"Cap'n John" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected] > Hello all, > Came across these terms in a list of items purchased by one of my > ancestors in Philadelphia, Pa. in 1768. He was German, married with a > family, a brickmaker & building contractor by trade, and had indentured > servants if that helps! Handwriting was reasonably legible, so how I've > typed them here is what was on the list: > "minikins" > "linen chuke" > > Thanks & regards, > > Cap'n John > Webster's unabridged dictionary givers one definition of minikins as a fine gut string for a lute. Linen chuke would probably be a linen stocking cap. Usually a knitted hat with a tassel. There is also a touke, pronounced as chouk, which is a winter hat worn by a Yooper (person living north of the Mackinac Bridge) in Michigan. Look the words up on an Internet search. Lots of answers. Joe in Texas