U.S. Data Repository -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (pages 171-195) Chapter IX Manners and Customs Then I played the help-tune of our reapers, their wine- song, when hand Grasps at hand, eye lights eye in good friendship, and great hearts expand And grow one in the sense of this world's life, 覧Brownings "Saul." Come, let us go while we are in our prime. And take the harmless folly of the time. 覧Herrick. When we speak of the home life of our pioneer forefathers we find it difficult to draw a division line between their work and their play. What we may class as amusements覧 the quiltings, husking-bees, log-rollings and other gatherings覧were in themselves the hardest kind of work, and the motive that prompted each was deeper than the mere love of pleas- ure, being the desire to help a neighbor. While their optimistic, fun loving temperaments are clearly shown in these various social activities, they were at all times "enlarging their lives to include the lives of others." Undoubtedly these neighborhood gatherings had their part in the formation of the unselfish, sympathetic dis- positions so characteristic of our forefathers. There is a note of pathos in the words of one of the early residents of Fairmont: "We have all kinds of machinery to work with now, but we lack one thing we had in plenty then, and that is helpful friendship." All races and all ages have had their own ideas of what constituted pleasure. Grandmother's great-grandmother did not go to a party decked in a decollete gown, but in her work-a-day cap and apron. If her quilting-bees and wool pickings may be defined as a woman's scheme for securing aid from the deft fingers of her neighbors in order to lighten her own burdens, at least we know that it was disguised by a generous hospitality; and if grandfather's great-grandfather asked his friends to help him clear his fields and raise his house, he was always willing to do his share when the next fields were to be cleared and the next house was to be raised. No evening's enjoyment was complete with- out the dance, or "frolic," as it was called, which always lasted until morning. When each had secured his partner, the fiddler, a neighbor- hood character always in demand, took his place. The French four, six and eight-hand reels, and the cotillion were the favorite square dances, while the double-shuffle and the spirited jig brightened the eyes, flushed the cheeks and at last wearied the participants, as few could manage the last named dances with dexterity. Of all the dances, however, the one of which the merrymakers never tired was the Virginia reel. The plays consisted in building bridges and stealing partners, accompanied by singing characteristic of Revolutionary America's pa- triotism: We're inarching down to old Quebec, The drums are loudly beating, The Americans have gained the day. And the British are retreating. The wars are o'er and we'll turn back, No more for to be parted, We'll open the ring and take another in, To relieve the broken-hearted. "The last," says Mr. M. P. Wells, one of the older citizens who has told us much regard- ing those days, "was invariably accompanied with a kiss. I tell you, we had jolly times in those days. We had no need for a compli- mentary card. All was free. You escorted your best girl home and kissed her good-night." Indeed, promiscuous kissing was not frowned upon in those days. "Sister Phoebe" was an- other kissing game, the song accompanying it being: Oh, sister Phoebe, how merry were we. The night we sat under the juniper tree. The juniper tree, heigh-o, heigh-o. The juniper tree, heigh-o. "Needle's Eye" was a game similar to "Lon- don Bridge," all the players joining in the song, the words of which were: Needle's eye so very small. It carries the thread so true. It has caught many a smiling face, And now it has caught you. In these games two players clasped hands, their arms forming an arch under which the others marched, one by one. At the end of the song this improvised "bridge" or "eye" de- scended, catching the one who happened to be passing under it at the time. On no account, of course, was the osculatory ceremony omitted. "Pig in the Parlor," "Poor Chimney Sweep," "Farmer in the Dell," "Happy Is the Miller," "Stripping the Willow" and "Pop the Weasel" are games that were played in the latter part of the period, and are too well known to need comment, while prob- ably many of this generation have heard: King William was King James's son, And from the royal race he sprung; Upon his breast he wore a star, The gold and silver badge of war. Go choose from East, go choose from West覧 Go choose the one that you love best, And if she's not here to take your part. Go choose another with all your heart. Down on this carpet you must kneel. As sure as the grass grows in the field, Salute your bride and kiss her sweet, And now you may rise upon your feet. In this game the players formed in a ring, one being left in the center, who knelt before the partner he chose. When the song ended the one chosen took his or her place in the ring. A game played in like manner except that a handerchief was used to "measure" the one chosen was accompanied by these words: Go forth and find your lover. Go forth and find your lover. Go forth and find your lover, As you have gained the day, I measure my love to show you, I measure my love to show you, I measure my love to show you. That I have gained the day. Our ancestors were fond of practical jokes. On one occasion a girl who had been chosen queen of the evening's festivities wore as part of her regalia an old hat that had the crown dented and filled with water, with which she de- luged the unlucky wight who attempted to salute