Need a "translation" of these colonial tools

10 years ago

I am trying to decipher a 1750 Pennsylvania Dutch estate inventory. There are two items listed with the rest of the tools that I cannot figure out. In between the Geests (Kistes=crates) and the ax are:

Cople Prakes
pare of Stokings

The "P" is likely a "B", and the next entry is a grindstone. I really don't think a pair of stockings would be found in the tool shed. Do these mean anything to you?

Thanks.

-EM

Comments (5)

lazy_gardens
10 years ago
"Pennsylvania Dutch" was heavily contaminated with English

I would see the first term as a "couple of brakes": A toothed instrument used for crushing flax and hemp. (search for "flax brake" to see what I mean)

The other is a "pair of stockings": I don't have a problem with the tool shed having a pair of heavy leather or woollen stockings or leggings used as shin guards and clothing protectors by the gardeners.
enmnm (6b)
Original Author
10 years ago
That makes total sense, because the next few items are a comb and heckel. Thanks! I never would have found that on my own.

Also in the toolshed is a Booke and something that looks like a "par of mull carts." Why would a book be there? And a mull cart...which could mean peat cart, but I would have thought that is more a scotch-irish term and while there were scotch-irish in the area, the people valuing the inventory were from the Palatine.
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chibimimi
10 years ago
Could they be "mule carts"?
sombreuil_mongrel
10 years ago
maybe pair of wool cards?
Casey
enmnm (6b)
Original Author
10 years ago
WOOL CARDS! Yes! Woohoo!