11[Diary entry: 18 July 1769] (Washington Papers)
...near present-day Hague, Va. Known as Squire Lee, he was a Westmoreland burgess 1754–74, naval officer of the South Potomac district, and a member of the Ohio Company. He today paid GW 16s. for a spinning wheel (
12Thomas Jefferson’s Instructions for Poplar Forest Management, December 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
machines; spinning wheel [index entry] spinning wheels [index entry]
13Thomas Jefferson’s Specifications for the Rotunda Planetarium, 1824?, 31 December 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
...then be provided, it’s upper end moving on a pivot in the zenith, it’s lower end resting on the circle of amplitude. this must be made on thin flexible white oak like the ream of a cotton spinning wheel; and fixed in it’s curvature, in a true quadrant by a similar lath of white oak as it’s chord a. n. their ends made fast together by clamps. this flexible meridian may be of 6....
14To George Washington from Thomas Morton Bates, 4 November 1796 (Washington Papers)
...“superfine Wove Paper.” Bates planned to have each number delivered to the subscribers’ homes. The enclosed advertisement also listed numerous patent inventions and other essays expected to appear in the publication. These included specifications of patents for spinning wheels, leather manufacture, canal construction, and
15From George Washington to Clement Biddle, 14 March 1787 (Washington Papers)
...me one dozn of the best corn Scythes of a proper length, and strength at the heel, and in the backs, and the same number of the best Grass Scythes—two strong bramble Scythes, & two flax spinning wheels. The Dolphin returns to this Port in the course of next month, and will afford a good Conveyance. What does the best Hyson Tea, and dble refined Sugar sell at with you? And how are linnens now...
16II. Answers to Soulés’ Queries, [13–18 September 1786] (Jefferson Papers)
...commerce, but not tax us. This mysterious system took for a moment in America as well as in Europe. But sounder heads saw in the first moment that he who could put down the loom, could stop the spinning wheel, and he who could stop the spinning wheel could tie the hands which turned it. They saw that this flimsy fabric could not be supported. Who were to be judges whether duties were imposed...
17Thomas Jefferson to John McAllister (1753–1830), 24 December 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
and apprenticed there as a turner, spinning-wheel maker, carpenter, and joiner. He immigrated to
18To Thomas Jefferson from Daniel L. Hylton, 25 May 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
...losses, which by the treaty are to be restor’d, the debts will not be pd. If this is done, I believe their will be no murmuring. When I was in philada: at the sign of the spinning wheel, Jon. Greer, I saw some small looking Glasses with mahogany frames at 6/ that curry. pd. I will thank you to send me 4 of them by return of the Vessle Yr. tobo. was shipt in...
19Cash Accounts, October 1765 (Washington Papers)
By Mr Jas Wren for Spinning Wheels &ca
20From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Franklin, 6 January 1727 (Franklin Papers)
...a celebrated beauty. I had almost determined on a tea table, but when I considered that the character of a good housewife was far preferable to that of being only a pretty gentlewoman, I concluded to send you a spinning wheel, which I hope you will accept as a small token of my sincere love and affection.
21To George Washington from Clement Biddle, 26 April 1787 (Washington Papers)
By the Sloop Dolphin Capt. Steward who sailed last week for Alexandria I have shipp’d the scythes & Spinning wheels of which acct & bill of loading are inclosed the Scythe Maker could get only one of the Briar Scythes finished in time
22Thomas Jefferson to James Clarke, 1 August 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
the basis however of what has occurred to me is a four wheeled carriage, very light, the wheels to be like cotton spinning wheels & all other parts proportionably light. just over the bolt which connects the perch with the fore axle, suppose a machine fixed, so as to remain steadily in the direction of the perch, and the fore-axle made...
23To James Madison from Gabriel Richard, 12 October 1810 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
...U.S. government still wishes to charge rent he asks that the improvements made to the farm be considered as an equivalent. Otherwise, he can only pay the rent by selling “the best part of our apparatus as Spinning wheels, looms, Electrical Machine &c. which shall prove exceedingly fatal and hurtfull to so valuable an Institution.”
24Thomas Jefferson to Samuel P. Parsons, 19 April 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
2. his has a single wheel only, as light as a cotton spinning wheel, about 2.f. distant from the beam, turning an axis not bigger than the wrist, with a broken joint in that axis enabling the wheel to mount over stones & moderate stumps without interrupting the motion of the...
