Featured Manuscripts: Washington’s Laundry Lists

Front cover of our bound Washington
laundry list manuscripts.

When asked to imagine the first president of their nation, Americans often conjure up images of a picturesque hero fearlessly crossing the Delaware river or nobly signing the Constitution. Few visualize the president partaking in mundane activities, such as writing letters or even having laundry done. In this blogpost, I will analyze Washington’s laundry lists, illustrating a seemingly insignificant yet essential part of the president’s life. 

The Morristown National Historical Park acquired the laundry lists (MORR 12067) from Lloyd W. Smith in 1955. The lists are bound in a brown leather cover. The front cover of the whimsical booklet depicts a gilded washtub in the center and clothes pins around the border. Furthermore, there is a sleeping cap in each of the corners. The end pages are marbled and the bottom center of the front inside paste down is highlighted with the name of the binder “Stikeman and Co.” in gold.

Although the booklet includes only three laundry lists, there are many blank filler pages to keep it level and balanced. The first blank page contains an inscription by Smith. The code “VB-2” indicates the filing system for his personal collection. The other inscription indicates the wash lists came from the Hartmann auction house, and Smith annotated the names of “Mr. + Mrs. Hartmann,” who likely gave Smith the book. It is unclear whether the laundry lists were a gift or a purchase. As a frequent customer of the Hartmann auction house, it is not unlikely that Smith bought the laundry list himself. However, other pieces of evidence suggest that the artifact was a gift from the auction house to Smith who was a loyal customer. First, Smith habitually wrote the prices of his purchases in case of future resale, but there is no such mark on this artifact. The playful nature of the book, additionally, suggests it was a gift because someone took the time to bind the laundry lists and decorate the book cover in gold. Finally, although Smith’s normal practice was to write the specific date of his purchase, the book’s inscription says, “Christmas 1926,” suggesting that the laundry lists were a Christmas present. 

The first list is from May 6th and the second is from May 18th. The documents record the number and types of garments to be washed. Washington himself would not have written his own laundry lists nor taken part in business transcriptions to have his clothes cleaned. Instead, Washington would have had a representative carefully document and send off his dirty belongings. While it seems tedious to count each article of clothing, this was necessary because in Washington's time, clothes were expensive and, as a result, people owned less of them. Contrary to the norm of owning little garments, Washington, a newly inaugurated president and wealthy plantation owner, needed and could afford an extensive wardrobe. Interestingly, both laundry lists were written less than a month after Washington's inauguration in New York City on April 30, 1989. Therefore, it is fun to imagine that these lists call for the washing of the undergarments Washington wore when he was sworn in as president. 

First two documents:

May 6th . 1789

6 Ruffled } shirts

2 flair }

8 Stocks

3 Pair. Silk hose

2 White } Hand [?]

2 Silk }

1 [?] Drawers [underwear]

1 Hair Net

May 18th. 1789

12 Shirts

12 Stocks

4 Whites }

5 Silk } Hand [^]M.

3 [?]lk Hose

2 hair Nets

1 [?] flannel drawers

As for the third document, the front includes a laundry list written on April 28, 1789. The back of that same paper has a record that the service was paid for on May 25, 1989. The paper has been folded thrice vertically. The folds allow the document to fit into an organizer. Additionally, the back of the page says, “Catherine Warner… May 26th. 1789,” so when the document stands up, one can distinguish it from other records. This is often how people stored court cases and business transactions. Additionally, this document is much larger than the first two. Thus, while the previous laundry lists were scraps of paper, the third document was probably taken out of a ledger. 

April 28 1789, Front:

G Washington To Sarah Warner 28 of April 1789

o Washing and ironing 7 dozen and 10 pieces 

Of clothes of 5 Shillings a dozen

44

28

25

—-

97

20 Shirts

20 Stocks

4 Pocket handkerchiefs

1 Silk

1 pair of Silk Stockings

1 pair Cotton Stockings

1 night cap

_________________

28

8 Shirts

8 Stocks

4 pocket handkerchiefs 

1 pair of Drawers

1 night cap

3 pair of Stockings

_________________

25

12 shirts

12 stocks

9 pocket handkerchiefs

2 night caps

7 pair of Drawers

3 pair of Stockings

2 pair of Stockings

_________________

44

For Jacbn

2 dozen peases

_____________

9 dozen and ten peases

26712.71.0

1.5 

___

3.3

The back:

Received May 25th. 1789 the sum of two pounds ten shillings in full for the 

within sum of washing ten doz. of [?] to President of the United States.

                her

Catherine X Warner

               mark

The text that is upside down:

No. 339 

Catherine Warner

2.10----0-----

May 26th. 1789.

Another interesting aspect of the third document is its mention of the individual who washed Washington’s clothes. The front of the document refers to her as “Sarah Warner” while the back calls her “Catherine Warner.” The different first names suggest that a mother and daughter were responsible for the laundry. While the identity of the woman is unclear, one can speculate about her identity. The washer may have been an enslaved woman or a freed woman who worked for pay. She may also have been a local white woman at a boarding house. Although Warner’s identity remains a mystery, the document does reveal that she was unable to write. The back of the paper records that Warner was paid and in place of a signature she marks an “X,” acknowledging her received payment and showing to modern audiences that she was illiterate.

Overall, although Washington himself did not write these laundry lists, the documents interestingly illustrate Washington's human need for clothing while conveying how his regular want for an abundance of clean garments was unique to the wealthy first president and other individuals of similar stature. In addition to providing insight about the seemingly mundane aspects of the president’s life, the document showing the transaction gives recognition to the women who washed the president’s clothing and contributed to Washington’s clean and pristine image. 

This blog post by intern Siobhan Nerz, Bucknell University