Inventory included 51 head of cattle

Often times when people hear about our inventory service, they remark about what a unique or new idea. An inventory service provider might be a new concept to many, but the need for an inventory has been understood for centuries.

A recent article, titled Reading a will and inventory records in the New Bern Sun Journal, provided a look at life - and death - in the mid 1700s. The article gives an account of the Brice family, who were early settlers of New Bern, NC. It was customary 'back in the day' to have a reading of wills and inventory records upon someone's death. These two documents give a great deal of information about a person, "including the wealth of the tester as well as who received the estate."

This particular reading: the "inventory of goods and chattels of the estate of William Brice, Jr. was made on April 17, 1753 as follows ... 51 head of cattle; 18 sheep; 20 hogs; five horses; three feather beds; three guns; two desks; four tables; three chests; eight chairs; one persil of old pewter; one looking glass; one persil of old books; eight iron pots; one bell; one mettle skillet; three brass candle stick holders; one pair of iron dogs; one pair of tongs; one hand mill; two chests; two tarkills ready set; five spinning wheels; one hanger; one cross cut saw; and one grindstone."

Times have changed...but you can be certain that the need for an inventory of your belongings has remained just as important.