Women on the Homestead

The majority of the people who lived in the Allen House from 1787-1789 were women. A great deal of attention is placed on farming, herding, and other trades that were traditionally considered masculine, but women’s work was often the most important on a homestead.

The reality of life on a homestead was marginal. Crop failure was common, and even in years when the crop was abundant, farmers tended to be heavily in debt and were subject to fluctuating prices of their crops. Many years, farmers were fortunate to simply break even.

There were many revenue streams on a farm, and often the most profitable ventures were done by women. Tasks like sewing, textile manufacturing, and making butter and cheese were critical activities on a homestead that brought vital income. While women were key economic drivers on a homestead, the laws of the time did not recognize that. Upon her marriage, a woman lost her legal rights, while any property she owned became her husband’s. Women were forbidden to serve on juries, own real estate, or vote. Women also did not automatically inherit their husband’s estate if he passed away. Fanny Allen was nearly disinherited by her brother-in-law Ira, and had to sue him for her her right to the Allen House after she had remarried.