Wamus.

[Robert Braun]

Awaking with the dawn, I was soon on the ridge among the deep mines. In anticipation of immediate work, and of probably descending into some damp, cool shaft, I put on my wamus of striped bed-ticking, such as was then worn in the lead mines of Wisconsin, and which I had brought from there.

Echoes of the past about California, by General John Bidwell, Chapter 1, pp. 122-3

Say whut?

Bob.

[pshrake]

Bob, reading over your quote here got my curiosty going so when I went into the museum today I looked in our 1849 Websters Dictionary for Wamus and found nothing. I then looked in our modern dictionary and again found nothing, stumped, I did a internet search, and after spending the majority of my morning searching (Which I am sure my employers on the Board of Directors would be thrilled to learn) I came up with a few intersting details.

I did find a definitaion at the "Forthrights Phrontistery English Word Lists and Language Resources" website. Wamus - Cardigan or Jacket buttoned at neck and waists.

HISTORY OF FARFIELD AND PERRY COUNTIES(Ohio) 1883
had this quote:

"The hunting shirt and wamus were the most common garbs of the pioneer."

A secondary source titled EARLY HISTORY OF HARTFOR AND LAWRENCE(Michigan) printed in 1976 had this to say:
"The dress of the settlers was of the most primitive style, both as to fashion and material. With the men, the old time hunting shirt had given way to a garment called a 'wamus', a loose blouse with a narrow binding at the top and single button at the throat, the skirt reaching to the hips when loose, or to the waist when tied by the corners as it was usually worn. the material was linsey, a homespun cloth of cotton and woll woven plain."

PIONEER LIVE IN PALO ALSO COUNTY from the Iowa Journal of History and Politics Vol. 46 issue 2 1948 had this quote from the memoir of Etta Lacey Crowder.

"Everyday wear for men usually consisted of a pair of overalls and a 'wamus' or 'roundabout' This was a short jacket gathered into a belt at the bottom, and finished at the neck with a close fitting straight or turn-over collar. The sleves were gathered into a cuff which buttoned tightly around the wrist. When these garments or any overyday clothing were bought ready-made the sewing was usually so poorly done that it must be done over at home."

I found several other brief period accounts from Pennsylvania and Iowa that described green wamus or red flannel wamus. When taken with your quote of a wamus made of bed ticking one comes to the conclusion that a wamus was made of any durable material that was readily at hand. It also appears that it was a simple garment, blousey, with a button or tie at the waist, and a button at the neck and buttons at the sleaves.

Pete Shrake