posted 03-30-2008 04:07 PM            

I was reading about Journeyman Gayle Clarke’s 25 years as a smith at Colonial Williamsburg. In the article they mention: “Paul Revere's mother likely was a silversmith before her son.”

I then looked up in your American Silversmiths Directory Paul’s Mom, Deborah Hitchbourn. You don't have her listed as a smith so I suspect you don't think she was a silversmith?

I have read references (without examples) that she had her own mark. I don’t recall ever seeing an example of her work nor of her mark. I am wondering if one of our members might know of an example of the her works or mark?

I also don’t recall whether there are any other women silversmiths/apprentices in your American Silversmiths Directory. Are there any, many?

quote:

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[<gone from the internet> wordsonus.com/babes/2006-08_paul-revere.html]
Who Was Paul Revere's Mom?

....I came across an article about female silversmiths. It's fairly well known (isn't it?) that Paul Revere's father was a silversmith, and young Paul learned the trade from him. What isn't as well known is that Deborah Hitchbourn Revere was likely a silversmith as well. ....

.... Women were a minority in smith work at the time, in both Europe and America, but they were definitely a presence. Generally, women learned the trade exactly how and why men did -- from their fathers, in order to continue the family trade. As far back as 1434, two women were listed as blacksmiths in London guild records from the time, along with 65 men. Women in such trades faced the sort of obstacles you'd expect. When times were good, they were tolerated, possibly even encouraged, by their brother workers. When the economy took a downturn, they were resented as taking work away from the people who had a "right" to it -- namely, men.

We have records of women working in non-traditional fields in Colonial America. Often these were widows, left to carry on after their husbands died. ....

Getting back to Paul Revere's mother. It appears that she took an active part in the family business. Her mark is on several silver pieces. Paul Revere's father died when Paul was nineteen years old. By law, apprentices could not own their own shops until they were 21. Deborah Revere officially owned the shop until Paul was old enough to take over. It's been assumed that she was only the nominal owner, and Paul did all the work to keep things going until he could be a master silversmith in name as well as fact. But finding Deborah's mark has to make one wonder if Paul was shouldering all the work during that time, or simply apprenticing under a different master until he reached his majority.

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posted 03-30-2008 04:51 PM            

I have never seen anything about Hitchborn having a mark or any silver attributed to her hand.

Here are the women in my project:

Aldrich, Ella Niles -- Jeweler
Aldrich, Emma Foster -- Jeweler
Anderson, Susanna Eppes -- Silversmith and watchmaker (by courtesy?)
Ballou, Myra -- Jeweler
Briggs, Emma -- Jeweler
Briggs, Hattie -- Jeweler
Briggs, Sarah A. -- Jeweler
Butterfield, Rebecca Damon -- Silversmith (by courtesy)
Capen, Isabel Augusta -- Jeweler
Capron, Melissa Nancy -- Jeweler
Cowles, Susan Fairchild -- Jeweler and watchmaker
Durham, Isabella H. S. -- Silversmith
Fairbanks, Harriet Maria -- Jeweler
Fisher, Eunice Laura -- Jeweler
Gardner, Elizabeth -- Silversmith (by courtesy)
Grant, Clara Bucklin -- Jeweler
Hackstaff, Sarah -- Silversmith (by courtesy)
Hancock, Florence L. -- Silversmith (by courtesy)
Hatch, Alice Warren -- Jeweler
Jillson, Harriett Helen -- Jeweler
Johonnot, Mariane -- Silversmith and jeweler
Kelley, Elizabeth -- Silversmith and watchmaker
Kent, Mabel -- Jeweler
Kent, Mary Ida -- Jeweler
Leggett, Catharine -- Watchmaker
Lincoln, Ellen -- Jeweler
Matthias, Amy Francis -- Jeweler
Moulton, Lydia -- Silversmith
Preston, Elizabeth -- Silversmith (by courtesy)
Ralph, Emma -- Jeweler
Robinson, Hannah -- Silversmith
Rosenkrans, Maria -- Silversmith (by courtesy)
Simms, Hannah -- Watchmaker
Sullivan, Anne J. -- Jeweler and watchmaker
Warren, Anna Maria -- Jeweler
White, Mary Elizabeth -- Jeweler
Whiting, Florence -- Silversmith (by courtesy)
Whiting, Josephine -- Silversmith (by courtesy)
Whitney, Abbie M. -- Jeweler
Willett, Eunice Turner -- Jeweler
Witherell, Louisa -- Jeweler

posted 03-30-2008 05:52 PM            

I have never heard of Deborah Hitchbourn as being a working silverwmith either.

posted 05-11-2008 12:13 AM            

Silversmith apprentice:
Brown, Janey [p.31]
Master: Sandridge, William
Beginning date: 08/21/1763
Ending date: 03/30/1785
Mother: Brown, Ann
Source: Fredericksville Parish Deeds 1742-1787, 124-125 Albemarle Co.

Silversmith apprentice:
Riley, Amey
Master: Moughan, William
Beginning date: 08/18/1758
Ending date: 11/22/1768
Father: Riley, Michael (deceased)
Source: Lancaster Co. Orders 11, 1756-1764, 159 Lancaster Co.