During the eight year long Revolutionary War, the states, and in turn the towns, were often asked to provide supplies for their soldiers.  From the earliest days of the war, requests were made for items ranging from finished bounty coats to stockings and raw materials.

The following late war excerpt from Westford's town records yields a glimpse into how home industry served to provide the army with everything from the materials for making clothing to finished products such as shoes and blankets.

Side Note:  The gold epualette of Capt. David Goodhue, selectman and contributor, as noted below, is currently on display at the Westford Museum.

Westford March ye 1, 1782
 At a meeting of the selectmen of said Westford it is ordered that Mr. John Prescott Town Treasurer, Pay to the persons here after named the sums set against each of their names vis --

Pay to Mr. David Dutton the sum of ________________________  £0-4-0-0
    for one pair of stockings for the soldiers.
Item pay to Joseph Prescott the sum of _____________________   5-10-0-0
    for one Blanket, 4 cotton shirts, 4 pair stockings,
    and spinning & nitting 2 pair stockings said articles for the soldiers.
Item pay to Mr. Thomas Smith the sum of ____________________  0-11-0-0
    for spinning & nitting 2 pair stockings, making 3 shirts.
Item pay to Asa Bixby, jr. the sum of _________________________  0-5-0-0
    for being over rated in the last state & Town rate.
Item pay to Samuel Fletcher the sum of ______________________  1-12-0-0
    for eight pair stockings provided for the soldiers.
Item pay to said Fletcher the sum of _________________________  0-19-0-0
    for 7 1/2 yards of tow cloath & making 4 shirts for the soldiers.
Item pay to said Samuel Fletcher for the sum of ________________  0-6-0-0
    for money he paid to Jon. Carver toward cloath
    for the soldiers.
Item pay to Jonathan Carver the sum of ______________________  1-14-6-0
    for four cotton shirts for the soldiers.
Item pay to Timothy Prescott the sum of ______________________  0-14-5-0
    for nine yards tow cloath for the soldiers.
Item pay to said Timo^y Prescott the sum of ____________________  0-12-0-0
    for making 3 pair stockings for the soldiers.
Item pay to said Prescott the sum of _________________________   1-0-0-0
    for two cotton shirts for the soldiers.
Item pay to Willa Richardson for the sum of  ___________________  14-0-0-0
    for twenty eight pair of shoes for the soldiers
Item pay to Samuel White the sum of _________________________  0-10-0-0
    for spinning twelve pounds wool for the soldiers cloathing
Item pay to Gershon Fletcher the sum of _______________________ 0-3-6-0
    for spinning for the soldiers cloathing
Item pay to Capt. Leonard Proctor the sum of __________________  0-10-0-0
    for weaving twenty five yards cloath for soldier Blankets
Item pay to Timothy Prescott the sum of ________________________0-1-4-0
    for making two soldiers Blankets
Item pay to Capt. David Goodhue the sum of ____________________ 6-7-3-0
    for spinning & nitting 6-pair stockings, for
    spinning & weaving 8 Blankets for fulling
    13 Blankets for making up 11 Blankets for
    4 1/2 yards tow cloath & 1 1/4 yard cotton cloath
    said articles for the soldiers.
Item pay to Willard Read for cotton shirts for sd soldiers ____________1-0-0-0
 

[signed] Timothy Prescott
Gershom Fletcher
Samuel White
David Goodhue
Saml. Fletcher

Selectmen
For
Westford