Well Paid Foster Moms - 1665

"...for 35 guilders a month..."- 1665

Women were often paid pretty well for their services. The two women below were paid 35 guilders a month - each - to wet nurse one of a pair of twin babies for one year.

1665 October 27th - "'Lenne' Roebers will, for one year, wet-nurse Kaste NOORMAN ’s child for 35 guilders a month; if the child dies, she will still be paid for the month in which it dies…Fiete Jansz will take care of the other child on the same condition"... and for the same pay as above is explained.

Another  example was of Geurt Kendrick's wife who received f.32 per month.  One more child was fostered for f.30 a month. 'Marytie' 'Claesen' receive f.25 (guilders) per month for keeping a school aged child, plus a one time payment of  f.4.14 in wages for sewing for the child, with the fabric being paid for by the church. These were not the only types of jobs open to women but it is a great example of how women who did not run taverns, shops or own ships were making money.

'Roebers" and 'Jansz'  earned in one year 420 guilders each, Kendrick earned 384 guilders, another earned 360 guilders and Claesen earned 300 guilders. Once the babies were weened the wage paid dropped little by little according to the work load associated with a more capable child.

The child kept by Marytie Claesen was attending school, with the school master being paid 17.8 guilders, but for an unknown duration. There are a number of payments going out to people we can use for comparisons. Mister Cornelis van 'Dijck' received 200 guilders a year from the church for heeling the sick. But this also assumes he took on personal clients.  Jan Peitersen was paid 5 guilders for 1 4/5 day's worth of mowing (grains). A Native American earned 10 guilders for diving into the water and finding a lost yawl from a ship, A man named Tobias was paid 2.10 guilders for a deer. 'Dirck' the mason for 10 days work at a chimney 10 guilders.

For Jan Peitersen, if he was earning roughly 1 guilder per day, that is about 20-24 guilders a month during harvesting. Harvesting occurs regularly due to rotating crops. 'Dirck' the Mason was earning about the same 10 guilders for 10 days work, which I assume was discounted for the church. In essence, women fostering children until they were about 14 years old which is when they were apprenticed in New Netherland and New York, means the ladies were earning a fair sum of cash in 1665 and 1666. However, the year is a problem... it was the first and second year that the English had gained control and pricing was probably not reflective of better times. But it gives us a good idea of what people were paid even under duress and limited economics.

Master Reyn received 18 guilders for repairing a ship's yawl and 15 guilders for building a (small) boat. Abraham Page the Englishmen received 12 guilders for 8 days of haying, and another 6 guilders for 4 more days of haying. A more consistent income to compare the fostering moms to is Ariaen the Servant who received "5 months wages at fl. 150 a year" 62 guilders. Except servants also had their room and board covered. Nevertheless even if we doubled the servants income to 300, it is at the low end of what a foster mom makes.

'Hubert' Jansen earned  8 guilders a year per person for doing their laundry. He would have to do a ton of laundry to make what a foster mom makes. However, he received a new contract which was 31 guilders a month to care for an old captain including board and laundry, or 372 a year. Another good example of ordinary people's income is a shoemaker's assistant which would be a contract for 2-3 years. In one instance an adult assistant in Albany was under contract for 10 shoes per day in summer.. possibly less in winter with shorter day time light ... received 120 guilders per year. Again, room, board, and laundry were included, but that is less than a servant and much less than a foster mom.

120 Shoemakers Assistant
150 Servant
200 Part time Doctoring for the church
300 Fostering school age child
372 Elder Care
384 Non-Nursing child under about 7
420 Wet nursing

So what did 300 to 420 guilders buy a person in the mid-1600s?

From the same 1665/1666 accounting book we can see the following recorded in guilders.

1 schepel of grain cost 7.10 [45 pound of wheat]
1 schepel of corn cost  6.0 [42 pounds of corn]
? "pumpkins" cost 6.0
2 schepels of rye cost 5.0
2 pounds of butter cost 3.0 [32 ounces]
2 pounds of fresh meat 1.8 [32 ounces] 

 1678 Albany (Supplemental data)

6 schepels of peas equals 1 beaver [= 8 guilders/6 schepels or 27 'stuivers'/schepel/45 pounds ] 

Note that: 1 schepel = 3/4 bushel. One bushel = 60 lbs. of wheat, 56 lbs. of shelf corn, 60 lbs dried peas. And a modern person eats between three to five pounds of food per day.

