Hunting Shirts in the Carolinas - Part 1

 

Museum of the American Revolution

I'm going to preface this blog post with the following........

Sharing is caring and that I am no means an expert when it comes to Hunting Shirts however, I'm sharing what research I have found and by putting the information out there in a blog post will hopefully bring more awareness to these items and their significance in material culture.

Hunting Shirts

In my opinion the leading expert in hunting shirts is Neal Hurst.......and I will bow down to the King of Hunting Shirts (that's my nickname I have given him as a sign of reverence). Attached is Neal's thesis on hunting shirts in America for those who haven't read it.  It's a great resource.  https://www.academia.edu/3336557/_kind_of_armour_being_peculiar_to_America_The_American_Hunting_Shirt?source=swp_share

Now back to our normal schedule.....

Hunting shirts appear in the backcountry of North Carolina in early 1760s.  This was the first one that I found in NC.   It is in the inventory of Daniel Prichard who died 1763 but his estate was not sold off until 1765.  Underlined is the hunting shirt he had in his estate which was sold for 7 shillings and 2 pence.  Also within in estate was a pair of leather breeches which sold for 11 shillings and several Indian blankets and linen leggings which is listed on this page and sold for 2 shillings.

Daniel Prichard estate sale 1765 Burke County, NC - Source: North Carolina County, District and Probate Courts. Burke County Wills and Estate Papers

Here we have another estate record with reference to a hunting shirt "hunten shirt" being sold in the estate of Nicholason Ross of Mecklenburg, County, North Carolina in 1774.   Hunting shirt sold for 4 shillings, 8 pence. 

Sale of Nicholason Ross estate, Mecklenburg County, NC 1774: Wills and Estate Papers (Mecklenburg County), 1663-1978; Author: North Carolina. Division of Archives and History (Raleigh, North Carolina)

Then we have the 1777 inventory of John Williams of Mecklenburg County where they list a variety of clothing including leather breeches, cloth and leather leggins and then we have a hunting shirt.  What I think is interesting is the value of the shirt at 1 pound and 11 shillings.  Much more valuable than the shirt seen only 3 years earlier.

 Sale of John Williams Estate - Mecklenburg County, NC 1777 - Wills and Estate Papers (Mecklenburg County), 1663-1978; Author: North Carolina. Division of Archives and History (Raleigh, North Carolina)

Inventory of John Williams, Cumberland County, NC 1779-80:  Wills and Estate Papers (Cumberland County), 1663-1978; Author: North Carolina. Division of Archives and History (Raleigh, North Carolina)

Then we have the estate sale of John Matthews from Cumberland County, NC 1779-80.   This is the further east I have seen reference to a hunting shirt listed.    It took me a minute to figure out that "Shourt = Shirt"   I also conferred with Neal Hurst and he agrees that it's a hunting shirt. 

And our final hunting shirt comes out of an inventory in Lincoln County, NC in 1782.  It belonged to John King.   This time the hunting shirt along with a pair of stockings sold for 9 shillings.

1782 Estate of John King - Lincoln County, NC Estate Records, Killian, Andrew-Kistler, Elizabeth, 1824-1964; 1772-1964; 1735-1914

To be honest, I am surprised that I have found this many hunting shirts listed in North Carolina estate records.  Also the range in value of the hunting shirts from 4 shillings up to 1 pound and change.  It makes you wonder how elaborate the hunting shirt that sold for 1 pound 11 shillings looked like.  

Runaway Ads

Since we are talking about the Carolinas (North and South Carolina) - this is (I believe) the only reference to hunting shirts in South Carolina newspapers.  (Again in the newspapers - not in estate or inventory records).   Listed on a runaway enslaved man named Jack from near Charleston SC in 1769.  Note he is wearing just the hunting shirt and no other shirt or jacket with it.

The South-Carolina Gazette; and Country Journal

Tue, Nov 14, 1769 ·Page 3

Then we have this 1773 runaway advertisement for a free man of color named Peter who was from Edenton but ended up in the Duplin County jail.   Peter is wearing an onzabrigs hunting shirt over his clothing.

North Carolina Gazette & Wilmington Weekly Post Boy: Wilmington NC Dec 29, 1773

Then we conclude with this runaway ad from 1777.   This is for a man named Leiw who belonged to a man from John Wilson in Charlotte, NC.   Leiw was wearing a white hunting shirt, pair of tow breeches and a half worn racoon hat. 

.

