Would you have qualified to be a housekeeper in 1780 in Pennsylvania? This ad was placed in the Pennsylvania Packet on 23 September 1780:
"Wanted at a Seat about half a day's journey from Philadelphia, on which are good improvements and domestics, A single Woman of unsullied Reputation, an affable, cheerful, active and amicable disposition; cleanly, industrious, perfectly qualified to direct and manage the female concerns of country business as raising small stock, dairying, marketing, combing, carding, spinning, knitting, sewing, pickling, preserving, etc, and occasionally to instruct two young Ladies in those Branches of Oeconomy, *, who, with their father, compose the Family. Such a person will be treated with respect and esteem and meet with every encouragement due to such a character." (* Oeconomy: the practice of mangaing the economic and moral resources of the household for the maintenance of good order."
Or how about this diary entry written by Abigail Foote in 1775 in Connecticut. She set down her daily work and the entries run like this:
"Fix'd gown for Prude,--Mend Mother's Riding-Hood,--Spun short thread, -- Fix'd two gowns for Welsh's girls,--Carded tow,--Spun linen,--Worked on Cheesebasket,-- Hatchel'd flax with Hannah, we did 51 lbs apiece,-- Pleated and ironed,--Read a Sermon of Doddridge's, -- Spooled a piece, -- Milked the cows, -- Spun lines, did 50 knots, -- Made a Broom of Guinea wheat straw, -- Spun thread to whiten, -- Set a Red dye,-- Had two Scholars from Mrs. Taylor's,-- I carded two pounds of whole wool and felt Nationly (sic),-- Spun harness twine,-- Scoured the pewter."
Dear Abigail also told of washing, cooking, knitting, weeding the garden, picking geese, dipping candles and making soap. AND she had time to visit friends!
(Donna: And these were the good old days???)
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