this maybe be a banyan of stamped linen or just a typical jacket?  

Richard Beaughan's inventory, 1771 Cumberland County NC

So here at Cross Creek, NC in Cumberland County we have the inventory of Richard Beaughan. 1 blue coat trimmed in silver buttons, 1 camblet coat, 1 surtout coat, 1 red jacket, 1 pr of doe skin breeches, 1 pr of shoes, 4 shirts, 1 pr of copper shoe buckles, 1 pr of silver knee buckles, 1 pr of sleeve buttons, 1 hat,

In this inventory we see a little bit of description of the clothing, blue coat with silver buttons and a red jacket and the copper shoe buckles.  This is the first time I have seen doe skin breeches listed.  Normally we see leather breeches noted in inventories and that is something I will go into for a later blog post. 

Inventory of James Bradley 1771 New Hanover County, NC

I'll conclude with this inventory of James Bradley who was a merchant in the Wilmington area.  His inventory is broken down into saleable goods like textiles and products that would be sold in his store and also furniture in his house.   

11 shirts, 14 cravats, 7 linen waistcoats, 7 prs of thread stockings, 6 nightcaps, 2 prs of nankeen breeches, 1pr of ticken breeches, 1pr of sheets, 4 coats & waistcoats, 2 prs of breeches, 1 camblet cloak, 1 pr of silver shoe and knee buckles, 8 tortoise shell jacket buttons, 1 pr of broken Scotch Pebble sleeve buttons, 1 silver watch, 1 wig and wig box and 1 hat.   The tortoise shell jacket buttons are interesting as well as the broken scotch pebble sleeve buttons.  Wonder what those looked like?

Thanks for checking out the blog.   What would you like to see more of?   Leather breeches, fancy coats and waistcoats listed?    There is more to explore and there is some amazing clothing in the Carolinas during the 18th century for sure. 

Women's Clothing on the cusp of Revolution

 Guess who's back from a hiatus?  Your friendly history nerd, clothing geek and researcher....

Back in 2024, we had the 250th anniversary of the Edenton Tea Party which was a fun event to participate at - Got to be fancy with a chintz gown, big hair and such.   Anyhoo.....Things are starting to kick off this year with the 250th anniversary of two major events here in North Carolina - the battle of Moore's Creek and the Halifax Resolves. So thought this would be a good time to bring the blog back to life and share what I've been researching for the past few months.

So what are women wearing in the early to mid 1770s in North Carolina?  Checked, black and white silk bonnets, black silk hats, red, blue and green cloaks, calico gowns, striped gowns, white linen gowns, "short" gowns, quilted petticoats and etc.   I'll examine a few inventories and wills to show what women are wearing here in North Carolina prior to 1776.

Amelia Mott, 1771 New Hanover County, North Carolina

Inventory of Amelia Mott, 1771 New Hanover County, NC.  Source: New Hanover County, North Carolina Original Estate Records, Ca. 1741-1942; Author: North Carolina. Probate Court (New Hanover County), North Carolina. Superior Court (New Hanover County)

Amelia has the following items: 1 Caster hat, 1 red cloak, 1 black silk hat, 1 old striped gown, 1 calico gown, 1 green shirt coat (petticoat), 1 shift, 1 bedgowns, 1 blue quilted petty coat, 1 bed gown, 1 shift, 1 old check apron, 1 calico gown, 1 check apron, 1 pr of gloves, 1 white apron, 1 homespun gown, 1 striped blue gown, 1 white bed gown, 1 old shift, 1 apron, 1 apron.

I love that they give detail (of sorts) to the gowns, striped, calico, homespun and even a striped blue gown.  While her bedgowns are generic in listing though she does have a "white" bed gown. Also note the blue quilted petty coat.

Barsheba Jones, 1772 Johnston County, North Carolina

Will of Barsheba Jones, 1772 Johnston County North Carolina.  Source: Johnston County, North Carolina Wills; Author: North Carolina. County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions (Johnston County)

Then we move in land to Johnston County, North Carolina where I found this gem within the past few days and absolutely love it as Barsheba gives the following items to her daughter Margaret Smith:

  1 quilted petticoat, 2 shifts, 1 pr of shoes and shoe buckles, 1 pr of worsted stockings and garters, 1 cap and handkerchief, 1 checked apron, 1 checked bonnet, silver sleeve buttons, 1 pr of leather gloves and choice of all the gowns.   While the rest of her clothes to be equally divided amongst the rest of all her daughters.  You wonder what else did she have in her wardrobe?

