The Cultural History of Marlborough, Virginia Part 29

IRONWARE.--Pieces of two types of iron pot were found. One type is a large-capacity version, holding possibly five gallons. It has horizontal ribbing and vertical mold seams (USNM 59.1645, 59.1845, 59.60.147, fig. 87). Such, perhaps, was the "gr[ea]t pot" weighing 36 pounds which Mercer bought from Nathaniel Chapman of the Acc.o.keek Iron Works in 1731.

Two other fragments are from a smaller pot. The inventory taken in 1771 (Appendix M) lists five "Iron Potts for Negroes," that were probably smaller than those used in the plantation kitchen.

Two heaters for box irons were found in the kitchen debris. A heavy layer of mortar adhered to one, suggesting that it may have been built into the brickwork--whether by accident or design there is no way of telling. In that case, however, the specimen would antedate 1749 (USNM 59.2024, 59.2026, fig. 87). Box irons were hollow flatirons into which pre-heated cast-iron slugs or "heaters" were inserted. Two or more heaters were rotated in the fire, one always being ready to replace the other as it cooled. In 1725 Mercer bought a "box Iron & heaters," and in 1731, from Chapman, "2 heaters."

Other kitchen iron includes the fragmentary bowl and stem of a long-handled iron stirring spoon (USNM 59.1812), an iron kettle cover (USNM 60.69), and the leg of a large, heavy pair of andirons (USNM 59.1826, fig. 87). A small, semicircular chopping knife has a thin steel blade and an iron shank that originally was inserted in a wooden handle.

Lettering, now almost obliterated, was impressed in the metal of the blade: "SHEFFIELD WORKS 6 ENGLISH...." (USNM 59.1834, fig. 85a).

[Ill.u.s.tration: Ill.u.s.tration 62.--Iron candle snuffers. One-fourth. (USNM 59.1825.)]

FURNITURE HARDWARE.--A few metal furniture fittings were recovered. Six curtain rings, cut from sheet bra.s.s and trimmed with a file, vary from 7/8 inches to 1-1/4 inches. On tubular ring (USNM 60.53, fig. 83) may have been used as a curtain ring, although signs of wear suggest that it perhaps may have been a drawer pull. A small, bra.s.s, circular escutcheon (USNM 59.1735, fig. 83) comes from a teardrop-handle fixture of the William and Mary style. A round keyhole escutcheon has tooled grooves and holes for four nails (USNM 59.1630, fig. 83), and dates from about 1750. The handsomest specimen of furniture trim found is an escutcheon plate with engraved linear decoration dating from about 1720 (USNM 60.71, fig. 83). An iron bale handle was probably on a trunk or chest (USNM 60.130, fig. 88e). A small strap hinge (USNM 59.1657, fig. 88) is like those found on the lids of 18th-century wooden chests, while a b.u.t.t hinge may have served on the lid of the escritoire which Mercer owned in 1731 (ill. 63).

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 88.--IRON DOOR AND CHEST HARDWARE: a, large HL hinge; b, plate from box lock; c, small H hinge for cupboard; d, part of H door hinge; e, bale handle from trunk; f, latch bar or striker; g, small hinges; h, keys; i, latch catch; j, staples; k, part of latch handle; and l, pintles for strap hinges.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Ill.u.s.tration 63.--Iron b.u.t.t hinge of type used on escritoire lids and other similar items. Same size.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Ill.u.s.tration 64.--End of strap hinge. One-half. (USNM 60.146.)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Ill.u.s.tration 65.--Catch for door latch. Same size. (USNM 59.1801.)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Ill.u.s.tration 66.--Wrought-iron hasp. One-half. (USNM 59.1655.)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Ill.u.s.tration 67.--Bra.s.s drop handle. Same size. (USNM 59.1944.)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Ill.u.s.tration 68.--Wrought-iron catch or striker from door latch. One-half. (USNM 59.1768.)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Ill.u.s.tration 69.--Iron slide bolt. One-half. (USNM 59.1942.)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Ill.u.s.tration 70.--Series of wrought-iron nails.

