Question: I have a curious item listed in the Massachusetts Probate of an ancestor in 1879. I am not sure what a 1/2 share in a Shoddy Mill would be. Can you tell me what that would be as he was a farmer.
Answer: A Shoddy Mill in the 19th and early 20th century produced fabric from the left over wool-processing byproduct. The leftover product of wool would often be used for military uniforms, or blankets.