You may have notice that I bolded the word checked bonnet.   Yep, checked bonnets are here in North Carolina.  This is probably the latest I have seen reference to them.  I wish they would have noted if the bonnet was made of silk or of linen.    

Mary McConnell, 1774 Guilford County, North Carolina

Now we move even further inland to Guilford County and we find the will of Mary McConnell dated November of 1774. So Mary leaves to her daughter Mary Blyne: one gown and petticoat, her cloak and one pair of best blankets.  She bequeaths to her one daughter Martha Leacky one petticoat, a wraper and some bed curtains, then to her younger daughter she gives her one of her gowns .   Then on the next page she lists:

Mary McConnell will, Guilford County, NC:  Wills, 1771-1943; Author: North Carolina. County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions (Guilford County) Notes: Wills, Vol A-B, 1771-1838

She gives Margaret McBride daughter to Francis McBride her corded poplin gown; she leaves her shoe buckles to her son and then Agnes the daughter of James Blayer receives her bonnet.    What exactly is corded poplin?  Is it safe to guess that maybe Mary is a Quaker?   I haven't found evidence of that yet but something to look into.

Dorothy Seares, 1774 Wilmington, North Carolina

Back at the coast and in Wilmington proper......Dorothy's inventory lists 1 green silk umbrella, then down below it lists: 1 calico gown, 1 white linen gown, 1 white apron, 2 white caps, 1 pr of silver shoe buckles, and 2 plain gold rings.   

Dorothy Seares, 1774 New Hanover County, estate record and sale. New Hanover County, North Carolina Original Estate Records, Ca. 1741-1942; Author: North Carolina. Probate Court (New Hanover County), North Carolina. Superior Court (New Hanover County)

In the sale of her estate, they list a gown and apron being sold at 17 shillings, 8 pence; while another gown is sold for 1 pound, 1 shilling - which gown was worth more?  The calico gown or the white linen?

Then we conclude with the records of two men's estates.  The 1775 estates of William Wooten in Hyde County, NC and Dr. James Ward of New Hanover County, NC.

Estate sale of William Wooten, 1775 Hyde County, NC.  Source: Hyde County, North Carolina Estate Records, 1735-1944

Being sold are the following items: 1pr of stays, 1 quilt (guessing quilted petticoat); 1 chintz gown, 1 apron, a capshen, 1 pr of sleeves, 1 gown, 1 hood, wearing apparel, and a gown body.

While Dr. James Ward has a few ladies' items in his inventory such as: 2 sprigged aprons, 1 silk gauze cap, 1 white silk bonnet, 1/2 yard of ribbon, 1 fan and 1 paper box. and 2 1/4 yards of striped lawn.  I'll probably go back to examine his estate in a later blog as he has a plethora of textiles and clothing.

Inventory of Dr. James Ward 1775 New Hanover County, NC.   New Hanover County, North Carolina Original Estate Records, Ca. 1741-1942; Author: North Carolina. Probate Court (New Hanover County), North Carolina. Superior Court (New Hanover County)

Thanks again for checking out my blog.   I hope you enjoyed these inventories and wills.   They let us have a sneak peek of the past and allow us to learn more.   Till next time.  Keep researching and always ask questions!

"Done with these Worldly Goods and a Posterity to bestow them upon" - Examining inventory records of New England versus Southern records

 

Recently I had a chance to look back at some genealogy work that I had done.  This time trying to find inventory records of my female ancestors which in some cases is hard to do.   Out of all my Germanic relatives, I have a sliver of ancestors who lived in the Colonies during the 1600 and 1700s.  So I had this brainy idea to compare my New England relatives with my southern ones, the ones living in Virginia mostly.   Needless to say if you are looking for Massachusetts records, good luck.  I found most of my records available in Connecticut via Ancestry.com.   So without finding any Virginia relatives records (at this current time), I am going to compare a couple of Connecticut inventories with some North Carolina inventories by years.  