Let's say we bought 1 schepel of wheat, 1 of corn, 1 of peas, 2 lbs butter, and 2 pounds of fresh meat or 136 pounds of food. That would be 4 pounds of food per day for 31 days and it would cost about 21 guilders and 45 'stivers' or 23 guilders 5 'stivers'. With keeping in mind that carrots, lettuce, parsley, sage, turnips, apples, pears and cherries were items commonly grown in the yard. If roughly 2 pounds of food per person per day was coming from the yard, then the additional 4 pounds of food we purchased could bring a family of four to three pounds of food per person per day. It is on the low end, but hunting was common and meat was rather cheap at 2.10 guilders per deer. Especially considering the hide - even undressed - could be sold to offset the cost. Plus there were fishing poles and clam rakes. 

1665/1666

2 pounds of soap cost 2.10
1 pound of candles cost 2.5
a broom 0.12
Laundry Service for a year 8.0

Assuming we need soap and candles each moth and to budget for the mending or braking of household items we can add another 4 guilders 27 'stuivers', for 27 guilders and 32 'stivers' or  28 guilders 12 'stuivers'. Interestedly, regular laundry for one year cost 8 guilders, or 160 'stuivers' per year or 13 'stuivers' per month. Laundry services were common so let's add that in... 28 guilders 25  'stuivers' or 29 guilders 5 'stuivers'. 

Could you live on Foster Care Income? 

Foster care provided a considerable addition to the household income. Especially since the church would cover all clothing and education costs for the child. For the shoemaker's assistant, their room, board and laundry was included in their contracts with the 150 guilders a year being for clothing, tavern, savings and fun. Foster care could care for one person well enough assuming they rented a room for 8 guilders a year, or significantly raise the standard of living for a family of four, if there was another adult income. For a laborer who mowed wheat or the mason who was doing a lot of discounted work for churches, his wife's income could make a world of a difference. Assuming there was a typical Low Countries style garden, her income could keep the family fed and with candle light allowing his income to cover rent, clothing, and other goods or tools. A foster mom is essentially covering all the day to day cost of the family with room for some extras such as 2 pairs of shoes at 10 guilders, two new copper kettles at 16.16 plus a few extra left over.  Alternatively, she could order two new full sets of clothes (jacket, long sleeved under shirt, fabric breeches, leather breeches, shirt, drawers) for her own children at 36 guilders. 

Food, soap & candles = 29 guilders 5 'stivers'/month (348 guilders 60 'stivers' / year). 

300 Fostering school age child
372 Elder Care
384 Non-Nursing child under 7
420 Wet nursing

With this in mind, reenactors looking to portray "ordinary" people may take into consideration duel income families and other "hidden" cash flows not always obvious in history records like the selling of venison on the side. This would greatly affect the goods they could afford. For ordinary people of the Province, how to spend the extra cash would vary. One may choose to sleep on coarse linen but buy a Holland linen shirt, while they may have iron pans, they may pick up a few copper kettles or have serge suits as their best suit but always new shoes.


* If you see a mistake in my calculations let me know. I used a 20 'struiver' per guilder conversion rate. 

Below are some additional prices:

Other Goods: Note that "f." = guilder

In 1658 Jan Justen paid for 20 ells “coarse” linen f. 20, 4 pairs of shoes f.20, 5 pairs of stockings f.15, 20 ells of duffel f.80, 2 blankets f.32, 4 ells of cloth f.36, 2-1/2 ells of duffel f.20, “N.N.” 2 kettles 7 lbs f.16:16 

In 1661 sent to NewAmstel:
Nelis” “Laersen” 1 pair of stockings [guilders] 3.0 & 2 pairs of shoes [guilders] 10.0
Thomas “Hoppens” 1/2 alm anise (anis) [guilders] 140.0 & 3 ells red duffel [guilders] 3.0; “Baes” “Joosten” 1 large earthen jar f. 4 

Sold at Auction at Fort Orange 1666
a leather and a cloth breeches [guilders] 36.10.00
2 pr woolen stockings [guilders] 14.15.00

Cost of clothing children:

2 pairs of shoes for children 9.0
1/2 ell serge for [1] child's [2] caps 2.0
7 ells of linen for [1] child's shirts 15.0
3 ells of red baize 24.0
2 pairs of stockings 14.0
2 3/4 ell of blue linen for diapers 13.15

For a full set of clothing we have the following quote:

Frans Coninck’s children 2 packages of underclothes on which was used 5 ells of white baize…Frans 2 packages of leather clothes, on which were used 7 deer skins, 2 ells of Osnabruck, Frans a ape rock and a borstrock on which was used 3 ells of kersey at 12 guilders the ell…f.36.

