Americans did not commonly use forks until after the Civil War..  

Dear FlowerChilde........I like Forks.......I Really like Forks!
Excep[t when I'm the One Being Poked!!! LOL , Lol , LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They have been in use for much longer, just not by everybody. Not even today everybody uses a fork, lol.

Anyhow, silverware (note the 'silver' part) was a luxury item and not available to everybody. Most people used wooden spoons, bread, and their fingers to scoop up the food. However, rich people, the upper class, they used knives and forks. The lower class, even if they had silverware or something close enough, would probably only have used it for special occasions.

Now this is an unknown bit of trivia to me. Where did you hear this from? Did they use spoons or their fingers till then I wonder?
HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB !!~

http://abagond.wordpress.com/2008/03/01/fork/ here is something more I found on the fork and yes I was surprized

I just cheked it out, I had heard when Britishers had come to India with East India Company, locals were afraid to eat with them as they thought since there hands are poisonous that is why they use spoons and forks to eat. It was quite late when they realised the truth.
Here is an interesting article for you to read on forks and Knives
http://abagond.wordpress.com/2008/03/01/fork/