We are starting with Susannah Knowlton Olcutt who dies in East Haddam, Connecticut in 1754  - she is my 8th great grand aunt.  So finding this inventory made me super happy.  Her husband, Cullick Olcutt (my uncle) died in 1732 right before the birth of their last son Benjamin. 

In 1754, she leaves her three children her worldly possessions, Thomas, Benjamin and Hannah.  Ironically, her daughter does not receive the bulk of her clothing, only a few items.  

Thomas receives the following clothing items: one silk crape frock; and one blew (blue) shaloon quilt (quilted petticoat?) and one Black bonnet.  

Benjamin receives one pare of stays and one gown and one pare of gloves and one white Holland apron; one lutestring hood, one piece of green plain cloth and one piece of black and blue plain cloth and one little trunk and one fan and six Holland caps … one linnen patecoat (petticoat).

While Hannah Olcutt Fisher only receives one linen shift and two woolen westcots (waistcoats); two aprons and two linen caps.

The items were appraised per the law direct in 1754.   The quilted petticoat, gown and bonnet was appraised at 3 pounds;18 shillings. And then other items such as the stays, quilt, one cote, aprons, shifts, waistcoats, handkerchiefs, silk hood are all listed and appraised. 

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Then we look at the inventory of Hannah Charles of Perquimans County, NC.  Her probate is processed in 1753.   Not much is known about her but what makes her interesting is that she has jackets listed in her inventory.   It is a possibility that she was a Quaker since there were a large contingent of Quakers living in northeast North Carolina in the early 1700s. 

Estate Record of Hannah Charles, Perquimans County NC 1753

Hannah has 1 old camblet mantle, 1 old woolen jacket, 5 homespun petticoats, 1 cotton jacket, 2 pare of stockings, 1 stuff quilted petticoat, 3 homespun petticotes, 2 garlicks shifts, 6 aprons, 4 fine caps, 1 check'd handkerchief, a half yard of homespun, 1 pare of pockets, (further down) a pocket, 1 pormester hat, 1 basket and then finally 1 pair of linen gloves.

The thing to notice are two things, one the presence of jackets and the lack of bonnets in Hannah's estate.   The jackets are found in Quaker inventories in the northeastern part of North Carolina.  The lack of a bonnets strikes me but bonnets are found in the Carolinas.  Interestedly enough she has a a pormester hat which I am guessing is a straw or wool hat. 

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Now we go back to Connecticut to look at the estate of Dr. Samuel Ely of Durham, CT; he dies in 1755.  Within his estate there are several pieces of women's clothing.  As much as we would like to only look for women's estate records, in many cases, we need to look at the spouses' estate records as well.   This is a possible relative but haven't been able to track down for certain.

Estate of Dr. Samuel Ely of Durham, CT, December 24 1755

Estate record of Dr. Samuel Ely of Durham, CT 1755

I love the variety of clothing listed in this inventory.  His wife was Sarah as listed in a previous document.  More than likely she died shortly before he did.  

1 pair of stays which was worth 1-6-8 (1 pound, 6 shillings and 8 pence) those are some expensive stays in the 1750s.  But we will look at those again in a little bit after doing a little bit of digging.

1 silk crape gown; 1 black and white chintz gown, 1 calico gown, 1 striped gown, 1 pr women's stockings, 1 pr ditto; 1 green skirt; 1 red cloak, 1 velvet hood, 1 muslin apron; 3 shifts; 1 lawn handkerchief, 1 holland ditto; 1 pair ruffles; 1 lawn cap; 1 lawn cap; 2 caps; 2 cap ribbons; 1 pr shoe buckles; 1 fan; 1 silk damask blanket; 1 pair gold jewels (earings?); 1 gold ring.

What I like about her inventory is the variety of gowns listed.  Silk, chintz, calico and a striped gown of unknown fabric more than likely linen I am guessing.  Also we see lawn being used as a textile for handkerchiefs, caps and then a muslin apron.  Little bits and pieces of textiles being used to elevate a person's status.  Not insanely rich but well off nonetheless.

