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Southeast Missouri had a key role in the road to Missouri statehood in 1817-1821. The events leading to statehood, and some of the events, people, and lifeways in the area may be unfamiliar to many modern-day Missourians. Currently, Missouri is celebrating its Bicentennial, and this program aims to summarize the events leading to statehood, some of the factors affecting Missouri’s entry into the Union, and how people lived and worked during that time 200 years ago.Every Friday morning at 6:42 and 8:42 a.m. and Saturday morning at 8:18 a.m., Bill Eddleman highlights the people, places, ways of life, and local events in Southeast Missouri in 1821.The theme music for the show ("The Missouri Waltz") is provided by Old-Time Missouri Fiddler Charlie Walden, host of the podcast "Possum’s Big Fiddle Show."

Missouri Bicentennial Minutes: What Working Class Missourians Wore in 1821

Metropolitan Museum of Art via Wikipedia Commons.
“Merrymaking at a Wayside Inn,” ca. 1811-1813, and “Black Sawyers Working in Front of the Bank of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia,” ca. 1811-1813. Both by John Lewis Krimmel.";s:3:"u

Welcome to the Missouri Bicentennial Minute from the State Historical Society of Missouri.

Working class Missourians wore clothing for special occasions that mirrored the clothing worn by the upper classes. However, average people might have only one set of good clothes, if that, and only one or two sets of clothes in total. Fabrics were inexpensive cotton, linen, or wool—the latter two often grown, spun, woven, and sewn on their own farm. Except for inexpensive purchased cotton, fabrics were home-dyed.

Women wore plainer, high-waisted dresses in the Regency style, but usually wore a straw or cloth bonnet when working outside or in social settings. A shawl or cloak kept out the chill. Slippers completed the outfit.

Men wore trousers or rarely pantaloons, a simple cotton or linen pullover shirt, usually a vest unless working in warm weather, and boots or leather shoes. Trousers and pantaloons had fall fronts, and not the modern-day fly front. Men wore less stylish versions of frock coats, or overcoats in cooler weather. Back woodsmen still wore the 18th-Century style hunting shirt, which was linen or linsey-woolsey, a blend of linen and wool. This outer shirt wrapped around, and a belt secured it in place.  On the frontier, men might wear moccasins. Men wore felt top hats or slouch hats, even during the work day.

Infants wore a gown, then graduated to a one-piece shirt or skeleton suit. Older children dressed much like adults.

A common situation for slaves was for owners to buy cloth for them to make their own clothing, and the styles were similar to those of other laborers. More prosperous slave holders might buy a few better items of clothing such as hats, vests, or boots for their slaves.

Bill Eddleman was born in Cape Girardeau, and is an 8th-generation Cape Countian. His first Missouri ancestor came to the state in 1802. He attended SEMO for two years before transferring to the University of Missouri to study Fisheries and Wildlife Biology. He stayed at Mizzou to earn a master of science in Fisheries and Wildlife, and continued studies in Wildlife Ecology at Oklahoma State University.
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