Petticoat Stats

"One Spanish cotton petticoat" for him - 1645 Manhattan 

Politics and the Landscape:

When I go through inventories I am not just thinking about a pair of shoes, a sword, or a dress. I often think of how the person would have worn it? Or what a garment is made of and how this is reflected in store records where fabric is purchased ? But I am also considering, How does the inventory influence what a house scene or a street scene or a market square would look like? 

The late 16th and early 17th Century is when a major shift happens on all levels whether politically, culturally or in clothing. In the Netherlands laws, politics, business and fashion are evolving at a steady pace between the 1550s-1690s. The biggest hump they got over was a shift from Spanish to Netherlander self governance. This affected fashion, the economy, politics and a variety of things. For New Netherland, the legal era starts in 1614 when the New Netherland company was chartered, a map of New Netherland was published and the first permanent settlement was built at Rondout on the Hudson River to when England gained legal ownership and sovereign control in 1667. Other dates are often referenced in publications, but legal control is like owning the title to one's home or car or a business... there is a beginning, middle and end. 

The "New Netherland" cultural era appears to be 1614 to the second seizing of the colony by the English in 1674. In 1674, politics and laws were being transferred from Dutch dominance to a deliberate application of English Common law. The deliberate part is the key, it forces a change from de facto powers (e.g. a person squatting in a house ) to de jure (the title sale of a house). 

The third instance is when one has de jure (legal control), but chooses not to enforce a change over which is what happened between 1667 - 1674. It is like continuing to live in the house though a person sold the title. This is what happened after 1667, the English do not enforce English common law until the year 1674 when the king changes his mind. 

Even then, the powers that be could not displace the common culture of the colonist from its continental mindset. Part of the issue was if they pushed too hard, they would loose tax revenue. We have to remember that from 1614 to 1674 the colonist had 60 years to incubate or over two generations. 

This continental mindset continues through to the 1710 - 1720 when large numbers of Scottish people emigrated but they are canceled out by the large numbers of Germans. While a political divide starts in the 1690s, it is not until enough British arrive during the 1720s that the culture is divided too. The province becomes split culturally British vs. Continental (Anglican, Presbyterian and large estate owning Huguenot vs. Lutherian, Dutch Reformed, Calvinist, Moravian, and working class Huguenot). The province will remain split for the entirety of the colonial era. 

What does this mean for reenactors? Most things whether French, Dutch, German, Swedish, English, Scottish and even Asian and some African styles are fair game. Dutch serge, English kersey, Scottish plaids, China silks, Japanese kimonos, Ottoman corded silks and raw mohair, Bengal cottons and even Egyptian alabaster are all in inventories. It is more of, "Was it an export?" if it was it probably made it to the ware houses of Amsterdam and then onto New Netherland and well into 18th Century New York. When I think of New York I am always amazed at the level of sophistication and worldly outlook. 

When picking out a fabric for a petticoat, consider doing something special. Pick a fabric that represents something important or dreamy for the era and sew it into a petticoat. Every time you wear it you will know it is not just a petticoat, it is made from fabric that connects the world and then tell somebody about it. Tell them how far the fabric had to travel to become that special garment just for you. 

Court Records reveal colors, materials and trims: 

1638 -  She took as payment for a hog, as much purple laken as was sufficient for a petticoat. 

1645 -  Red petticoat lined with blue and bound with cord. 

1648 - 2 kotten petticoats 

Early petticoats could be plain or trimmed with cord for people regardless of class. Fullness does not seem to be a factor, full petticoats are seen on wealthy and working class in paintings. 

The above cotton petticoats were made from cotton from plants, not the English use of cotton to mean either cotton from plants or brushed wool. Since the word cotton rather than "sits" was used it was likely a plain/solid colored cotton fabric. See article on solid colors cottons in New Netherland and New York Here.

As the century moves forward so do the description of petticoats: 

1685 -  

One redd cloth petticoat with black lace, One coloured druggett petticoat with redd linking [lace]. 

Early Inventories: 

In 1640, Hester Symonrsen had "2 laken petticoats" and "1 black kersey petticoat". It is difficult to guess what the 2 laken petticoat colors were, except that they were not black. Had they been black the recorder would have written it in as significant. Fabric tended to be dyed in the Netherlands, so it is possible that they were blue, green, or even yellow. When clothing is black, red, scarlet or purple it is often noted. When another color, often it is simply labeled as "colored". Could they have been natural colors? Yes, especially because Hester had lived in England for some time, and natural colors were very popular there. Off-colors - such as reddish- are possible too. Hester also had 12 linen and purple aprons. 

