Aaron Hutchinson's Inventory, 1802

Windsor County Court House, Woodstock, VT

Volume 3, Page 15

The following is a true inventory of the real and personal estate of The Revd Aaron Hutchinson late of Pomfret deceased which was shown us by Hutchinson agent to the administrator to said estate taken and appraised by us this fifth day of October A.D. 1801.

The farm on which said deceased lived containing about two hundred and twenty acres and the house barn and sawmill ---------------------------$2200.30
The store 250 potash 60------------------------------------ 310—
One sorrel horse four years old --------------------------------- 45—
One grey three year old mare ----------------------------------- 35—
One pair of oxen fatted and killed last winter ------------------- 40—
One cow sold to Mr Barrett for 21.50 ---------------------------- 21.50
One cow brown color -------------------------------------------- 14—
Two other cows one line backed 15. The other 14 -----------------29—
Eight old sheep and two lambs ------------------------------------- 17—
One two year old heifer --------------------------------------------- 12—
One yearling bull --------------------------------------------------- 7.50
One best bed and underbed bedstead pillows and bolster ----- 13—
Do next best do do 12—
Three beds at 5.00 including pillows and bolsters 2 underbeds 15—
Three bed quilts ---------------------------------------------------- 6—
One bedstead 1.33 do 50 do 50 ---------------------------- 2.33
Six white woolen blankets------------------------------------------- 9—
Four checked do ------------------------------------------------------- 8—
One checked red and white do ------------------------------------ 3—
Eight sheets ----------------------------------------------------------- 9—
Ten pillow cases 2.08 one suit curtains old 3 --------------------- 5.08
Curtains valance 1. Five linen window curtains 4 ---------------- 5—
Four table cloths 4 five towels 1.67 -------------------------------- 1.67
Two coverlids 5. One old looking glass 1 --------------------------- 6—
One case of drawers --------------------------------------------------- 3—
One cherry table 2. One light stand 1 ------------------------------ 3—
One square table ,67 Eleven colored chairs 3-50 ------------- 4.17
Two great chairs ------------------------------------------------------- 2—
Old white chest ,17 one meal chest, 50 --------------------------- .67
One bell ,83 one hammer , 25 --------------------------- 1.08
Nine white chairs ---------------------------------------------------- 3—
Five volumes of Henry on the bible ----------------------------- 12—
Six volumes of Stackhouse do -------------------------------------- 12—
Crudon Concordance ------------------------------------------ 3—
One note vs Lemuel Winslow to Alexander Hutchinson -------- 6—
Naestrich theology Latin two Vol. --------------------------- 2—
Gordons Gammer one Vol -------------------------------------- .50
Letters on Theron and Asp (?) 2 Vol. ------------------------------- 1—
Harveys dialogues three Vol ------------------------------------------ 2.25
Greek Septuagint Two Vol ---------------------------------------- 3—
Greek Lexicon 1 Do testament, 83 ---------------------------------- 1.83
Confession of Faith one Vol ---------------------------------------- .50
Classical Dictionary – Do ---------------------------------------------- .12
Introduction to the making of latin one Vol -------------------------- .50
Naither’s (?) Cometh --------------------- do ------------------------- .12
Latin Exercises 1 Vol. 17 – Do Colloquium do 17 -------------------.34
Latin Theology white cover ------------- one Vol ------------------ .50
Erasmus Latin ------------------------------- do ------------------- .41
Cicero’s Epistles Latin ---------------------- do ----------------------- .25
John Leton Latin ------------------------------do ---------------------- .12
Sacred Dialogues Latin ------------------do --------------------------- .17
Latin Dialogues without cover --------------do----------------------- .10
Do and Greek --------------------------------- do -----------------------.17
Half covered latin book dictionary (?) -----do-------------------------.17
Latin Dictionary 1.75. Horace with paper .25 ----------------------- 2.—
Part of Greek testament ,10 Do & Greek grammer ,06 --------------.16
Part do worn out nearly .6 Latin logic .6 -------------------------------.12
Bible 50. Psalm book, 33 ------------------------------------------------ .83
Bunch of pamphlets ------------------------------------------------------ .50
Old wool Eighteen pounds ----------------------------------------------6—
Poor do Eight pounds -------------------------------------------------1.42
Wool shorn this year twenty seven and half pounds at 2 S ---------- 9.17
Hat 2 a coat, 6 ---------------------------------------------------------- 8—
Velvet vest and small clothes ------------------------------------------- 4.—
Great coat 2.50 black gown 1.25 ---------------------------------------3.75
Pair of linen drawers ------------------------------------------------------ .33 p. 16
Old coat and vest 1. Four pair of stockings 2 --------------------------$3.—
A pair of boots 2.50. Steelyards 0.67 ------------------------------------3.17
Two shirts new 3.50 two old foot wheels, 50 each ---------------------4.50
Three (?) ------------------------------------------------------------------- 1—
One vinegar barrel, 83 beer do .83 -------------------------------------- 1.66
Sixteen Earthen milk pans -------------------------------------------------1.33
Four pewter platters Nine do plates, Old two quart ba sons Two quart basons
Two old basons
Two pint Do weight of all 20 pounds --------------------------------------------4—
Tin currender, 25 ten block tin spoons 40 ---------------------------- .65
Five block Tin teaspoons 17 knives and forkes 1.33 -------------------- 1.50
Great Earthen bowl 17
Two cream colored great bowls 50 .67
Tin canister 17 brass kettle 8 ---------------------------------------------8.17
Two flatirons ----------------------------------------------------------------1—
Hay eaten up before Inventory not appraised
Two cream colored platters ------------------------------------------------- .67
Six edged plates ----------------------------------------------------------- .34
One set of tea cups and saucers ----------------------------------------------.25
Two decanters ---------------------------------------------------------------1.33
One tumbler and one vinegar cruit -------------------------------------- .34
Flowered teapot -------------------------------------------------------------- .25
One large and two small square tin platters ------------------------------ .50
Large pitcher ---------------------------------------------------------------- .75
Corn baskets —50 quart mug — 33 --------------------------------------- 3 — Three pail pot 1.50 Two pail kettle 1.50 ------------------------------ 3 — Spider large and small 1.57 bake pan and cover 1 ---------------------2.57
Large slice and tongs 3 Small do 1.50 small do .33 -------------------4.83
Large pair of broken hand irons ------------------------------------------- 3.33
Pair cast do 1.50 Grid iron 83 --------------------------------------------- 2.33
Toat iron 50 skillet 25 --------------------------------------------------- 75
Two Earthern pudding pans ------------------------------------------------- .12 Pork fork 42 pot hook, 50 ----------------------------------------------- - .92
Two candlesticks, 67
Two pr snuffers .25 ----------------------------------.92
Brass skimmer .42 cricket .33 --------------------------------------------- .75
Silver watch 4 Two trammels 1 -------------------------------------------- 5—
Grain hooks .17 warming pan 1 ------------------------------------------- 1.17
Two milk pails .67 Piggin 17 ------------------------------------------- .84
Salt morter .50 Two gallon bottles .75 --------------------------------- 2.50
Old saddle 2 1.00 covered boxes 50 --------------------------------------- 2.50
Pickle tub old washtub ------------------------------------------------------- .33
Meat barrels ----------------------------------------------------------------- .33
Pair large scissors, 17 Pair portmanteaus 2 ------------------------------- 2.17
Two rennet bags, 75 each ------------------------------------------------- 1.50
Six theological magazines ------------------------------------------------- .75
Choping knife .25 Grindstone crank 1. ----------------------------------- 1.25
Three crains at 17 cents pr ------------------------------------------------ 4—
Harrow with seven iron teeth ------------------------------------------3.17
Cheese hook and ladder and rolling pin ------------------------------------ .34
Half pint footed glass ----------------------------------------------------- -- .33
Pair of silver knee buckles and stock buckle ---------------------------- 1.17
Set silver tea spoons---------------------------------------------------- 3—
Two quart and two pint basons at ,33 pr ------------------------------- --1—

