Ephraim Sprague House Archaeological Site
A Time Capsule from the 18th Century
Ephraim Sprague Probate Inventory, 1754
A true inventory of all the real and personal estate of Capt. Ephraim Sprague of Lebanon. dec’d, prised by John House and Jonathan Jones under oath, on the 3rd day of Dec. A.D. 1754
Prised according to Proclamation @11 discount [deflation of currency using a factor of 1/11 to new tenor, or sterling, as decreed by Parliament]
| £ - s - d - f | |
| [Pounds, shillings, pence, farthings] | |
| 1 hat £47 do. 40/ pair of gloves 16/ | 01 - 15 - 11 - 1 |
| 1 coat £17 do. jacket £6 10/ | 02 - 02 - 9 - 0 |
| 1 gauze handkerchief 11/ do. check’d lining 4/ | 00 - 01 - 4 - 2 |
| 1 hat weed 4/ 1 white muslin handkerchief 30/ | 00 - 03 - 2 - 2 |
| 1 great coat £4 1 pr. leather breeches £13 | 01 - 10 - 10 - 2 |
| 1 do. 40/ 1 tow do. 20/ 1 coat £8 do. £4 | 01 - 07 - 3 - 1 |
| 1 do. jacket 30/ 1 pr. sale stockings 45/ | 00 - 06 - 9 - 3 |
| yarn do. 30/ do. 5/6 1 cane £5 | 00 - 12 - 3 - 2 |
| 1 pr. of check’d shirts 50/ | 00 - 04 - 7 - 0 |
| 1 pr. of shoes 20/ do. 10/ 1 pr. of boots 15/ | 00 - 04 - 1 - 2 |
| 1 pr. of shoe buckles 8/ | 00 - 00 - 8 - 3 |
| a tobacco box 2/ a great Bible £5 | 00 - 09 - 3 - 1 |
| do. small 10/ 1 “Exposition on ye Rev.” 4/ | 00 - 01 - 3 - 2 |
| Beveridge “Thoughts on Religion” 4/ | 00 - 00 - 4 - 2 |
| 1 old law book Watt’s “Psalms” and old pampt. 5/6 | 00 - 00 - 6 - 0 |
| 1 bed and bolster £23 | 02 - 01 - 10 - 0 |
| 1 blue & white check’d coverlet £5 do. £3 | 00 - 14 - 6 - 1 |
| 2 sheets £3 1 diaper table cloth 30/ | 00 - 08 - 2 - 1 |
| 1 cotton & linen sheet 30/ 1 chest of draws £7 | 00 - 15 - 5 - 1 |
| 1 black chest 35/ 1 bedstead 35/ | 00 - 06 - 4 - 1 |
| 1 bed cord 35/ 1 glass bottle 6/ 1 ½ pint bottle 3/ | 00 - 04 - 0 - 2 |
| 1 looking glass 5/6 1 ivory comb 5/ | 00 - 01 - 0 - 0 |
| 1 shoe 25/ 1 cracked iron kettle 15/ 00 | 0 - 03 - 8 - 0 |
| 1 iron pot 25/ 1 frying pan 50/ 1 warming pan 22/ | 00 - 08 - 9 - 3 |
| a chamber pot 3/ 1 old basin 11/ 4 pewter plates 32/ | 00 - 04 - 2 - 2 |
| 1 small platter 15/ 1 large platter 44 | 00 - 05 - 9 - 1 |
| 1 small bason with a foot 15/ 1 pint basin 6/ | 00 - 01 - 11 - 0 |
| 1 old baker cup 4/ 1 quart cup 6/ | 00 - 01 - 10 - 0 |
| 1 iron goose 36/ | 00 - 03 - 3 - 2 |
| 1 table 25/ 1 chain £3/ 3 horse chains 50/ | 00 - 12 - 6 - 2 |
| 1 ax 25/ 2 old hoes 5/6 1 trammel 40/ | 00 - 06 - 4 - 1 |
| 1 pr. of plow irons £3 cops 10/ | 00 - 06 - 4 - 1 |
| cart wheel bands and boxes £17 | 01 - 10 - 10 - 2 |
| 1 pillion 20/ 1 knot platter 10/ | 00 - 02 - 9 - 0 |
| 1 large square table £4 a small round do. 20/ | 00 - 09 - 2 - 0 |
| 1 cedar meat tub 30/ 1 set of curtains £3/ 10 | 00 - 09 - 2 - 0 |
| 5 chairs @ 7/ pr. chair 35/ | 00 - 03 - 2 - 2 |
| 1 white chest 15/ 1 small kettle 10/ | 00 - 02 - 3 - 2 |
| 1 saddle 40/ 1 bridle 15/ 1 cow £24 | 02 - 08 - 7 - 3 |
| 1 mare and colt £100 | 09 - 01 - 10 - 0 |
| 13 sheep £19/10 8 loads of hay £56 | 06 - 17 - 3 - 1 |
| land @ £3500 | 318 - 03 - 8 - 0 |
| 1 half bushel 12/ 1 pail 14/ 1 drawing knife 10/ | 00 - 03 - 3 - 2 |
| 1 loom quill wheel and swifts £16 | 01 - 09 - 1 - 0 |
| 1 32 reed & harness £3/10 do. 28 @ £3/10 | 00 - 12 - 8 - 2 |
| 1 do. 18: 16/ 1 pr. of yoke irons 30/ | 00 - 04 - 2 - 2 |
| 2 cider barrels 20/ 1 sheep bell 26/ | 00 - 04 - 2 - 2 |
| 1 pitchfork 8/ | 00 - 00 - 8 - 3 |
| 1 bond of £50 on Peleg Sprague | 04 - 10 - 10 - 2 |
| _________________ | |
| £363 - 01 - 3 - 3 |
John House
Jonathan Jones, Prisers