The Huyck Bain Crandell Collection, Document BH085
< Next Earlier Document — Next Later Document >
1773-02-27 Memorandum, Record of Wheat, Peas and Rye Sent to Robert Van Deusen's Mill
Image: BH085 left.jpg
Image: BH085 right.jpg
Transcription
Left
Memorandum of 24 Skipple of pees 24 Skipple of rye march 27
Right
Memorandom of 12 Skipples of wheat, carried to Robert Van Deusens mill Feb.y 27: 1773 ————— 10 Skipple of wheat for the youse of the family —————————— 14 Skipple of wheat for the youse of the family
Commentary
A “skipple” historically refers to a unit of measurement, specifically a measure equal to three pecks or about 0.764 bushels of wheat, commonly used in Dutch New York.
Notes:
- Robert Van Deusen’s mill — a specific mill now named for the first time in the archive. The Van Deusen family appeared in the 1744 Kinderhook tax list — Marten Van Deusen, Bata Van Deusen, Mattheus Van Deusen, Johan Van Deusen — a prominent local family. Robert Van Deusen’s mill was evidently the primary milling facility used by the Huyck farm, consistent with the milling records on the previous memorandum page.
- 24 schepels of pees — peas appearing as a significant crop for the first time in the archive, alongside 24 schepels of rye. Peas were commonly grown both for human consumption and animal fodder.
- “For the youse of the family” — a touching domestic detail, Elizabeth recording grain set aside for household consumption rather than sale or milling for others. 10 and 14 schepels of wheat — 24 schepels total — reserved for family use, giving us a rare glimpse of the household’s own food consumption.
- The distinction between milled grain and family use — 12 schepels taken to Van Deusen’s mill for processing, while 24 schepels kept back for the family. Elizabeth carefully tracking both commercial and domestic grain use in the same memorandum.
- February 27, 1773 — a winter milling trip, consistent with the pattern of regular mill visits we saw in the milling record.
- “Skipple” — an anglicized rendering of schepel, reflecting Elizabeth’s bilingual world — Dutch at home, English in formal documents, and a fluid mixture in personal memoranda.
- This document is the most domestic in the entire archive — not a commercial transaction but a household management record, Elizabeth tracking her family’s food supply with the same careful attention she gave to every commercial transaction.
— Notes by Claude.ai 4.6 2026-05-05 - jhc
Metadata
Document: BH085
Date: 1773-02-27
Language: English
Type: Memorandum
Subject: Commerce, Agriculture
Principals: Robert Van Deusen, Elizabeth HUyck
Places Mentioned: None
— page revised 2026-06-12 - jhc
< Next Earlier Document — Next Later Document >
Huyck Bain Crandell Collection © 2026 by John H. Coxon is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
