1Miscellaneous Business Memoranda, 1731 (Franklin Papers)
...is the largest and most representative. The bills show that among the articles supplied to Franklin or his dependents were cloth of various kinds (linen, calico, chintz, cambric, taffeta); mattresses, bolsters, and pillows; tea, both bohea and green; elixirs and bitters; chinaware; hats; paper and parchments; fish and oil; beer; and harness. There are bills to Franklin for such services as...
2From George Washington to John Carlyle, 25 July 1756 (Washington Papers)
A flock-bed was a mattress stuffed with wool.
3Invoice from Richard Washington, 20 August 1757 (Washington Papers)
Tick was ticking, a fabric used to cover mattresses and pillows.
4Enclosure: Invoice to Robert Cary & Company, 20 July 1767 (Washington Papers)
Bedticks were cloth bags, or cases, which were stuffed with feathers or straw to form mattresses.
5Memorandum Books, 1772 (Jefferson Papers)
for bringg. down mattress 5/.
6[February 1778] (Adams Papers)
My Lodging was a Cott, with a double Mattress, a good Bolster, my own Sheets, and Blanketts enough. My little Son, with me—We lay very comfortably, and slept well. A violent Gale of Wind in the Night.
71778. 14. Feb. Saturday. (Adams Papers)
My Lodging was a Cott, with a double Mattress, a good Bolster, my own Sheets, and Blanketts enough. My little Son, with me—We lay very comfortably, and slept well. A violent Gale of Wind in the Night.
8To George Washington from Elias Boudinot, 2 March 1778 (Washington Papers)
A return of clothing issued by Lewis Pintard to Continental prisoners in New York shows that 249 shoes, 484 stockings, 204 blankets, 157 blanket watch coats, 100 shirts, and 8 mattresses were issued to officers at various locations, almost all from 22 Nov. through 1 Dec. 1777, and that 412 blankets, 630 blanket watch coats, 549 vests, 576 breeches, 1,153 shirts, 826 stockings, 547 shoes...
9To George Washington from John Mitchell, 17 February 1780 (Washington Papers)
Mitchell enclosed a document, dated 15 Feb., summarizing the charges for items he had purchased for GW. He had paid George Hauhton £144 for twenty-four pounds of “Curlad Hair,” presumably for mattress stuffing; £11.5 for “Worsted tuffs twine & thread”; £37.10 for making a “Border’d Matrass & ⟨opening⟩ the hair.” Mitchell had also paid J. Davis £600 for eight pounds of green...
10Arthur Lee to Committee of Congress, 27 October 1780 (Madison Papers)
consists of Knives, Forks Spoons, plates & table Linnen, with two Iron travelling bedsteds, Mattresses & Sheets. The exact quantity of these things I do not know, but they cannot be of much value; being broken Setts, & having been usd for upwards of three years.