The Dupui General Store Ledger:  1743-1793
 
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FROM FLAXSEED TO LINEN
-- TEXTILE PRODUCTION 

Although Nicholas Dupui never sold a single sewing needle, he did sell skeins of thread 52 times, pairs of scissors on 18 occasions, and a "paper of pins" 43 times.  While such might lead one to conclude that the mending or fabrication of garments was a regular occurrence throughout the first half-century of life on the Pennsylvania frontier, that conclusion might well be erroneous.

Throughout most of Europe, small insignificant gifts such as "papers of pins" and other household items were traditionally given during courtship as indications of an intent to marry.  Noting that 95% of the "paper of pins" sales occurred during the first two years of area settlement, courtship rituals rooted in European origins may indeed have been the driving force behind the sale of such commodities.  A factor, other than the need to mend, might well have been at play.

From the earliest days, imported threads and yarns (mohair, silk and nun's thread), were readily available, as were imported silk handerchiefs and laces.  Yet at some point, these imports were supplanted by a range of domestically produced textiles.  When did it first happen in this area? 

The first clue we have from Nicholas Dupui's ledger may be found in the account of Samuel Venorman who in early 1754 paid part of his bill by "Weaving of 26 yards of Cloth."  The date of this entry is also close to the time that we see the first entries related to the sowing of flaxseed: (1),  1 May 1753, Daniel Crely, "to the sowing of one Bushel of Flax," and (2), 18 July 1753, Thomas Hendy, "to 1 Bushel of flaxseed May 5th Sowing."

This time frame also generally corresponds to the first appearance of a new type of linen being sold at the store.  Previously, linen had only appeared in three varieties:  "linnin," "check linnin," and "Holland linnin" -- beginning in 1753 one now sees entries for something described as "toe linnin".
 


 
   

 
       
       
     
     
 
     
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