her. Then there was often the crowd of disap- pointed suitors waiting outside to settle with the fellow who had achieved the honor of escorting home the belle of the party. There was a general scramble when he appeared, and a struggle to cast him into a near-by pig sty. Sometimes, to the discomfiture of the perpe- trators of this "joke," the youth attacked was strong enough to fling them into the trough in- tended for him, a case being on record in which three squirming boys had this unpleasant experience. The first party in the fall or latter part of the summer was a "flax pulling." The guests assembled early in the morning and worked all day覧boys and girls acting as partners覧the flax being pulled up by the roots and laid in swaths because the process of cutting wasted a large part of the plant. The work was very easy and the partnership idea added to its in- terest and made it seem like play. After the day's work was finished, games and dancing were kept up till morning. When orchards began to bear, apple cut- tings were quite frequent during the fall覧the young people always looking forward to them eagerly. Five or six bushels of apples viewed from the standpoint of one who must prepare them for cooking are not, as a general thing, an enticing sight, but to him who sees in them an evening's pleasure, they present a different as- pect. The whole neighborhood assembled on these festive occasions, for the mode of life of our ancestors did not admit of a social code of fine class distinctions. Men and women alike peeled, cut and cored the fruit, telling their fortunes with apple seeds and peelings. Three times around the head the apple peeling was swung; then, if without breaking the peel when it reached the floor a letter was formed, that letter was the initial of the future wife or hus- band. The apple seed charm was quite as potent as the daisy chain: One I love, Two I love, Three I love, I say; Four I love with all my heart, Five I cast away; Six she loves, Seven he loves, Eight they both love; Nine he comes. Ten he tarries, Eleven he courts. Twelve he marries. The guests were separated into groups in or- der to divide the labor. While one group peeled, another cored, and another strung the apples, the work being continued until the supply was exhausted, or a large rack resembling a present- day curtain stretcher was filled with the strings. Mischief and fun were always prevalent, and often quantities of fruit found its way through the holes in the floor when the workers thought the time for play was being cut short. A favorite bit of fun consisted in trying to catch with the teeth an apple floating in a tub of water, or suspended by a string from the ceil- ing. After the apples were strung and the room put in order, each worker was repaid for his labor with a large piece of pumpkin pie or gingerbread, and a glass of cider. Old and young participated in the husking- bees, or, as they were more commonly called, "corn shuckings." In the fall of the year, generally in September, the farmer and his boys topped the corn and placed it in bundles. Then the ears were gathered from the stalks and heaped in great piles near the corn crib, and the boys were sent over the hills and through the woods to invite the country folk to the "frolic." The whole neighborhood re- sponded to the invitation, the people coming on foot or on horseback for miles around. Some- times the gathering was held in the afternoon, but more often it was held by moonlight, and as in apple cuttings and flax pullings, the spirit of merriment that pervaded the whole turned the work into play. A rail in the center di- vided the heap of corn into two equal parts. Then, under the leadership of captains, sides were chosen, and a race was begun to see which side could husk its share of the corn first. Happy was the young man who found a red ear, for he had the privilege of kissing any girl present. The side that won the race raised their captain on their shoulders and led the procession to a long table filled with tempting edibles覧roast ham, chicken, beans, cabbage, potatoes, pumpkin pies, cider, apples and ginger- bread. The huskers remained till daylight, dancing and playing games. A barrel of cider made for the occasion stood open during the evening, and we are told that apple brandy and the "mountain dew" for which the mountaineers were famous was often passed around in a wooden bucket, with a gourd dipper attached. Many instances are on record in which those who had too frequently imbibed these beverages were the victims of practical jokes on their way home, the more sober merrymakers taking ad- vantage of their condition to play upon their superstitious fears. According to the old adage that "To the victor belongs the spoils," more than one youth went to battle with the shucks for the purpose of obtaining a feminine trophy; and more than & one maiden willingly surrendered to the gal- lant knight who in a wrestling match proved himself superior to his opponent. After a corn husking the men gathered for a wrestling bout, sometimes to test their strength, but more often, perhaps, to "show off" before the girls. Those who wished to enter the contest placed their hats in a pile from which some disinterested person, approaching it backwards, selected two. Then the owners of the hats quickly prepared for action. The winner was the man who threw his opponent twice out of three trials. Since our ancestors believed in killing two birds with one stone, sometimes a husking-bee and a quilting-bee were held on the same day. The quilters assembled at the home of the hostess in the morning and quilted until noon, the older women stopping for an occasional smoke before the fire. After the