Timber Dimensions Available?

I am working on a high school American Colonial History project, and need to identify typical dimensions of all the framing components of the typical early colonial timber frame structure and the typical spacing of upright framing members, floor joists, ceiling joists, and rafters. Can you believe the teacher wants a materials list with quantities? Also I need to know what the usual foundation was for colonial timber frame construction, was it brick or stone piers or full foundation?
Thank you for your help. I have tried to find a book on this but can't without ordering one and the is not enough time for that. E. Snow

I forgot, I need to know typical ceiling height too.

Jim,

My research in historic framing is rooted in the Ohio area. Unfortunately that's quite a bit later than the time period you are studying.

I would recommend looking for "Framed Houses of Massachusets Bay" By Abbott Lowell Cummings. It may be in your local library. I will also forward your request to Jan Lewandoski who is very knowledgable in early colonial framing.

Good luck with your paper!

Rudy

Dear Jim Snow
Rudy suggestion about Cummings book is very good as is J.F. Kelly's Early Domestic Architecture of Connecticut, however these will provide you with the basics for 17th century New England only. There were colonial structures throughout the colonies and the tidewater region of virginai and Norht Carolina, to give one example, were somewhat different.
Your topic is too large and complicated to be answered in a letter like this. Try telling your teacher that you need to narrow it to one region, then go to a big library or bookstore to see what you can find. I'm very impressed that your teacher wants a bill of materials, I can hardly even get adult professionals to generate these about historic structures.
another place you can go is for information is the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) of the National Park Service, which may be partially on line. Good Luck