Weavers working in Carlisle in 1814

When the Septennial Census of Carlisle was taken in 1814, it included the names and occupations of all the borough’s taxables. Nineteen of them, including two women, were identified as weavers, and at least half of them were born in Ireland.

THOMAS DICKSON/DIXON (1730-1815) Thomas Dickson first appeared on Carlisle tax lists as a blue dyer in 1779. He was identified as a weaver in 1781 and taxed for one lot, a horse, two cows and a servant girl with two years and one month left to serve.

On June 6, 1786, Dickson and his wife Jane purchased Lot #287 on East Louther Street from Carlisle weaver George Hamilton.¹ The 1786 tax assessment listed two houses on the lot. The 1798 Glass Tax records that while Dickson owned the property it was occupied by his son-in-law, Samuel Colwell’s family. Thomas Dixon, “an old and respectable inhabitant of this Borough” died March 11, 1815 aged about 85.²  Dickson wrote his will three days before he died. He bequeathed his property (the western half of Lot# 287) to his daughter Jane, wife of Carlisle weaver Samuel Colwell, and mentioned their children Jane and Thomas Dixon Colwell.³

An inventory of  Dickson’s goods was made shortly after his death. Although no weaving equipment was listed, he possessed three six-plate stoves, two ten-plate stoves and a Franklin stove. It is likely that Dickson had been in business with his son-in-law who had Dickson’s weaving equipment.

SAMUEL CALDWELL/COLWELL  (c. 1758-1836) Samuel Colwell  emigrated from Ireland in August 1790, but he was not naturalized in Carlisle until October 1816. Since he was married to Thomas Dickson’s daughter, it is likely that they were in business together. Colwell’s wife inherited the western half of the lot on East Louther Street where Colwell was still working as a weaver in 1835.⁴ The April 7, 1836 edition of the American Volunteer ran the following item: “Died on April 1, 1836, Samuel Caldwell, a native of Ireland, but for the last fifty years a respected inhabitant of Carlisle. Aged about 78.”

FRANCIS BURK (c.1741-1831) Francis Burk worked in Carlisle from the 1770s until at least 1821. He died on December 23, 1831, and according to his death notice, he had served as a soldier in the Revolutionary War and was aged between 90 and 100.⁵

JOHN UNDERWOOD (1748-1827) John Underwood, born in County Antrim, Ireland, emigrated to America, fought in the Revolutionary War, worked as a weaver in Carlisle, and by a series of misfortunes had no taxable property when, at the age of 76 in 1824, he was forced to declare insolvency.  He stated as the reason for his insolvency was that he “is a very old man” who has been unable to support himself by manual labor due to misfortune.  He had no property and owed money to several people as well as the Trustees of the Presbyterian Church. ⁶

Underwood’s wife Sarah died on June 24, 1827 in her 78^th year.  Three months later Underwood died. The newspaper reported that he was a native of County Antrim Ireland, a Revolutionary War soldier, and died after a long time in a state of debility on September 1, 1827 in his 79^th year. They are both buried in Carlisle’s Old Graveyard.

JOHN McCARTER (1765-1854) John McCarter, likely born in Ireland, appeared on Carlisle tax assessments as early as 1802. In 1803, he purchased the southern half of Lot #158 on South Hanover Street and in 1805 the northern half of the lot.⁷ Apparently prospering in his trade, in 1812 he purchased Lot #215 on East Louther Street.⁸ 

McCarter had likely retired by 1835 when tax assessments listed him as a “gentleman.” He and his wife, Jane, had no surviving children. Jane died in 1843 aged 83. McCarter wrote his will in 1849 and left his houses and lots to his nephew James McCarter and his niece Mary McCarter.⁹ McCarter died on August 22, 1854 and his buried in Carlisle’s Old Graveyard with his wife.

EZEKIEL BURNEY (1766-1822) Born in Ireland, Ezekiel Burney was 34 years old when he arrived in America in 1792.¹⁰  By 1800, he had settled in East Pennsborough Township where he worked as a weaver.¹¹  Between 1808 and 1810 Burney moved to Carlisle with his wife and seven children, all under the age of sixteen.¹²

With a large family to support, Burney was never able to make enough money to buy a house.  Although he is recorded on Carlisle tax assessments until his death, the only taxable property he owned was one cow. By 1820 he was forced to petition for the act of Insolvency.¹³  Burney gave the reason for his insolvency as the “frequent sickness in his family, and particularly he has not been able to work any himself for one year last past but has been under the direction of different doctors…” and could not earn enough to support himself and his family. His daughter Mary, aged nine at the time,  was one the  “Poor Children” of Carlisle whose education was paid for by the county.