 

Here is another version of the items listed in the inventory from another document.  It is attached to Dr. Ely's will.  Which I find interesting is that the stays are valued at a much lesser price of 26/8 (26 shillings, 8 pence). Also listed is what looks like a "hat" listed right before the lawn handkerchief.  This item was missing from the previous inventory taken.  And the striped gown is identified as being linen which helps us understand Mrs. Samuel Ely's wardrobe.

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   Back in North Carolina....this time we examine the inventory of  Widow Rachel Mugaridge of New Hanover County from 1759.  More than likely, she lived in or near Wilmington, North Carolina. Here we see bed gowns and a "check" bonnet listed  among other items.  "Check" bonnets seem to definitely be a unique item in North Carolina.  The only other place that I  have found "check" bonnets listed is in Maryland, (1750s-60s) in runaway advertisements.  I have yet to find "check" bonnets mentioned anywhere else.

Inventory of Widow Rachel Mugaridge, New Hanover County, North Carolina 1759

What I find interesting about here inventory is that variety of clothing listed.  A silk gown, a calico gown along with 2 bedgowns.  Could the bedgowns considered a lesser item or a dress down item from the gowns, possibly.  Also are the "quilts" quilted petticoats?  They are listed alongside the "under petty coat", which again....what does that mean?


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"Connecticut Journal" January 26, 1770 page 4

Here we see an advertisement for the estate of Sarah Granger, late of New Haven, Connecticut in 1770.  Again, a possible relative but haven't tracked her down yet.  Her inventory is interesting because we find a few things...

Above we see one stript gown old; one short gown? ; one quilt old shalloon? ; one quilt flannel old?; 2 old caps; one old sheet wore out and --- old check linen apron.

 Then on the 2nd page we see one old black silk hood and one old short cloak.   I would categorize her as a lower class person.  Her total estate was only worth 14 pounds.  What I find interesting is you don't see stays, shoes, shifts, hats or anything extra in her wardrobe.  I am guessing she was more than likely she was buried with them.

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Next we examine the estate records of Sarah Wilson of Bertie County, North Carolina.  The inventory of goods and chattel were taken on March 20th 1770.  I had recently found this inventory while looking through some other records.   Bertie County is located in northeast North Carolina and was established as a county in 1739.   

Her inventory is interesting because she has 2 bonnets, a "permeter" hat, "shift's cloth" and a variety of other things too.   Of her bonnets, she has a white and a black bonnet listed.   Would the white bonnet be used in the summertime while the black bonnet is used during other times of the year?   

I like that the handkerchiefs are mentioned as either silk or just handkerchiefs.  You wonder if those 5 handkerchiefs were printed in some manner or not.  Again, another jacket is listed in her inventory.  I do not know if Sarah was a Quaker or maybe some other ethnic group. More to look into I suppose.  I love her inventory, I just wish there was more descriptions of her gowns and clothing but alas it's another story to look into.

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And then my final inventory...Beluah Holmes of Woodstock, Connecticut.  She dies in 1778.  She was only 48 years old when she passed.  Her wardrobe is amazing.  She never married and her mother Hannah had died the previous August.  Again another possible relative but haven't traced it down for certain.  What I love about her inventory is the variety of clothing and that she has "short" gowns listed in her inventory but yet she is 48 when she passes away.  So does the rule that "short" gowns are only found on younger women seems a little bunk.   

She has 2 short gowns listed - a linen and a striped short gown. Again she is no spring chicken but what do short gowns exactly mean in the 1770-80s?  More goodies to dive into such as she has quilted petticoats, brown mitts, linen gloves, a black silk bonnet, cotton and linen stockings, and then the waistcoats.  Were the waistcoats used for informal wear like around the house instead of wearing stays?   She has 2 waistcoats and then a striped woolen waistcoat but she does have 1 pair of stays.  

 Oh her gowns.....

1 crimson silk & worsted; 1 purple and white chintz; 1 double wrapping? gown; 1 brown camblet gown; 1 white corded dimmothy (dimmty) gown.   What shocks me the most is that her cambrick apron was worth 42p which is almost the same price as one of her gowns.  I just love this inventory.  So many ideas for a woman to wear in New England in the late 1770s.  

Looking at inventories always gives me ideas for my impression.   Maybe I will recreate some of the items listed in the estate records of my relatives as my way of honoring them.   I am really loving the purple and white chintz gown....(Ideas are brewing).......

Thanks again for checking out my blog.   Till next time.  Keep researching and always ask questions!

Imported and domestic knitted goods (Part Two)

The South Carolina Gazette and Country Journal (Charleston SC)- June 26 1770

Part Two of my research for imported and domestic knitted goods, I examine the types of knitting needles listed among inventories, invoices and store ledgers; how common were yarn stockings and finding advertisements to teaching people how to knit.  Also the types of stockings listed in women's inventories in North Carolina.

I am sure not the entire population of women during the 18th century knew how to knit.  It was a cottage industry in many areas of the world.   So the myth that everyone knitted or made their own stockings or knitted goods, is well untrue.  Ready made goods were available and imported from overseas or even within the colonies, there are advertisements posted to teach others how to knit and knitting needles were imported and sold in stores.  I don't find darning eggs listed in among items in women's inventories or as a ready made good/item.  

Out of the hundreds of women's inventories, only four list knitting needles among their possessions.  There is a 1750 sale of a man's estate that list several pairs of knitting needles as well   I might need to revisit the inventories again to look into more detail but my earlier notes I did list them as something of interest as I am a knitter myself.  

The 1762 inventory of Sarah Collings in Pasquotank County, North Carolina lists yarn, 2 pr of "nitten" needles and half a stocking (underlined in blue).  What does 2 pairs of knitting needles mean?  Most knitted items were knitted in the round on 4 needles and then a 5th needle as the working needle.  So does this mean 10 knitting needles in total?  

"North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979," Pasquotank County; Collings, Sarah (1762); State Archives, Raleigh.

The 1763 estate of Ann Overman lists all of her wearing apparel and then knitting needles and a pair of scissors.  

The 1779 estate of Hannah Alexander (not Bradley as noted on the files - John Bradley was the executor of her estate and I feel that there was an error on the outside of her estate file) from Mecklenburg County North Carolina lists several pairs of knitting needles, blue yarn, stockings and yarn and etc.

The final women's inventory that lists knitting needles is the 1744 estate of Elizabeth Hanner from Chowan County, North Carolina.  Oddly enough, she has 100 "nitten" needles listed in her estate.  It is unclear if she had a store in Chowan County but to have 100 knitting needles is rare.  It is listed near the bottom of the page right after 5 yards of coarse plad.  I tried to make it as large as it could possibly be.   I could have cropped the inventory but I wanted to also share all of her fabulous items listed in her estate.  

"North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979," Chowan County Hanmer, Elizabeth (1744); State Archives, Raleigh.

Then we come to the 1750 estate for William Burnitt of Edgecombe County, North Carolina, he had both brass and plain knitting needles listed.   What is interesting is that they list them as four "pare" of "nitten" needles.  Again, what does that mean?  Four needles in total or 20 needles?

I wondered about brass knitting needles but looking at the image that I used in the last article you can clearly see the knitting needles are a brass or yellow color.  Were these used for finer yarns versus your typical metal or iron knitting needles that were used for heavier woolen yarns?   The answer I do not know.  But I found it odd that brass knitting needles were available and we know they were here in North Carolina as well as in South Carolina during the 1700s.

Jean Baptiste-Greuze (1724-1805) - Knitter Asleep

Store inventories and invoices of imported goods also provide us a clue of the commonness of knitting needles.  Were they brass, metal or both?  

The store sale of William Whitehead in Edgecombe County, North Carolina in 1750 lists the sale of several pairs of knitting needles. 

They do not denote if they are brass knitting needles or not.  They are sold as 4 prs. of needles.

The 1750 sale of the store owned by Major Joseph Howell in Edgecombe County also lists knitting needles but 3/4th knitting needles.  

Then we have the invoices for imported knitting needles into Charleston, SC in the early 1760s.  

 The vessel "Little Carpenter" brought in a variety of imported goods including iron and brass knitting needles.

Imported iron and brass knitting needles, in the Robert Hogg Account Books, #343, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Knitting needles versus knitting pins

I have found 2 early citations of "knitting pins" both are in Pennsylvania but it seems that this terminology falls out of favor and return again by the late 1770s this time surfacing in South Carolina.  I don't see the term "knitting pins" in North Carolina until 1787 in a newspaper in New Bern. I had wondered if it was a typo in the newspaper where they were missing a comma between knitting and pins but  Could knitting pins refer to a different type of knitting needle or again just a regional terminology?   I did search in foreign newspapers and the term "knitting pins" shows up post-1811 in England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland.  So for the most part, I would call them knitting needles for the majority of the 18th century.

Ready made or imported stocking advertisements

The North-Carolina Weekly Gazette New Bern, North Carolina 13 Mar 1778  •  Page 3

Woolen, thread and silk stockings imported from France into North Carolina during the American Revolution. 1778.  There are several advertisements for French imported goods during this period coming into North Carolina. 

The South-Carolina Gazette

 Charleston, South Carolina

 10 Dec 1764 •  Page 4

Worsted, thread, cotton and yarn stockings imported along with black worsted mitts and yarn for knitting.  

The South-Carolina Gazette and Country Journal Charleston, South Carolina 

08 Dec 1767,•  Page 3

In my previous blog article, "Seeking Worldly Goods", Pennsylvania stockings were highly prized and it is evident in William Sample Alexander diary where family members requested stockings to be made in Philadelphia (mid 1770s).  So could one speculate that with Charleston importing these Germantown stockings, is what spurred the Alexander family to seek out these stockings?  Just a guess.

Teaching people to knit or making stockings for purchasing

A few advertisements

The Pennsylvania Gazette Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 30 Aug 1770, •  Page 6

 What I find interesting is that they wanted to set up shop in Wilmington, North Carolina in 1770.  Haven't been able to find any more about if this business succeeded in Wilmington or not.

The South-Carolina Gazette, Charleston SC; 9 August 1770 pg. 5

The South Carolina Gazette and Country Journal (Charleston SC)- June 26 1770

I find this advertisement very interesting.  Keep in mind there were no commercial patterns for knitting unlike the early to mid 19th century were books are printed with various patterns.  So having some one teach you how to knit, is probably how most people shared information and pattern styles. Although it is from Charleston it clearly shows that there was a need by both white and black people to learn how to knit, sew, mark and wash clothing.  I think it is also note worthy that she is located in Dutch-Town section of Charleston.  I wonder if this where the German immigrants resided as there was influx of German indentured servants in the 1750s and 1760s.

Types of stockings listed in women's inventories 

So, what was common for women to have in their wardrobes for stockings?  We are in the south, it gets hot and humid in the summer and damp in the winter.  So what would be best?  Silk, thread, cotton, worsted and all of the above?  Within the estate records in North Carolina, 33 women have stockings listed as an item out of 92 estate records that have clothing listed.

The break down of the types of stockings goes like this:

Total of 102 pairs listed

49 listed as "stockings"

29 listed as "thread"

9 listed as "old"

6 listed as ""worsted"

5 listed as "silk"

2 or less

"Yarn", "Cotton", "Old Worsted", "Old Silk", "Blue" and "Womens"

The average number of stockings listed in a women's inventory is 3 pairs.

However some estates can skew the numbers such as the 1770 estate of Ann Carter she had 16 pairs of thread stockings listed (Onslow County NC).  And the 1740 estate of Mary Glouster  (who was a Quaker in Pasquotank County, North Carolina) had 8 pairs of stockings listed which were a variety of styles. (cotton, worsted, "stockings" and thread).  In some cases, there were a variety of stockings listed but usually they just list x pair of stockings.  

As for colors of stockings, unfortunately there is only one reference to a color associated with stockings.  Blue stockings were listed in the inventory of Rebecca Eborn of Hyde County in 1758, there is a reference to red stockings on a Irish runaway servant from New Bern in 1757.   Are colored stockings a mid-18th century fashion statement or were there more colors but we are yet to find them within the confines of what resources we have available online.

There is more to learn about imported and domestic knitted goods.  I hope these 2 blog articles have helped share some light on what was available in both North and South Carolina.