Wednesday, July 21, 2010

A Cooper's Inventory

Joseph Dyer (1719-1780), son of Lydia Dyer, made his living as a cooper in Boston's North End. As a craftsman who worked in the city's rough-and-tumble waterfront district, he is just the sort of man we think of when we picture an ordinary Bostonian of the Revolutionary era.

When he died in 1780, Dyer was a relatively prosperous craftsman, but still someone who worked with his hands. The inventory from his probate records shows that he was able to accumulate many small luxuries over his lifetime. It is important to keep in mind that 18th-century probate records often show people at their most prosperous, after they have spent a lifetime gathering objects and resources, so we shouldn't assume that all coopers had such extensive household goods. Still, it is helpful to remember that the craftsmen of Boston were able to maintain an impressive (by 18th-c standards) standard of living, even after the economic difficulties of the 1760-1780 period.

The contents of Joseph Dyer's house in 1780:


  • one Silver Tankard, one Spout cup, four Porringers, one Large Spoon, one pr Tea Tongs, one Tea Strainer, two Tea Spoons, two Salts, one Pepper Box wt. 68 oz. @ £12 [per oz] . . . £816 [Joseph inherited all of this silver from his mother — an identical list appears in her 1774 will.]
  • one Feather Bed Bolster & Pillows wt. 62# @ £6 . . . [£]372
  • one ditto & Bolster wt. 55# @ 70s192.10.  1 Bed 35# @6s £105 . . . [£]297.10
  • one Sackg Bottom Bedstead £60. 1 ditto £20. 1 ditto £20. . . . [£]100
  • one Suit Old Curtains £60. 3 pr Blanketts £175 . . . [£]235
  • one Old Quilt & 2 Coverlids £70. 1 Counterpin £40 . . . [£]110
  • one Green Easy Chair £100. 16 Old Chairs £16 . . . [£]116
  • one Case Draws & Chamber Table . . . £150
  • one large Looking Glass £250. 1 small ditto £12 . . . [£]262
  • one Pine Chest £12. 1 Chest Draws & Case £12 . . . [£]24
  • four pr Andirons £92. 1 Iron Kettle Crack'd 30s . . . [£]93.10
  • one Iron Skillet £6. 1 Spider £6. 1 Bake pan £9 . . . [£]21
  • one Iron pot & pot hooks £15. 1 Copper Frying pan £7.10 . . . [£]22.10
  • three Brass Kettles £54. 1 Wash Bason 48s Kettle pot ??? . . . [£]60.18
  • one Brass Skillet £9. 1 Bell mettle £30. 2 Tea Kettles £18 . . . [£]57
  • one pr flatt Irons £18. 2 Box Irons £12. 1 pr Tongs £15 . . . £45
  • two Old Dripping Pans 40s. 1 Dish Cover £6. 1 Saw £30 . . . [£]38
  • Six Brass Candlesticks & Lamp £ 36 1 Wood Ax £12 . . . [£]48
  • Six Pewter Dishes, 20 plates. 1 Bason. 1 Cullender . . . [£]212
  • Six China Plates £30. 1 Tea Chest £12 . . . [£]42
  • one Baskett 70s. 3 doz. Bottles £5.8 . . . [£]8.18
  • A Number of Books £75 1 Account Book £15 . . . [£]90
  • one Stand Table £30. 1 Tea Table £15. 1 Tea Board 48s . . . [£]47.8
  • one Black Walnut Table £18. 1 Mahogony do. £45 . . . [£]63
  • 1 Black Walnut Desk £80. 1 Coffee Mill £6 . . . [£]86
  • Mansion House & Land belonging thereto in Ship Street . . . [£]10,000
  • A Store leading to Ballards Wharf . . . [£]2,000
  • A Coopers Shop do. . . . [£]2,500
  • A Number of Coopers Tools . . . [£]90
There were undoubtedly other items that went unrecorded — clothing is a major asset that is notably absent from this inventory — but this gives a good picture of the inside of the Dyer house. The walls seem to have been relatively bare other than one large mirror, but there was an abundance of chairs — more than enough for Dyer's family. The quilt may have been old, but the furniture was made of walnut and mahogany — not the sort of thing that a cooper could necessarily make for himself. Brass candlesticks, china plates, and silver spoons graced the tea table and there were books in the desk and perhaps beside the easy chair. In 18th-century Boston, even a craftsman who made barrels for shipping could afford a few small luxuries.

1 comment:

leslie said...

I'm about to publish a map identifying the many colonial houses in the Point neighborhood of Newport RI. I included what little I could find about the early owners. What I learned, which surprised me, was that the some of the wealthiest people in the community were those that had a skill or craft and worked with their hands. How things have changed. Many of the artisans also had slaves, which probably helped a good deal.

Doesn't surprise me the cooper had so much. As for his clothes or wall decorations, maybe they left the premises before the inventory was done.