​The lives of women in colonial times were hard.  Some worked as servants, while others were wives and mothers.  A few managed large households.  Examples of these colonial women are detailed below.

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Women and Servitude

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Most domestic environments used female labor; therefore there were few men at domestic sites. Most male slaves in an urban setting were coachmen, waiting men, or gardeners.​

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“We Unfortunate English People Suffer Here”

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​Here is a letter from an indentured servant, who was banished from her father's sight, writing to her father for help.

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Maryland, Sept’r 22’d 1756

Honored Father

My being for ever banished from your sight, will I hope pardon the Boldness I now take of troubling you with these, my long silence has been purely owning to my undutifullness to you, and well knowing I had offended in the highest Degree, put a tie to my tongue and pen, for fear I should be extinct from your good Graces and add a further Trouble to you, but too well knowing your care and tenderness for me so long as I retain’d my Duty to you, induced me once again to endeavor if possible, to kindle up that flame again.

 

Click Here to read the rest of the letter.

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“I Wove To-day”: Elizabeth Fuller Grows Up in Rural Massachusetts

 

Farm households depended greatly on women and children, as men mainly worked outside the home.  Elizabeth Fuller kept a journal/diary of daily household work, social activities, and any unusual happenings.  Here is an excerpt from the diary.

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Oct 1790

13 — Mrs. Perry, Miss Eliza Harris, Miss Sally Puffer, and Miss Hannah Haynes, and Wareham, and Rebekah Hastings were baptised by immersion. — I was fifteen to-day.

14 — A hard storm. Mr. Eveleth was buried.

18 — Pa and Ma set out for Sandwich. I am quite sick, don’t sit up but very little.

21 — I was so bad that we sent for Dr. Wilson. When he came he told me I had a settled Fever.

1790 Nov.

5 — Nathan Perry here about an hour this eve. I am a good deal better, have been out of my room two or three times. 8 o’clock Pa and Ma came home, we were over joyed to see them, but had done expecting them.

7 — Sabbath, no preaching in town.

11 —Timmy went to mill.

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Click Here to read the rest of the diary.

Colonial Women