Ides Stoffelsen had a blue kersey, a staal gray lined petticoat, and black coarse Camelot lined petticoat, 1 half worn red petticoat, two old black skirts” in 1641. Here we can see the colors; blue, gray, black and red being used all in one inventory. Here Stoffelsen probably had two black kirtles. She also had a purple apron and four blue aprons. Colored aprons were common at this time, as were white or black. 

The kersey in Stoffelsen's wardrobe is likely continental, however, Symonresen's kersey could also be from London as she and her husband had lived there prior to coming to New Netherland. As a side note, it was not unusual for Dutch women who traveled to England to sport an English broad rim wool hat which was an English fashion then. While Hester doesn't have one in her inventory a number of items are missing. Dutch women usually just wore a cap, but Bermuda straw hats were also popular for keeping off the sun. 

The staal is the word used for the small metal tab that has an impression of the city of origin on it. They were attached to new pieces of fabric. For instance if a piece of cloth had a seal, it means it was the exact length, width, number of warps and even the color tone according to the quality assurance standards of the city. In order for a gray cloth to be standardize one would need either perfectly matched sheep breeds, or dye. 

The 1646 inventory of Aeltje Jans had the following items; "black cloth skirt, half worn, 1 old petticoat of changeable silk". Silk was easily obtainable at fixed prices at the Dutch West Indies store. While changeable silk was not on the West Indies Company store's list, Italian silks were such as tours de Naples. The fix pricing ensured that colonist had access to goods at the cost of goods, plus import cost, plus small profit. It cost more than in the Netherlands, but was still accessible. 

Heavy fabrics are more common during the 1630s and 1640s, and wardrobes with more variety of fabrics during the second half. By the 1650s, wardrobes are well developed with light and heavy fabrics, many colors, and prints are more popular.  


His Petticoat Breeches:

The 1646 inventory taken of the "effects left by Jan Jansen of St. Obyn" in New Amsterdam included; one Spanish cotton petticoat. This petticoat probably belonged to Jansen and were petticoat breeches as he did not have a pair of breeches but did owned a pair of linen onderbroeken which were commonly worn under petticoat coat breeches in the Netherlands. The Spanish cotton is interesting because during the 16th and into the 17th century India was making cotton fabrics for specific markets. The purpose was to cater to the tastes of a specific nation or culture. Fabrics would have scenes, designs or prints favored by their people. There are a couple inventories where there is almost all men's cloths plus a petticoat and no wife or daughter to be found. These are likely the petticoat breeches which are as full and loose as a woman's petticoat. 

"One Spanish cotton petticoat" - 1645 

Doing the numbers:

Cotton and linen petticoats turn up in inventories, however of the 206 petticoats from 1638 to the year 1700, 115 list the fabric. 

Here is a list of the most common, there happens to be many "one offs" too.  

23.2 % - Cotton or Calico 

21.7 % - Silk  

14.5 %   - Laken (a winter only weight fabric) 

11.6 %   - Camelot (medium grade Grossgrain) 

11.6 %   - Serge  

5.8 %     - Stuff 

4.3 %      - Kersey 

These percentages may change as I add in more inventories but it gives reenactors a look at options that were available. If one would like to make a silk petticoat go with a stiffer fabric; cotton should be shirting weight. Laken is a serge that has been "fulled", Serge can be found at Joan Fabrics in the "sporting" section. Look for the fabric that has diagonal lines. They come in cotton (technically did not exist) but the look is good as are the colors. Camelot is made from silk, mohair, or silk-mohair blend if representing a Dutch, Flemish or person from New Netherland or New York. 

Looking to represent a dairy farmer or cheese maker? One can use all these fabrics. The silk petticoat would have been reserved for church and holidays, the Camelot too. Laken is winter ware. And the Serge would have been one's work horse fabric. Kersey is a very reasonable alternative and more affordable for those muddy days. Are you a poor farmer who raised peas and corn? Or selling pancakes out of her home for extra cash? Use serge as your best fabric for church, which is a respectable fabric because even wealthy people keep a serge suit because it is 1) made of Spanish wool 2) very durable and practical which is a trait respected by people of all classes in NY. 