One-half.]

ARCHITECTURAL AND STRUCTURAL HARDWARE

Iron was a fundamental material in the construction of any 18th-century building. Mercer's ledgers make repeated references to the purchase of hinges, locks, latches, and other related iron equipment. Most of this material was obtained from local merchants and was probably English in origin. However, the ledger records numerous purchases from Nathaniel Chapman of iron that was undoubtedly made at his ironworks. It is probable also that many simple appliances were made at Marlborough by slaves or indentured servants trained as blacksmiths.

HINGES.--Hand-forged strap hinges were employed throughout the colonies from the first period of settlement to the middle of the 19th century.

In addition to the many fragments that probably came from such hinges, one artifact is a typical spearhead strap-hinge terminal with a square hole for nailing (USNM 60.146, ill. 64). Three pintles--L-shaped pivots on which strap hinges swung--were recovered. One was found at the site of a gate or door in the wall south of the kitchen (USNM 60.59, fig.

88l).

[Ill.u.s.tration: Ill.u.s.tration 71.--Series of wrought-iron flooring nails and brads. One-half.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Ill.u.s.tration 72.--Fragment of clouting nail. Same size.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Ill.u.s.tration 73.--Hand-forged spike. One-half. (USNM 59.1811.)]

Fragments from at least four different H and HL hinges occur. Several entries in the ledgers refer to the purchase of such hinges. A nearly complete HL hinge, probably used on a large door, recalls an item in the account with Charles d.i.c.k for June 14, 1744, "2 p^r large hinges 9/"

(USNM 59.1945, fig. 88). A piece of a smaller H or HL hinge is of the type used on interior doors (USNM 59.1767, fig. 88), while a still smaller section of an H hinge was perhaps used on a cupboard door. H hinges were more properly known as "side hinges," and we find Mercer using that term in 1729 when he bought a pair of "Sidehinges" for 9d.

"Cross-garnet" hinges, where a sharply tapering, spear-headed strap section is pivoted by a pin inserted in a stationary, rectangular b.u.t.t section, are represented by three imperfect specimens (USNM 59.1657 and 59.1881, fig. 88). Both these types are named, described, and ill.u.s.trated by Moxon.[213]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 89.--TOOLS: a, block-plane blade; b, sc.r.a.ping tool (ill. 76); c, gouge chisel (ill. 77); d, part of bung extractor; e, fragment of ax; f, three dogs or hooks; g, pothook; and h, shim or pin.]

LOCKS, LATCHES, AND KEYS.--Only one remnant of the ubiquitous 18th-century "Suffolk" thumb-press door latch was found at Marlborough.

This fragment comprises the handle but not the cusps at the ends, by which the age might be determined (USNM 60.137, fig. 88). Mercer purchased an "Iron door latch" from Nathaniel Chapman for ninepence in 1731. In a complete a.s.semblage for these latches, a thumb press lifts a latch bar on the reverse side of the door, disengaging it from a catch driven into the edge of the jamb. One large latch bar was recovered (USNM 59.1972, fig. 88f), as well as two catches (USNM 59.1644, fig.

88i, and 59.1801, ill. 65). Sliding bolts were the usual locking devices when simple thumb latches were used. A survival of one of these is seen in a short iron rod with a shorter segment of rod attached to it at right angles (USNM 59.1942, ill. 69).

Purchases of padlocks are recorded, but there is no archeological evidence for them. However, a well-made hasp (USNM 59.1655, ill. 66) has survived, and also three staples (USNM 59.1644, 59.1659, 59.2027, fig.

88j). Mercer bought six staples in 1742 at a penny each.

Apparently the princ.i.p.al doors of both the 1730 house and the mansion were fitted with box locks, or "stock-locks," in which wood and iron were usually combined. A heavy iron plate comes from such a lock (USNM 59.1943, fig. 88). Two stock-locks were bought from John Foward in 1731.