"Virginia Gazette" Williamsburg, VA, June 1777

I wanted to add information about the use of hunting shirts in North Carolina during the Regulator movement (1771) and then the use of them by North Carolina Brigade during the American Revolution but figured it would be too much so there will be a part 2 of Hunting Shirts soon.

Dreary Days of Winter

The roller coaster weather here lately makes it hard to plan what to pack for an upcoming event.  Will a linen gown be suffice or should I pack my new mixed indigo blue worsted gown that I made?  This mixed indigo is from Burnley & Trowbridge.  I loved how it draped and it has a nice light but warm feel to it. 





































So, looking at the inventories, what was available for women to stay warm on these damp and cool days.  There was a variety of textile available for women to make gowns out of during the 18th century.  Callimanco, Duroy, Crape, Camblet, Stuff, Saggathy, Grazet and Worsted are all mentioned in the estates of women in North Carolina as a textile for gowns.

Mary Stubbs in 1738 listed a callimanco gown among others in her inventory.  The Dreamstress has a great article about what exactly is callimanco.   Callimanco is defined as "a worsted 'stuff' . . . [with]a fine gloss upon it.  Callimancos are of all colours, . . .some are quite plain, and other have broad stripes, adorned with flowers, some with plain broad stripes, some with narrow stripes, and other watered. (Montgomery, 185).  Unfortunately, there are no vendors currently carrying callimanco in their stores.  Maybe that will change.

Then we come across the textile Duroy in the inventories of Mary Glouster/Glaister in 1740 and in Elizabeth Montague's 1756 inventory.  Note both of these ladies were early Quaker settlers in the northeast portion of North Carolina.  Duroy is a "lightweight worsted material generally used for men's clothing." (Montgomery, 230).  However in the case of Elizabeth Montague, she specifically said for duroy to be purchased from her estate to make the gown.  

"Item.  I give to Naomy Newby wife of James Newby, Duroys for a gound to be bought from my Estate."
Elizabeth Montague's will 1756, Perquimans County, North Carolina

Crape gowns are mentioned in three inventories: Elisebeth Handcock (1743 Craven County); Alice Whitehead  (1743 Craven County); and Elizabeth Montague (1756 Perquimans County).  Crape is defined as " a light transparent stuff, in the manner of gauze, made of raw silk, gummed and twisted on the mill; wove without crossing and much used in mourning."  Other crapes were made of worsted and sometimes mixed with silk. (Montgomery, 207).  I am guessing these three are the worsted types since they do not list them as "silk crape" like in the inventory of Lawrence Mague (1740 Bertie County) that lists a silk crape gown and coat. (probably his late wife's.)

Imported good from Samuel Cornell in Newbern, NC 1764.   "The Newbern Gazette" 02 November, 1764 (Newspapers.com)

Camblet gown is listed in Anne Pollard (1750 New Hanover County).  Camblet example from Burnley & Trowbridge.  I actually have a bedgown completed and a gown cut out to be made from their Camblet.  Camblet was very popular for clothing during this time.  Numerous runaway advertisements in newspapers list camblet or camlet gowns being worn all up and down the East Coast.  We also see camblet imported and sold in North Carolina at the store of Samuel Cornell of New Bern, NC.  

Margaret Prichett bequeathed a stuff gown to her "grand daughter Margaret Prichett"  Interestingly enough, this gown is absent from another version of the will.  No color description of the gown but nonetheless, a woolen gown can be very warm on a damp winter day.

Will of Margaret Prichett (1756 - Beaufort County)

Inventory of Rachel Hill (1763 Carteret County)

The inventory of Rachel Hill is very interesting on several levels.  Of her six gowns she has in her estate, two are of a woolen material.  "Saggethe" and "Grapset".   

Saggathy is listed as "a slight woolen stuff of twill weave, a kind of serge or ratten sometimes mixed with a little silk." (Montgomery, 337)  As you notice in the list of imported goods in Samuel Cornell's store, saggathie is listed.  I have seen other references to saggathy in North Carolina.  

Grapset or Grazet is similar material. Grazet can be found as early as 1732 in Pennsylvania.  What is interesting about Rachel's inventory is that there is a gown, petticoat and a bonnet all made from grazet. 


