Housewives...Which came first?

[FilthyFed64]

Pards
Ive heard of mothers in the early 20th Century being referred to as Housewives, but how common would this have been during the Civil War and earlier in history? If so, which was first? Any documentation would also be greatly appreciated.

[Darrell Cochran]

Re: Housewives...Which came first?

Pards
Ive heard of mothers in the early 20th Century being referred to as Housewives, but how common would this have been during the Civil War and earlier in history? If so, which was first? Any documentation would also be greatly appreciated.

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, the word housewife has been around the English language in some form for about 1000 years -- having originated in Middle English -- So I'm pretty sure it was a common term in America during the Civil War.

[hutchpat]

Re: Housewives...Which came first?

Pronounced "hussif" in Shakespeare's time. I don't know if that pronounciation survived in the former American colonies as late as the Civil War, though I'd suspect it did in regions of the South where the old English dialects held on longest. As a small "sewing kit" carried by soldiers, it was still in use by British forces after the Second World War, and was still known as a "hussif."

[markmason]

Re: Housewives...Which came first?

Pards
Ive heard of mothers in the early 20th Century being referred to as Housewives, but how common would this have been during the Civil War and earlier in history? If so, which was first? Any documentation would also be greatly appreciated.

That term is still in use. I am confused about reference to this term being used in the early 20th c. and beyond.