Another was purchased from William Hunter in 1741. In the same year Mercer acquired from Charles d.i.c.k "8 Chamberdoor Locks w^{th} bra.s.s k.n.o.bs." If by k.n.o.b was meant a drop handle, then a fine bra.s.s specimen may be one of these (USNM 59.1944, fig. 83h, ill. 67). Fragments of three iron keys have survived, the smallest of which may have been used with a furniture lock (USNM 59.1644 and 59.1656, fig. 88h).

[Ill.u.s.tration: Ill.u.s.tration 74.--Left, blacksmith's hammer. One-half.

(USNM 59.2081.)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Ill.u.s.tration 75.--Center, iron wrench. One-half. (USNM 60.91.)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Ill.u.s.tration 76.--Right, iron sc.r.a.ping tool (fig. 89b).

One-half. (USNM 60.133.)]

NAILS AND SPIKES.--The ledgers point to a constant purchasing of nails which is reflected in the great quant.i.ty recovered from the excavations.

A 1731 purchase from Chapman comprised 2-, 3-, 4-, 6-, 8-, 10-, 12-, and 20-penny nails, while in the 1740's not only nails but 4-, 6-, 8-, and 10-penny brads were purchased, as well as 20-penny flooring brads.

Excepting the last, nearly all these sizes occur in the artifacts. There is also a variety of heavy spikes, ranging from 3 inches to 7 inches in length (see ills. 70-73).

[Ill.u.s.tration: Ill.u.s.tration 77.--Left, bit or gouge chisel (see fig.

89c). One-half. (USNM 59.1644.)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Ill.u.s.tration 78.--Right, jeweler's hammer. Same size.

(USNM 59.1664.)]

FOOTNOTES:

[213] ALBERT H. SONN, _Early American Wrought Iron_ (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1928), vol. 2, p. 9.

HANDCRAFT TOOLS

Marlborough, like most 18th-century plantations, was to a large extent self-sufficient, and therefore it is not surprising to find handtools of several kinds. A blacksmith's hammer (USNM 59.2081, ill. 74), for example, strengthens the view that there may have been blacksmiths at Marlborough. Other tools include a smoothing-plane blade of iron with a 1-inch steel tip (USNM 59.1897, fig. 89a); a set wrench for a 3/4-inch square nut or bolt (possibly for bed bolts), equipped originally with a wooden handle (USNM 60.91, ill. 75); a steel sc.r.a.ping tool or chisel with handle set at an angle (USNM 60.133, fig. 89b, ill. 76); a small half-round bit or gouge chisel (USNM 59.1644, fig. 89c, ill. 77). Three crude lengths of iron with stubby L-shaped ends appear to be work-bench dogs (fig. 89f).

One fine tool is from the equipment of a jeweler or a clockmaker (USNM 59.1664, ill. 78). It is a very small hammer with a turned, bell-shaped striking head. Originally balanced by a sharp wing-shaped peen, which was, however, badly rusted and which disintegrated soon after being found, the tool has a tubular, tinned, sheet-iron shaft handle which is secured by a bra.s.s ferrule to the head and brazed together with bra.s.s.

The lower end is plugged with bra.s.s, where a longer handle perhaps was attached. In 1748 Sydenham & Hodgson, through William Jordan, imported for Mercer "A Sett Clockmakers tools." This entry is annotated, "Return'd to M^r Jordan." Although the hammer cannot be related to this particular set of tools, the ledger item suggests that fine work like clockmaking may have been conducted at Marlborough. This tool may have been used in the process.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 90.--SCYTHE found against outside of east wall, Structure H.]

FARMING, HORSE, AND VEHICLE GEAR

The 1771 inventory is in some ways a more significant summary of 18th-century plantation equipment than are the artifacts found at Marlborough, since its list of tools is longer than the list of tool artifacts and is pin-pointed in time. However, artifacts define themselves concretely and imply far more of such matters as workmanship, suitability to purpose, source of origin, or design and form, than do mere names. The Marlborough tools and equipment, moreover, correspond, as far as they go, very closely with the items in the inventory, thus becoming actualities experienced by us tactually and visually.