Colors: 

Of 69 Petticoats with the color or descriptor listed from the 1630s to the year 1700:

Number of: 

19   Black 

17  Red 

5   Scarlet  

5   Blue 

4   Green  

4   Colored (blue, green, yellow, gray, brown) 

2   Purple 

1   Gray 

1   White

Not included in the numbers above...There are two cotton petticoats without the color listed, they were likely plain white which was rather cheap and affordable in NN. There are also "colored" petticoats with red or green lining. Striped, brocade, velvet and "farridine" were also present in small numbers. Ferridine, has other spellings, but it is the affordable version of Camelot. Both Farridine and Camelot are made of a mohair and silk blend, but farridine is a plain weave and Camelot is a grosgrain. The petticoats that are black are sometimes lined in a bright color of red, green, blue, etc. when wearing them, a person could wear them with part of the skirt folded up to show off the lining. Interestedly, there are a few petticoats that will say the fabric but not the color but will then list the color of the lining but not the fabric... these are not included in the numbers but I am guessing they were common black. 

Under petticoats:

A 1657 inventory had a "red under petticoat" and a 1685 inventory had "one under petticoat with a body of red bay, one under petticoat scarlet". 

Homespun? 

A quick point on homemade fabric. It did exist. There are some men's garments mentioned as being made from homemade fabric as were storage bags and I think one of the slaves were mentioned as having homespun. However, these are usually very very humble inventories. Homespun sometimes shows up in store inventories. The issue is that the fabric available at the store was so affordable, homespun fabric was usually coarse and reserved for other purposes. Knitting yarn is another story. It seems very fine yarn was being made and was popular. I get the impression that women were more likely to be sewing smalls such as handkerchiefs and aprons or knitting rather than sewing large garments. Loose wool, linen, mohair and cotton is sold in stores. Wool cards and wool or linen spinning wheels are common in English and Scottish homes. Looms are rare everywhere. This is not to say that a reenactor should not make fabric for a petticoat; New York tended to have trained people who were specialist. So, if you can do it, you would. Many people had more than one skill or job. 


Walking down the Street:

When walking down the street roughly a third of petticoats will be black with a bright color lining that is folded back to be seen. Another third could be calico, brocade, or have some kind of pattern. The last third would be the greens, blues, and purples. There would be a couple gray and while the inventories do not mention yellow it is in some 17th Century paintings, and turns up in other garments in NY inventories. I would give yellow the go ahead as a petticoat because other women's garments were yellow.. but it would be a Indian mustard cotton or China yellow silk to be in sync with the era. How do I know yellow cotton existed? Because I happen to own a yellow cotton French dressing gown from the 1720s. 

Petticoats are one of those things a sew-a-long is great for. There is so much fabric to make a properly full 17th Century petticoat chatting is a must. Each person can pick a fabric that really means something and can be a topic for conversation with tourist. Let them guess what it is made of, where it was imported from and why the fabric was used rather than a different fabric. Let them know just how small the world was. 

Sorry for no images, In the guide book I am putting together there will be images. 

Drawers for Men and Women

"Four Yellow Love Drawers" - 1685

I have thought for sometime on how to broach the topic of underwear as I have found out the hard way that there are many established ideas on what was and wasn't. However, the story of how "underbeeches" and what were later called drawers came to be actually reflects just how human we all are.

When Wina who was from the province of Horn in the Netherlands arrived in America, she was a whip of a business woman. She had to have known her market as she arrived with an extensive list of exotic goods from the east. She opened her shop right next to her husband's doctoring practice. With side by side storefronts, everything in their lives seems to have been intimate. Her wares were so numerous they spilled over into his office with porcelain stacked on shelves on the walls. Wina's wardrobe was no different as it included 5 work day suits, a fine suit in silk and a number of calico gowns plus over 50 fontages and headbands. But it is the four yellow drawers in silk that let us peek into the lives of those in 17th Century New York. Her husband an apparently reserved person in comparison only owned 2 capes, 2 black or gray suits and a dressing gown... plus 7 pairs of drawers that range from linen to silk. In one chest, there was even a blue and white feather. The couples of New York even if reserved on the outside as was Wina's husband, or spectacular on the outside as was Wina herself... all seem to keep something special and dare I say flirtatious in the marriage.

Wina and her husband were not alone, while most of the 112 drawers that have shown up in the the 28 inventories referenced are linen, there is also the saucier side.

Due to the PG nature of this blog we'll have to skip the naughty bits... but I am looking forward to my presentation at Boston History Camp this Saturday.


[ Since publishing in the last few weeks the number of drawers has gone up to 128 from 33 inventories during the same time period 1630-1720s. These were men's clothes inventories, windows are doing a great job of keeping any and all their clothing out of inventories. July 18, 2018 ]