25To George Washington from James Mercer, 11 August 1773 (Washington Papers)
...the commerce of Great Britain,’ and that Colonel Fairfax had said many thousand ‘families were settled within the bounds of the new Province, and that each of them had a loom and spinning wheel, and would always manufacture every article of cloath they wanted, of course would not want any British manufactures: and that the people on the Ohio might be easily and conveniently governed by...
26Petition of Puckshunubbee and Others, 20 September 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
...with commissioners Benjamin Hawkins, James Wilkinson, and Andrew Pickens at Fort Adams in December 1801, spoke for the Choctaws’ Upper Towns. On that occasion he asked for a blacksmith, tools, and spinning wheels, but, describing himself as a factor for a merchant, he said that the Choctaws were satisfied with their ties to firms that traded through Mobile and had no wish to establish...
27To Thomas Jefferson from John Cunow, 17 December 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
To this may be added, that two Brethren lately have been sent to reside among the Creeks, who under the direction of Col. Hawkins furnish them with spinning wheels, looms, tin ware and other articles of their trade.
28Memorandum Books, 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
Left with Jeremiah A. Goodman 20.D. for seed wheat, spinning wheels &c.
29To James Madison from William Bentley, 2 July 1810 (Madison Papers)
...& the resistance of the Merchants, to whose habits he has no indulgence from inclination, or his manner of life, observed “The Worst Embargo upon our Country would be upon our plows & our spinning wheels. We should have no Embargo at home. We should dispise to give any nation any advantage over us from anything; it could possess. A Free people will never think themselves dependant upon any...
30From James Madison to Hobohoilthle, [6 November] 1809 (Madison Papers)
...will then have food and cloathing and live comfortably. The President advises you to do this. He knows that his red Children can live well if they will follow his advice. Colo. Hawkins will give you Cards and Spinning-wheels and Looms to weave in. Some of your white brothers are also poor, but their fathers put them to such work as is fit for them and they live very well.
31[July 1769] (Washington Papers)
...near present-day Hague, Va. Known as Squire Lee, he was a Westmoreland burgess 1754–74, naval officer of the South Potomac district, and a member of the Ohio Company. He today paid GW 16s. for a spinning wheel (
32Appendix E. Consolidated Inventory of Personal Property in the Estate, c.1761 (Washington Papers)
336. Spinning wheel 1 V[ide] 44.
33From Benjamin Franklin to Giambatista Beccaria, 13 July 1762 (Franklin Papers)
...end through the box, on which shank a wheel is fixed by a screw. This wheel serves as a fly to make the motion equable, when the spindle, with the glasses, is turned by the foot like a spinning wheel. My wheel is of mahogany, 18 inches diameter, and pretty thick, so as to conceal near its circumference about 25 lb. of lead. An ivory pin is fixed in the face of this wheel and about 4...
34To John Jay from John Drayton, 29 January 1794 (Jay Papers)
Perhaps the young ladies may manufacture some thing out of it, with the assistance of their spinning wheel; while taking advantage of the first approach of spring, you may give the seed a trial by sowing them.
I am rejoiced to find by your Mamma’s letter, that you intend to “turn your spinning wheel,” the more we are qualified to help ourselves, the less dependent we are upon others, from the present temper of old England, it looks as if we should be less her customers than formerly. Manufactures of all...
36From George Washington to Lund Washington, 20 August 1775 (Washington Papers)
For Lund Washington’s difficulties in obtaining spinning wheels, see his letters to GW of
37To George Washington from James Stewart, 28 December 1774 (Washington Papers)
, &c. &c.” Stewart, in addition to advertising all the seeds and plants, offered to instruct spinning-wheel makers in making his improved machines for spinning cotton. Stewart indicated that he would be staying at Jane Vobe’s King’s Arms Tavern, opposite the Raleigh Tavern, for the next few days; after that he would be...
38From George Washington to William Pearce, 29 November 1795 (Washington Papers)
...)—the same for the Pillars of the covered way going into the Kitchen; Locust Posts for the circle before the door; Harrows, Ploughs, rakes[,] Wheels, Carts, cradles for the grain harvest; repairing Spinning Wheels, and many other things which might be thought of, & executed within, to advantage, when the weather is rainy, snowy, very sloppy, or very cold. If he is a man of industry &...
39Anthony Afterwit, 10 July 1732 (Franklin Papers)
...(except my Boy) none but our selves). I have sold the fine Pacing Mare, and bought a good Milch Cow, with £3 of the Money. I have dispos’d of the Tea-Table, and put a Spinning Wheel in its Place, which methinks
40To James Madison from Benjamin Hawkins, 13 October 1811 (Madison Papers)
...be used by the troops of the United States in marching from post to post as the public good may require.” In return for opening the road, the Creek Indians were to receive between 1812 and 1814 one thousand spinning wheels, one thousand pairs of cotton cards, and a quantity of iron, at a cost Hawkins estimated to be $4,350.62 (Hawkins to Eustis, 3 Oct. 1811, Grant,
41Thomas Jefferson to James Ronaldson, 11 October 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
...manufactures, to which the high duties, you mention, will contribute, while they also enrich our treasury. we always manufactured a great deal in this state in the houshold way: but this was on the old Spinning wheel. the introduction of machines into our families is becoming common. those of 6. spindles suit the smaller families. I have 36. spindles going myself & shall soon add 18....
42From George Washington to William Pearce, 28 September 1794 (Washington Papers)
...) would be more competent to the Management of the Negros, whilst the other might be principally, if not wholly, occupied in putting the Wheels, Carts, Plows, and other utensils in order; and in making and repairing Spinning Wheels &ca &ca wch he professes to understand well.
43Conference with Handsome Lake, Cornplanter, and Blue Eyes: Editorial Note (Jefferson Papers)
assimilation, decried the bane of liquor, and brought up specific issues concerning annuities and land. Dearborn had also taken steps to furnish the Senecas with livestock, agricultural technology, and spinning wheels (
44Gabriel Richard to Thomas Jefferson, 9 November 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
I have already expended great deal of money to buy an Electrical machine, an air-Pump, an optics, a Spinning Jennie of 24 Spindles Cotton, wool, Spinning wheels, Cards, cloths for children, Timber, Shingles, Boards nails Glass, for Some buildings to be erected for the Indian School, and many other articles.
45To John Adams from Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, 11 February 1819 to 26 February 1819 (Adams Papers)
...thence to H of R. where we were entertained with a very different style of Oratory, which I denominate the hum-drum; as it produced on my ear something like the effect of a Cotton spinning wheel, which is not dull enough to set you to sleep, tho’ sufficiently monotonous to weary your spirits—It was an appropriation bill, and the orator speaking against it—one of the members informed me...
46To James Madison from Tench Coxe, 11 May 1801 (Madison Papers)
...The Amount of these consumptions is prodigious in a Town of 800 houses, in the body of the County, besides several others in different parts of it. I am the tenant at £100 ⅌ ann. of an Irish Spinning wheel & windsor chair maker, who has four adjoining houses, besides some others in other parts of the Town, &
47To Benjamin Franklin from Vergennes, 19 November 1781 (Franklin Papers)
...with his habitual condescension, touching the ends of his fingers on a moistened piece of sponge, and commenced playing with his right foot, bearing upon a treadel fixed in the manner of a spinning wheel, which turned a set of musical glasses, presenting their edges in perpendicular positions, in the shape of saucers graduated of different sizes, so as to produce all the requisite tones. He...
48To John Adams from Richard Cranch, 13 October 1785 (Adams Papers)
...large Manufactories, would soon have furnished us in a great measure with the necessary Cloathing in both kinds. But the Flood of English Goods that came in upon us at the Peace, soon stopt the Spinning-Wheel the Loom and the fulling-Mill, which at the Close of the War were so fully employ’d. The great Scarcity of Money occasioned by the large Exportations of Gold and Silver to England,...
49From John Jay to Gouverneur Morris, 5 November 1780 (Jay Papers)
— Achilles made no Figure at the spinning Wheel—
I am rejoiced to find that you intend to turn your spinning wheel; the more we are qualified to help ourselves, the less dependent we are upon others; from the present temper of old England, it looks as if we should be less her customers than formerly. I would recommend...
51Enclosure: Thomas Jefferson’s Appraisal of Chattels at Belmont Estates, [after 5 October 1810] (Jefferson Papers)
1. spinning wheel for cotton, & 2. wheels for spinning flax, with cotton & wool cards.
52Some Account of the Pennsylvania Hospital, [28 May 1754] (Franklin Papers)
the Beginning of 1754, Spinning-wheels were provided by the Managers, for the Employment of such of the Women Patients as may be able to use them.
53Memorandum Books, 1775 (Jefferson Papers)
The payment was for a spinning wheel (