__________

$3012.88 a demand vs Half on onion river omitted 40.—

__________ Jesse Safford

$3052.88 Jonas Mathews Samuel Daman Appraisers

The foregoing Inventory was returned and accepted at a Pro bate Court holden at Woodstock within and for the said District of Hartford on the first Tuesday of January AD 1802 before the Honl Oliver Goulup E(?) Judge said return be ing accompanied with the warrant of said appraisers & A certificate of their having taken the necessary oath of true record except notifying a mistake in the foot ing of said inventory. A Titus Hutchinson Probate Register Be it Remembered that at account Of Probate holden at Woodstock in said District on the first Tuesday of Februa ry Anno Domini 1802 before the State of Vermont District of Hartford p. 17 Hon Oliver Gallup Esq. Judge—

Appraisers went about taking inventories in different ways. Sometimes when reading an inventory, you can tell that the recorders went from room to room listing the contents of the house. Sometimes they listed all the most valuable items first. Sometimes they listed all the contents by use—for example, all the farm equipment might be listed in one long list, rather than by building.

In Aaron Hutchinson's case, the appraisers probably went room to room, beginning with the most valuable items. Note that the most valuable items were Hutchinson's land, house, barn, sawmill, and store. This was frequently the case. Much of a person's wealth was tied up in land. After listing the outside buildings, Hutchinson's appraisers then went into the house. Most houses in the eighteenth century were modest in scale—one story with an unfinished garret, center chimney and two or three downstairs rooms.

