I have a 1775 Bailey's dictionary which offers the following definition for
the word "Rubber":

      "One that rubs; also the Instrument with which one rubs."  That's It.

I believe that Rubber in the context that we know it, is an early to mid
19th century term.

Hope that's some help.

				Your Most Humble Servant,

					Walt Henderson

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                     Henderson & Vinci
              Historical Cabinetmakers
                 205 Birch Street, N.E.
          Leesburg, Virginia  20176-4521
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-----Original Message-----
From: oldtools-bounces@r...
[mailto:oldtools-bounces@r...] On Behalf Of
Sgt42RHR@a...
Sent: Friday, August 10, 2012 6:09 PM
To: oldtools@r...
Subject: Re: [OldTools] Case plane / rubber plane?

Tom, having recently spent days in the Sussex County VA County Clerks office
looking at early 19th century hand written land records, deeds, wills, and
the like, how certain are  you that the writing actually says  "rubber"?
 
Just a thought.  Also, what is the earliest use we have of the word  
Rubber?  What do period dictionaries say?   Grasping at straws  here, but
just 
coming at from another angle.
 
Cheers,
John

Would it help if I mentioned that most of the  carpenters on the payroll of
Hudson's Bay Co., which operated Fort Vancouver,  were of French Canadian
origin? Could something have been lost in translation  between a list
provided by a semi-literate French-speaking carpenter and the  English clerk
who was compiling the inventory of the shop?
Still a puzzlement.
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