"The backwoods women had the reputation of being more given to labor than their husbands. Lawson said that they were "the most industrious sex" in North Carolina" (Spruhill, 1938, p.45).
Information regarding women living in the backcountry is scarce. What is clear is that life for the families living in the backcountry of North Carolina bore little resemblance to those living in towns or on plantations. Wives in the backcountry had all the domestic responsibilities of wives of plantation owners and small planters and much more. If the family needed clothing or linens, the wife would spin the wool, weave it into fabric, and then sew it into a garment. She did all the cooking, gardening, doctoring, preserving, and took care of the children. Unlike women in other areas, the backcountry wife needed to be able to use a firearm, not only to protect the home, but also to provide food. (Spruhill, 1938, p.43)