As you review the inventory, answer the questions below - you can confirm the answer by clicking on the at the beginning of each question.

Making a Living

Look at the first two lines of the inventory. How did Hutchinson make his living?

From the first two lines in the inventory, it becomes clear that Hutchinson made his living from running a sawmill, farming, and keeping a store. Potash, which was leached from ashes and used for soap and fertilizer, was frequently made by farmers and used as a medium of exchange for other goods. Hutchinson was 79 when he died. The lack of lumber in the sawmill and goods in the store indicates that someone else was running these businesses for him, perhaps even renting them.

The first two lines of the inventory reveal hints of Vermont's rural economy—about barter with potash as a medium of exchange and about small farms with their value tied up in land and small industries providing extra income.

The Comforts of Home

How much were the beds worth? Compare their value to other items. Why were the beds so valuable?

The appraisers began with the most valuable items in the home—the beds. Why were the beds so valuable? Textiles were time-consuming to produce and costly to purchase. Beds were the mattresses while bedsteads were the wooden bedframes. Beds and pillows required quite a bit of fabric—often at this time, they would have been four-poster beds with curtains that could be completely drawn for warmth and privacy.

How many chairs can you find? How might they have fit into a small home?

The front parlor probably had either eleven colored chairs or nine white chairs (along with the bed(s)). The chairs, tables, and light stand were all lightweight allowing for a very flexible use—in the winter they could all be drawn up before the fire or over to the windows for light. None of the chairs would have been upholstered.

What was hanging on the walls?

Except for one old looking glass, the walls of the house appear to have been bare, as were the floors.

A Man of Learning

After the furniture is a long list of books and clothing. What clothing did Aaron Hutchinson own? What do you think Aaron Hutchinson did for a living?

The inventory lists a hat, coat, velvet vest, a black gown, and small clothes (breeches), linen drawers (underwear), boots, and stockings. His silver knee buckles and stock buckle (like a necktie) are listed at the end of the inventory along with the other silver.

The Pomfret town history states that he was well-learned and able to lead services completely from memory. The history describes Hutchinson as a man who wore a three-cornered hat, a big powdered wig, short breeches with buckles at the knees, long stockings, and low shoes with polished buckles at the instep. He also wore a black gown when he preached.

Aaron Hutchinson had a large number of books. He was a traveling minister who had eight of his sermons published, the most famous one delivered at the convention for the founding of the State of Vermont in Windsor, 1777. His sermons were filled with references to Greek and Latin literature and translations of the Bible. The inventory confirms parts of this description by listing Bibles as well as books in Greek and Latin.

The Woman's World

Can you tell where Mrs. Hutchinson did her cooking?

Mrs. Hutchinson cooked at a fireplace. Her equipment included firedogs (andirons), a crane with a trammel hanging down to hold her kettles, as well as a spider (skillet with legs under which coals would be laid), bake pan, and skillet for cooking on the hearth.

How many milkpans did Mrs. Hutchinson have? Why did she need so many?

Margery Hutchinson processed much of her own food. Rennet bags, a cheese hook, and sixteen milk pans reveal that Margery contributed to the family's income through making cheese to sell or exchange for other goods.

What did Mrs. Hutchinson keep in the kitchen to light her home?

She kept her two candlesticks and snuffers nearby. She would have used her candles sparingly as they were expensive and time consuming to make.

Can you find any clothing or personal items belonging to Mrs. Hutchinson?

When inventorying a husband's estate, appraisers excluded any personal property belonging to the Widow. After they finished valuing the estate, one-third was reserved for her to use during widowhood until she remarried or died. To find out what happened to Margery, we would have to return to the probate records to see if one-third of the estate included a portion of the house. By skipping ahead to 1818, one could search for Margery's probate records and tell more of her story.

Conclusions about the Past

What can you conclude about life in Vermont in the Early Republic? Think about categories such as the economy, technology, religion, and education.

From the inventory we can learn much about life in Vermont at the turn of the nineteenth century. Assets were frequently tied up in real estate. Farmers had diverse streams of income and were immersed in a barter economy. Women contributed to this economy through their work in cheese making and other activities. Consumer goods that expressed a more refined way of life were available and included fine china, silver, woven fabrics, and books. While these goods were available, technologies to make home more comfortable weren't as easily accessible. This home was heated by fireplaces, did not have warm carpets, and had bedcurtains for warmth at night. Furniture was lightweight and moveable so as to take advantage of the available light from flickering tallow candles or windows. The Hutchinson's children would be the generation to take advantage of the goods and technologies that would become increasingly available in the new Republic.