Name/Title
October 1794 inventory of estate of Isaac Bull, Peter Bull executorEntry/Object ID
002576Tags
Anna Bull, Peter Bull, Sarah BullScope and Content
This set of documents is a probate inventory for the estate of Isaac Bull, a resident of the Town of Goshen, Orange County, New York. The inventory was taken on October 24, 1794, by the executor, Peter Bull, in the presence of legatees Sarah and Anne Bull.
The document provides a fascinating look into a late 18th-century American household, listing livestock, agricultural tools, and domestic goods valued in Pounds (£), Shillings (s), and Pence (d).
1. Livestock and Farming
The estate shows a functional farm with a variety of animals and crops:
Horses: A brown horse and a black pacing mare.
Cattle: Several cows (described by color: "Brindled," "Dun white face," etc.) and heifers.
Small Livestock: 18 sheep, poultry, and "Bees and bee hives."
Crops: Wheat in sheaf, 4 tons of hay, and corn currently "on the ground."
Tools: A windmill, plows, scythes, a loom with "tackling," carpenter and shoemaker tools, and "worsted combs" for processing wool.
2. Household Goods and Furniture
The interior of the home was well-furnished for the period:
Furniture: A looking glass (mirror), 3 candlesticks, a "tea, 2 Dining and 1 kitchen table," chairs, a settle, a cupboard, and a bookcase with books.
Beds: Multiple bedsteads with bedding, including sets with "Curtain Rods" and "Check Curtains."
Textiles: Table linens, sheets, pillowcases, and various fabrics like velvet, corduroy, and wooling cloth.
Kitchenware: A coffee pot, tea pots, "China and Crockery ware," knives, forks, spoons, and various tubs for washing and dyeing.
3. Personal Items and Debts
The later pages of the inventory list more personal or high-value items:
Valuables: One gold ring and a "Gun and Sword."
Apparel: "Wearing Apparel" valued at a significant £3 0s 0d.
Financials: Debts owed to the estate from Christopher S. Bull and Isaac Ayres, and an "Obligation" due from Edward Hanlon.
Summary of Value
The inventory is spread across five pages, with totals "brought over" from one to the next:
Page 1 Total: £49 18s 0d
Page 5 Final Total: £186 13s 0d (plus an addendum for "Three Bells" and other small items discovered later).
The document is signed by the legatees Sarah Bull and Anne Bull, and appraised by two freeholders, Stephen Harlow and Charles Bull.