The law allowed the insolvent debtor to keep up to $5 worth of goods, and Burney claimed his possessions were “one bed and bedding, one loom and tackling, three tables, three chairs, three crocks,  one iron pot, a stew kettle, one crock, one pair shovel and tongs, one lot of knives and forks, two coffee pots and an axe.”  His Insolvency petition listed all of those to whom he owned money and the amounts.  He could not write and had to make his mark. Burney died two years later on April 8, 1822 aged 56 years.¹⁴ 

ELIZABETH BALES (1773-1856) Elizabeth Bales, and Catharine Nelson, spinsters, lived and worked in a small frame house at the back end of Lot #50 on Chapel Alley between Pitt and West streets which they purchased in 1814  from cooper Melchior Hoffer.¹⁵  In July 1819, both women were admitted at First Presbyterian Church in Carlisle.

Elizabeth Bails was taxed in 1835 with ¼ lot on Chapel Alley. In 1840, her household consisted of one male aged 40-50, one female aged 60-70 and one female aged 70-80. In 1850, her household consisted of  Elizabeth Bales, aged 77, Catharine Bales, aged 51, and Catharine Nelson aged 60.  Elizabeth Bales/Beales died on September 1, 1856 aged 83 years, and Catharine Bales/Beales died on October 22, 1859 aged 52 years. They are buried in Carlisle’s Old Graveyard.

CATHERINE NELSON (1781-1875) Catharine Nelson , known as Kitty, lived and worked with fellow weaver Elizabeth Bales in their house on Chapel Alley for 40 years. Catharine wrote her will two years before her death. She left all her personal and real estate to Charles Ogilby in trust for him to sell and give the proceeds to the First Presbyterian Church of Carlisle “from which I have received assistance and comfort, ” she wrote. ¹⁶

Her obituary stated:  “An aged and most estimable lady, named Miss Kitty Nelson, a resident of our town for upwards of four score years, died on the 19^th inst. ‘Miss Kitty’ as she was familiarly known, up until a few years since followed the occupation of carpet-weaving, and had been very liberally patronized. She was a fine lady and a consistent member of Dr. C. P. Wing’s church for upwards of eighty years. Her many friends will drop a tear of regret upon reading the announcement of her death.” ¹⁷ The February 2, 1875 edition of the Newville Star and Enterprise  gave her age as 94.

HUGH REED (1777-1845)  Reed is listed as a weaver on the 1800 Septennial Census of Carlisle. In 1805, he bought the eastern half of Lot #66 on West Pomfret Street, and in 1826 he bought the western half of Lot #35, also on West Pomfret Street.¹⁸ He died in Carlisle on April 7, 1845, aged 68 and is buried in Carlisle’s Old Graveyard.

SAMUEL NEITHERCOAT (1782-1837) Samuel Neithercoat was born in County Fermanagh, Ireland.  He emigrated from Londonderry and arrived in New Castle, Delaware in June 1805.  He made his Declaration of Intent September 14, 1813, aged 31, and was naturalized in Cumberland County on September 16, 1819.  His sponsors were fellow Irishmen and Carlisle weavers, John Underwood and Ezekiel Burney.¹⁹ Sometime after 1814 Neithercoat moved to Shippensburg where he died in December 1837. His inventory was taken on Christmas Day and included “one Weavers Loom & Reels & Headles & Wheel & Swifts.”

NEAL McLAUGHLIN   Neal McLaughlin was born in Ireland and emigrated to America before June 1795.  He was naturalized in Carlisle in August 1802.²⁰ In 1816, he bought Lot #202 on East Pomfret Street for $503.²¹  McLaughlin petitioned for insolvency in 1824 stating that bail, sickness and other causes were the reason for his insolvency. A Schedule of his property included his lot with two houses, one cow, two beds, a case of drawers, a bureau, a stove, a loom and apparatus thereto belonging, a cupboard, eight chairs, three pots, two water buckets, one horse bucket and one kitchen dresser.²²

MICHAEL SANNO (1782-1865) Much is written about Michael Sanno as the Barracks and Forge Master at Carlisle Barracks, but the 1807, 1814 and 1821 Septennial Censuses of Carlisle listed his occupation as a weaver.

Henry Anderson worked in Carlisle in 1814 when he inserted the following item in the newspaper.  “Public Notice.  All persons are hereby cautioned against crediting any person on my account, unless they present a written order from under my hand as I will pay no debts they may contract after this date.  November 16, 1814.  Henry Anderson.²³

William Dawson worked c.1802-1814.   

James Hutchinson emigrated from Ireland in 1800 and was naturalized in Carlisle in 1807.²⁴ He worked c. 1807-1814.

John Johnson worked in 1814.

James Laughlin was born in Londonderry, Ireland and emigrated in 1800.  He was 37 years old when he declared his intent to be naturalized in 1831. He worked 1814-1817.

Andrew McCauslin worked in 1814.

James Reily was born in County Tyrone, Ireland in 1784, emigrated in 1806 and was naturalized in Carlisle in 1811.²⁵ He worked in Carlisle from 1811-1814.