Spinning Wheels

The 58th issue of The Spinning Wheel Sleuth, produced in October 2007 by Florence Feldman-Wood at Andover, Massachusetts, contains a picture of a John Smith spinning wheel. The article was researched by Sue Batchelor of nearby Plainville, who found his estate inventory, which included, "Warming pans and hetchels, two wheels, valued at eight pounds, six pence and nine pounds of flax, valued at seven pounds, six pence." It states John immigrated from Ireland in 1735, exact date unknown, was listed as a wheelwright in the "West List" records in 1741. The spinning wheel had Smith's name on the end grain of the table and has what are called "Sausage Turnings", which are sometimes seen on certain Irish wheel. The number of wheels in his possession at the time of his death, suggests he was no longer in the wheelwright business. In addition to the information on Smith in the printed Volume II of Wrentham History Vignettes in 2008, Smith served for eleven days in 1775 as a Colonel of the West Regiment of Suffolk County during the Revolutionary War. JJM