In rural Mississippi we called them "cotton scales"! They were mainly used to weigh the bags of cotton that each worker brought out of the field. Hired workers were paid by the pound and family usually were just expected to "work for their keep". Good cotton pickers were rated by how many pounds they could pick a day and those with high numbers were in more demand.
The "steelyards" were about a yard long with an upturnes hook on the short end and notches (for the peas) on the long end. There was a hook to hang it with about two thirds of the length and was attached so the "steelyard" could freely pivot. You hung the appropriate pea along the notches until it balanced.
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There are 4 messages totaling 193 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. Definition of “shilliards and pea”? (4)
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Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2021 19:35:37 -0400
From: Harold Gill <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Definition of “shilliards and pea”?
Cathy is correct. Steelyards are scales. I have one that has been my wife's family for generations.
HBG
> On September 1, 2021 at 12:24 PM Nancy Upshaw <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>
> Hi, all, wow - it’s been a long time since I was on here - decades. Didn’t even know the list still existed. Yay!
>
> So I have a “stump” question for you. In several 18th century wills, I’ve found the mention of “a pair of shilliards and pea”. Anybody have any idea what these are? I’ve Googled, and checked Johnson’s Dictionary. Nothing, other than a few more references but no definitions. Is this just a crass way of saying “you get nothing”?
>
> Totally stumped,
>
> Nancy
>
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> This list is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).
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------------------------------
Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2021 20:10:12 -0400
From: Nancy Upshaw <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Definition of “shilliards and pea”?
Thank you, Eric, and all!! That is likely the answer. Steelyards and pea…… The dangers of using transcripts and not going blind(er) trying to read the original old handwriting. I can only guess why a daughter received that as an inheritance, considering she wasn’t married at the time. Hmmm…..
Made my day! Thanks to everyone who ventured to help.
- Nancy
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