In 1860 Massachusetts, female spinners earned just $0.42 a day, adding up to around $131.04 a year. With such low pay, even basic necessities stretched their budgets thin. A week at a boardinghouse cost $1.79, while fabric like unbleached cotton duck sold for $0.29 a yard and linen for $0.61 a yard. These women had to carefully balance their income to cover living expenses, often leaving little for anything beyond essentials.
Work in the mills was tough. Spinners spent 10 to 12 hours a day, six days a week, standing at noisy machines in air filled with cotton dust. The repetitive tasks were physically exhausting, and the conditions often caused health issues over time. For many young women, this was their first step into the workforce, taken to support their families or gain independence. They lived in crowded boardinghouses with strict rules and shared spaces, making life outside of work equally demanding.
Still, these women were a driving force in America’s booming textile industry. Their efforts powered the production of fabrics that clothed the nation and supported the economy. Though their contributions were often overlooked, female spinners were essential workers of their time, showing incredible perseverance in the face of harsh conditions and limited opportunities.