Page:Economic History of Virginia Vol 2.djvu/484

to accumulate property in the hours during which they were not engaged for their masters, that they were able to purchase their freedom.^[1] Many of the persons who followed this calling secured a livelihood by working by the day or by the special task. In 1678, Philip Thomas of Henrico brought in a statement of indebtedness against Captain Crews of that county, which showed that he had for forty-two days and a half been employed in the service of the latter under an agreement promising him twenty pounds of tobacco each day. Among the other articles of clothing made by Thomas during this time was a pair of leather drawers.^[2] In 1692, the estate of Robert Booth owed to John Bradford, a tailor, the sum of one pound sterling, eighteen shillings and six pence.^[3] William Murray of Elizabeth City County was, in 1697, sued by John Nelson, also a tailor, for the amount which had been determined upon as his reward for services extending over six weeks. This was one thousand pounds of tobacco.^[4] Some years previously a tailor residing in Rappahannock County had charged forty pounds of tobacco for making a coat, seventy for making a leather waistcoat, and ninety for making a complete suit.^[5] The charges in Lancaster at this time were somewhat higher. The remuneration asked for making a coat was sixty pounds of tobacco, and for a pair of breeches twenty pounds.^[6] Hatters were not un-

1. Records of Rappahannock County, vol. 1668-1672, p. 200, Va. State Library.
2. Records of Henrico County, vol. 1677-1692, p. 154, Va. State Library. These “drawers” were probably a pair of breeches, as this term was in that age very often applied to this article of dress.
3. Records of York County, vol. 1690-1694, p. 180, Va. State Library.
4. Records of Elizabeth City County, vol. 1684-1699, pp. 150, 164, Va. State Library.
5. Records of Rappahannock County, vol. 1668-1672, p. 248, Va. State Library.
6. Records of Lancaster County, original vol. 1690-1709, p. 79. The following tailor’s bill is from the Lancaster records, original vol. 1690-1709, p. 79: “John Mullis, D^r, for work done, 205 lbs. tobacco; allowed George Chilton, for one garment, 50 lbs.; Thos. Yerby, D^r, for work done, 225 lbs.; John Davis, D^r, for making seven women’s jackets, 70 lbs.; for making a coat for y^r wife, 60 lbs.; for altering a pair of plush britches, 20 lbs.; Henry Stonam, D^r, for y^r wife and daughter’s jackett, 30 lbs.; for y^r britches, 20 lbs.; coat, 40 lbs.; y^r boys’ jackets, 20 lbs.; y^r son’s britches, 25 lbs.; ye eldest son’s ticking suite, 60 lbs.; John Travers’ ticking suite, 60 lbs.; Wm. Smith, D^r to making one vest and loose coat, 90 lbs.; Wm. Goodridge, D^r, to making a dimity waistcoat, serge suite, 2 cotton waistcoats, and y^r dimity coat, 185 lbs.; Richard Alderson, D^r, for a pr. of buff gloves, 100 lbs.; for one neck cloth, 12 lbs.; a pr. stockings, etc., 120 lbs.; for a pr. leather britches, pr. Callimanco britches, 60 lbs.; for a coat making, 40 lbs.” This bill was brought into court by John Daniell, administrator of Noah Rogers.