Being a weaver , spinner at a living museum. The term spinster did apply to usually the youngest daughter being unmarried stayed home to take care of her older parents. The spinning was all consuming, as was the harvesting and preparation of flax for linen. Men usually did the weaving in the winter months, if an area was fortunate there would be a traveling weaver that would weave for the area for some kind of payment. I think this all depended what part of the country one lived. In remote areas, Ohio even , before 1820 this was a way of life for families. In Hardy Co, I have found evidence for my line in wills that spinning and weaving equipment was passed on or sold until about 1823. The head of the family had come from Delaware and did weaving for people in that area. I've often wondered if that was a position he held in Hardy Co. but have never found evidence to support that. He died in 1789, and his son retained the equipment until his death about 25 years later. Barbara