dinner, the work was continued until supper time; and, in the evening, the coming of the young "chaps" to dance made a happy climax to the day's work. Corn shellings were held in order that the farmer might get his corn ready to be ground at the mill. The living room was generally se- lected for these parties, the heaps of corn being piled in the center. About eight o'clock the neighbors came in with their eager children, for this party was attractive both to the very old and the very young. At one party of this kind there was a sufficient number of people present to shell ten bushels of corn in one hour. As the corn was rubbed from the ears and the cobs thrown aside, the little ones rushed for them, eager to build "pig pens" in log cabin fashion. A barn dance was often promised to the young people in the neighborhood by the farmer in return for aid given at husking time. On this occasion the barn floor was swept clean of hay, and the best fiddler in the neighborhood was secured. The farmer promised the same reward for assistance rendered by his neighbors in clearing his land, for grubbing-bees were very common. When the invitations were scat- tered broadcast to this form of "amusement" all the strong-bodied men in the neighborhood gathered up their cant hooks and long hand spikes and started in the direction of the land to be cleared, for the one who was able to do the most work was usually rewarded with a jug of whiskey. The ever-thoughtful housewife, mindful of the fact that girls would be necessary for the dance that always followed such a day's work, usually decided to have her carpet rags sewed together, or a wool-picking on the same day the grubbing-bee was held. Sewing carpet rags was not hard work, but if she decided to is- sue invitations for the latter, the women had by no means the lighter share of the labor, for be- sides picking the wool they had to carry water to the thirsty men and prepare their supper. We can realize nothing of the wearisome work of our ancestors in the days when wool was picked by hand. As the workers indus- triously cleared it of burrs and briars, they enlivened the time by singing songs and telling anecdotes and ghost stories. The men cut down the towering trees with their axes, or rooted them up by means of hand spikes, removing them to a cleared spot to be burned. Around this bonfire men and women sat in the evening, eating apples, drinking cider and telling stories until the last dying embers faded. Then they wended their way to the barn, where already the fiddler had arrived, and there the remainder of the night was passed in dancing. However fatigued the participants might be the next day, frontier parents were ever loath to sympathize with sleepy eyes and tired bodies, so the routine of daily duties had to be performed, willingly or unwillingly, as the case might be. Though log-rollings as a means of social diversion were similar to grubbing-bees, the logs, instead of be- ing burned, were drawn by horses to the creek or river and there chained into large rafts which were floated down the river to Pittsburgh. We find that most of these parties were tests of strength, patience and endurance, and so it was with wood chopping. Each farmer in the neighborhood had his wood chopped by the combined force of his own and his neighbors' strength. The young men of the community went from house to house, performing this deed of brotherly kindness. When a house was to be built, people came for miles to witness the house raising. On mules, on horses, in ox carts they came覧wives, hus- bands and sweethearts. It was not an uncom- mon sight to see a young man riding a horse with his sweetheart on behind him. A typical scene was that of a father with a babe in his arms, riding a horse, the babe's mother riding behind her husband. In the house raising, as in other things, the women played an important part, cooking the meals that gave the energy needed in cutting and shaping the logs and hoist- ing them into place. In winter time, when sleighing parties were made up to surprise the neighbors, the younger set enjoyed a sport which invigorated their bodies and enlivened their spirits. The old- fashioned sled was filled with hay and quilts, and no party was complete unless the occupants of the vehicle were upset into the snowdrifts at least twice during the evening. The older people tell us they grew tired of sleighing in those days, when heavy snows lay on the ground almost a whole season. Spelling-bees were a favorite form of recrea- tion, two of the best spellers in the neighbor- hood being chosen as captains. Alternately each captain chose a person for his side, until all had been taken. Then, with each team lined up against the side of the wall, there en- sued a hot contest for the honor of being con- sidered the champion speller in the neighbor- hood. These contests were always held in the district schoolhouse, and sometimes, in addition to the spelling-bee, there would be singing, reci- tations, and, on rare occasions, a mock trial. If someone more versed in the art of music than the ordinary person came into the com- munity, he assumed the title of "singing master" and conducted a "singing school." However, he received no compensation for his services, be- ing usually satisfied with the opportunity of be- ing the leader in such a gathering. Scales were taught by means of the tuning fork. In many cases, the master's knowledge scarcely exceeded that of his pupils, but the singing school afforded an opportunity for the young folk in the neigh- borhood to get together, and for the young men to escort the girls home. Numerous were the romances having their inception in these frontier amusements. Oliver Price and