And then we round out the list of woolen gowns with Ann Eborn's estate in 1769 of a "worsted gown"

So when you are trying to decide on if a woolen gown is appropriate in the south, the answer is yes.  If you notice that all of these textiles are considered a "lightweight" and not a heavy wool like say serge, broadcloth or etc.  I don't think you could make a gown out of something of a heavy material.  Plus living and working on the water, there are many days that the temperatures are 10-15 degrees cooler than up in "town."   Even in the late spring, you could still comfortably wear a woolen gown based off of experimental archaeology.   Have a great weekend!


References: 

Textiles in America, 1650-1870: A Dictionary Based on Original Documents, Prints and Paintings, Commercial Records, American Merchant's Papers, Shopkeepers' Advertisements, and Pattern Books with Original Swatches of Cloth by Florence Montgomery.

If you don't have this book - I highly recommend getting a copy somehow.  It is the bible of historical textiles.

Geography of the Old North State

Geography.....

As a transplanted Midwestern to North Carolina, I have learned over the past 20 years about the geography and history of the "Old North State".   Here is a link about the settlement of this state and it can go into more detail than I wish to delve into on this blog.  Colonial Settlement in NC

Early settlement and map showing the boundaries for coastal counties in NC

I also had to learn about the history of the state to understand where the $$$ was for estates and such.  The coastal counties definitely had the money.   Trade in the ports brought the money.  Tucked away in the Northeast part of the state is - Chowan, Perquimans, Pasquotank, Currituck, Bertie, Beaufort and Tyrell were the earliest to be settled.  Chowan and Pasquotank county folks had lots of nice things.   Of all of the estates, inventories and wills that I have examined - Pasquotank county led the way 82 women of which 18 had clothing listed in their inventory. Chowan county was second for that region with 45 women had estates of which 7 included clothing. 

Head down the coast and you have Craven, Onslow and New Hanover Counties.  I live in New Hanover County by the way.  I began my initial research for inventories in New Hanover County just to learn more about the women who lived here.  Today the county is much smaller than what it was in the 1700s.  Brunswick and Pender Counties were carved from it.  They moved the Royal Governor's house from Brunswick Town/Cape Fear to New Bern (Craven County).  Craven county was 2nd in the list of women's inventories/wills with 14 inventories listing clothing.

Map of North Carolina counties 1760

Inland counties not so much.  Counties were carved up and divided up so sometimes the records get lost.  There was a big expansion of counties from 1775-1780.  Another reason, the American Civil War happened and courthouse records were destroyed. [No negative comments please].  However, there are records and diaries available to show us that trade was happening down the Great Wagon road from North Carolina to Pennsylvania.  People were traveling to Philadelphia to purchase items including clothing, accessories (bonnets, shoes & etc.) and textiles to make clothing.

A map listing the counties in North Carolina 1775

So far I have as of today 19 February 2019:

Beaufort - 1
Bertie - 9
Burke - 1
Carteret - 3
Chowan - 7
Craven - 14
Cumberland - 1
Duplin - 3
Edgecombe- 1
Hyde - 3
Mecklenburg - 4
New Hanover - 8
Onslow - 3
Pasquotank - 18
Perquimans - 3
Tyrell - 1

For a total of  82 inventories & wills of women's clothing.  Some are husband and wife estates that are combined, some are of husband's estates who bequeath clothing to their daughters.  There is more to explore that is for sure and this may not seem like a whole lot but it is a awesome start.  Granted there are some inventories listed before 1738 and after 1783, but as re-enactors/living historians - the bulk of impressions are for either F&I (French & Indian War 1754-1763) or the American War for Independence (1775-1783). 

Also looking at estates from the 1770s-1780s, it would seem that clothing was not considered as much of a commodity or valued as much as in the earlier inventories.  In many cases, "a parcel of women's clothing" or a "trunk of old clothes" would be listed in these later inventories.  Frustrating for researchers but it shows the trend of mercantilism. Ready made clothing was available to people and so it makes sense that clothing was not considered valuable unless it was of personal sentiment.  It also tends to debunk the mentality that women only wore homespun.  Yes, homespun or country cloth was available and made into clothing but 9 out of 10 times, the gowns are made of textiles such as chintz, linen, calico, worsted and etc., that could be purchased at a store or even ready made.  There are numerous inventories of store keepers and also invoices and ledgers of businessmen who were purchasing ready made gowns, accessories like cloaks, mantlets, stockings, shoes, and etc. from Scotland and England to import into North Carolina.  So thus the cut off at 1783, granted I have a few inventories for the mid 1780s that shed some light on the changing fashions and those could be discussed later on.