Homestead Economics: Introduction

Detail of an illustration of an newly cleared American farm by Patrick Campbell, 1793. Credit: Library.yale.edu

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1 Response

  1. Robert A. Lamlein says:

    Congratulation on your exhaustively researched article on flax and linens! My grandfather (Ray S Winey of Richfield, PA) was given a linen bed sheet that was supposedly of fiber spun by his mother! I could never piece together the process from the plant to the sheet.

    Like your ancestor, his father was a tanner of Juniata County and not involved in agriculture, so I assume that his wife either purchased the flax and spun it or traded for it. It is so evenly fine that she must have been experienced…but there are no other such fabrics in the family. Would I assume that she sent her threads off to be woven as I doubt that a travelling weaver would produce such even quality. My grandmother cut the sheet up and made place mats that I have tucked away…and labelled.

    Have you any surviving fabrics of the family?

    Keep up the excellent work…I am sure I am not the only non-Hagenbuch that appreciates your work and devotion! As we now say…. your “content” is aways a delight to see on my Gmail screen!

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