his wife invited the countryside to a log-rolling and spinning-bee combined, held at their home on May 10, 1799. Among the guests were Margaret Henkins, Mary Calvert and Robert Chalfan. In the early part of the day Robert Chalfan jokingly remarked that the girl who spun the most thread and wound it into skeins should be his partner for the even- ing. Margaret and Mary both secretly deter- mined to win this honor, as Robert was the handsomest man present. Mary employed a little girl to help her, but her very haste made her fingers less skillful than usual, while Margaret went on with her work calmly and steadily and by evening had spun several skeins more than her rival. The consequence was that after the "frolic" was over she rode to her home in the place of honor behind Robert on his horse, and before the year had passed became his bride. This illustrates the fact that wives were chosen in those days for their in- dustry and capability覧the qualities that wear well. In those days justices of the peace were few and widely scattered, and sometimes a notifi- cation that a couple intended to set up house- keeping was considered the equivalent of a marriage ceremony. This custom was not frowned upon as it would be to-day, because the people realized that it grew out of the con- ditions existing in the primitive community, and that the marriage ceremony would have been performed had the opportunity presented itself. Indeed, the omission was often rectified at a later date, and we have one instance recorded in which a man by the name of Smith and his wo- man Dorotha had a large wedding celebrated in the house in which they had lived for many years, all their neighbors and descendants being present. Owing to the scarcity of ministers a wedding date was frequently determined by the time of the visit of the itinerant preacher. Courtships were brief, and when a marriage was decided upon, preparations were at once made for the wedding. The bride's feather beds and pillows had to be made, and for this purpose the feathers from the ducks and the geese had been saved for many seasons. If she were not al- ready provided with sheets and other household linen, the looms were kept very busy in the weeks preceding the wedding. The ceremony was usually performed in the morning at the home of the bride's parents, and it is obvious that there was no wedding march, as the bride, who was obliged to dress in the loft, had to descend backwards the ladder reach- ing from it to the ground. Most of the wedding celebrations lasted the entire day, and many of them two days. The guests numbered from fifty to one hundred and fifty persons, who came for miles on horseback; in many cases the ride being so long that the women took their knitting and made stockings and shawls as they rode. As there were few settlers, weddings were not frequent and much interest was centered in them. For this reason people from far and near joined in the celebrations. After the ceremony the men and, in some cases, the women, participated in a "race for the bottle." They mounted their horses and raced to the goal, which was a quart bottle of whiskey held out by someone for the winner to snatch as he rode past. The fortunate winner of the race not only got the whiskey but had the honor of leading the games and frolics for the rest of the day also. At an infair held in 1846 Tillie Merrifield's horse led the others by 100 yards. The bride and groom were not permitted to take much part in the merrymaking, being obliged to sit back and merely look on. In some cases it was customary for the bridal party and guests to assemble at the bride's home and ride from there to the home of the minister. This trip was greatly enjoyed, for naturally all were feeling very happy and gave vent to their feelings by telling jokes and amusing stories and probably planning a serenade for the happy couple. When the ceremony was performed at the home of the minister, the race for the bottle took place on the ride home after the ceremony, and the bottle was held by someone standing in front of the bride's home. After this race, the winner and his partner led the party to a table set with sufficient places to accommodate all the guests. The food, which consisted of a variety of meats and vegetables, was all placed upon the table at one time. Apple brandy, cider and whiskey were served freely. After the feast the guests danced until very late. As there were not enough chairs to accommodate all, the men were obliged to offer their laps to the ladies, and the latter accepted them without hesitation. Before the guests departed they visited the bridal chamber to bid good-night to the bride and groom, who had already retired. When the celebration lasted two days the guests remained over night at the home of the bride, and the next morning rode on horseback to the "infair," as the second day's celebration was called. This was a sort of wedding re- ception, held either at the groom's home or at the new residence of the married couple. In many cases the race for the bottle was held on this day instead of immediately following the cere- mony. The feast of the infair was as elabo- rate and bountiful as that of the preceding day, whole pigs being roasted, and venison cooked in abundance. On one occasion as many as fifty turkeys were prepared. Games were played as on the preceding day. If the wedding took place in the fall when fruit was ripe, guessing the number of seeds in an apple was a favorite form of diversion, for if a mistake were made a pawn had to be paid, and a kiss were necessary to redeem the forfeit. As years went on, the celebrations took on a different form in the more thickly settled parts of the community. The