A clear insight into what was considered at this time to be a just reward for the services of free mechanics may be obtained from an order of the General Court with reference to the fort at Point Comfort. The county of Nansemond was commanded to supply forty men to take part in its restoration; Lower Norfolk was to furnish thirty, Warwick twenty-five, and Elizabeth City twenty. It is probable that only a few of them were skilful, as each ship arriving in the river was required to detail one carpenter for the work. Whatever the numerical proportion between the mechanics and ordinary laborers amongst the men impressed into service on this occasion, all received the same wages, amounting in each instance to twenty pounds of tobacco.[1] The carpenter of the sloop of war hired by the authorities of the Colony during the administration of Culpeper was paid monthly at the rate of one pound and fifteen shillings.[2] That this was smaller than the sum generally allowed a mechanic in that situation is shown by the wages of Edward Denerell, who served in the same capacity on board of the Edmond and Elizabeth of Hampton River; in this instance, it was fifty-five shillings a month.[3]
- ↑ General Court Orders, March 29, 1666, Robinson Transcripts, pp. 112, 113.
- ↑ McDonald Papers, vol. VI, p. 198, Va. State Library.
- ↑ Records of Elizabeth City County, vol. 1684-1699, p. 437, Va. State Library. The following bill will give some notion as to the charges made by coopers and carpenters about 1655: “Col. Yardley debt for works done for his proper use, viz. for building a dwelling house of 20 foote square with a lodging chamber and a buttery and a chimnye, all necessaries belonging to a dwelling house, 600 lbs. tobo; for settinge up of six tunne of casks, the one halfe coming to me by condition, 300 lbs.; for making too bulke heads in his sloope, 40 lbs.; for the making of a cradle to shale corn, 90 lbs.; mending of one cart putting a new bottome in it and ye sides, 50 lbs.; mending of 5 hogsheads newheaded and hooped and the making of a new hogshead, 65 lbs.; making of one newe churne, 60 lbs.; making of two news milking pailes and a paile for ye sloope, 75 lbs.; for ye hooping of 4 Duty anchors and making new coverlids, 48 lbs.; for the hooping of an English hogshead and making a new coverlid unto it for a powdering tub, 30 lbs.; cutting of an English tearce in two and new hooping of them and putting new eares to them, 24 lbs.; mending of a cheese presse, 25 lbs.; setting up two shelves of plank in the house, 10 lbs.” Records of Lower Norfolk County, original vol. 1651-1656, f. p. 180.