celebration at the home of the bride and the infair still existed, but they varied somewhat from those of earlier days. The guests who came from a distance arrived in stage coaches and sometimes in carri- ages, although the first "carryall" owned in Marion County belongs to the decade immedi- ately preceding the period with which our his- tory ends. There were no musical instruments on which to play the wedding marches, even in these later days, however, for the first piano in Fairmont was bought by Calder Haymond about 1848. Had there been a piano, there would have been no one able to play it, for it was necessary for Mr. Haymond to bring a governess from New York覧a Miss Robinson, who afterwards be- came the wife of Governor Pierpoint覧to in- struct his daughters. The bride often wore a small lace cap, under which either natural or artificial curls were visible. At a very fashionable wedding in 1834 a bridal veil was fastened to the cap, from which it was draped to one side, leaving the end hanging almost to the floor. At this particular wedding the groom was arrayed in a frock coat, baggy trousers and a stiff-bosomed shirt. In these later years, too, various articles were added to the bill of fare覧chicken potpie, and even desserts, chiefly custards. But in all cases there was the same abundance that character- ized the wedding feasts of the earlier periods. Our forefathers had little to break the mo- notony of their humdrum lives, and the advent of circus day, with its attendant excitement, was hailed with delight, even as it is now. It was always made a holiday and people of all classes and of all ages attended, for, in addition to its spectacular attractions, the circus was one of the chief means of disseminating news. The garrulous, jostling crowd of Marion County people who went to the Morgantown circus in 1838 were attracted by the fame of "Jumbo," the first elephant ever brought into this section. The early traveling circus was transported in twenty or thirty wagons, which carried the smaller animals and large tents, as well as the seats, poles and performers. Six and eight horses were required to draw the heavier wag- ons. Usually the circus arrived in the town in the early morning, and by afternoon the tent was up. The circus had one ring; and acro- bats, tight rope walkers and hoop jumpers fur- nished the amusement. One on this order gave a performance on the site of the Miners' Hos- pital about 1850. After the performance the cavalcade moved on to the next town, the larger animals being driven in front of the wagon. Each wagon carried a torch, or lan- tern, and traveled slowly through the night. On one occasion a circus wagon leaving Fairmont was overturned before the driver reached Hite's Mines, and a number of the smaller animals secured their freedom. The early settlers observed only three holi- days覧Christmas, Easter and the Fourth of July. The celebration of Thanksgiving was unknown. Christmas was celebrated in the best way possible, the people attending Divine serv- ices on that day if a church was within reason- able distance. At noon they had their dinner, which was the best they could afford覧turkey, if possible. The Santa Claus myth was un- heard of. Miss Eliza Davis, eighty-six years old, and Miss Ellen Prickett, eighty-one years old, never heard of it in their childhood, and both say the custom of hanging up the stockings grew up in the country districts at least not earlier than the early 40's. Even then, when the first children hung up their stockings for Santa to fill, they did not find them overflowing with candies and toys. Fried cakes of dough cut in long strips and plaited, or made fanciful with thimble indentations, were placed in the stockings. Sometimes cakes made with maple sugar were put with the fried dough cakes. All this was on condition that the child had been good, for otherwise he woke to find his stock- ing filled with ashes or stones, sometimes ac- companied by a willow stick. Oranges were rare indeed, but one old shoemaker always brought them to his children when he went on his annual visit to Pittsburgh to purchase leather, carrying them in his carpet bag, which he hung in the stairway leading to the loft, a place much frequented by the eager little ones, who sniffed the delicious odor through the meshes of the bag. A very beautiful custom was followed on Christmas Eve. The young men of the neighborhood went about from house to house, stopping in each long enough to sing the old-fashioned songs. "But," says one dear old lady, "they never grew loud or boisterous then as they did at other times." Often on these occasions they roasted nuts and apples and, as time went on, had doughnuts served to them. Easter was the most important of all the holidays. There was always plenty of eggs, for at that time eggs were but four cents a dozen. The children sometimes hoarded them in the barn, bringing them in on Easter morn- ing, each hoping that his hoard would be larger than that of his brothers and sisters. They had an abundance of colored eggs which were dyed with onion tops, peach leaves, cat- nip and wheat. The Fourth of July was the occasion of an entirely different form of celebration. On this day Sunday school picnics were held and every- one took his dinner, which consisted of chicken, fried cakes, pound cakes made with maple sugar, and, of course, pie. Pickled eggs, colored with beet juice, were a favorite delicacy. Sometimes, in the later years, candy was to be had, for it was the time of year when trips were made to Morgantown and Clarksburg; and sometimes, too, in the later years, pole raisings and speeches were features of the occasion. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -