Saco Valley settlements and families. Historical, biographical, genealogical, traditional, and legendary, Part 11

Author: Ridlon, Gideon Tibbetts, 1841- [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Portland, Me., The author
Number of Pages: 1424

USA > Maine > Saco Valley settlements and families. Historical, biographical, genealogical, traditional, and legendary > Part 11
USA > New Hampshire > Saco Valley settlements and families. Historical, biographical, genealogical, traditional, and legendary > Part 11

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The Iron Toaster. - Here was another very useful culinary article adapted to the open fire and primitive methods of cooking. The instrument was all of iron, hand-made by the blacksmith. How shall it be described ? The principal part reminds me of a swinging bridge. The bed piece was an iron plate, fourteen inches long and three in width. On both sides were railings made from twisted, slender rods answering to the railing of the rustic bridge. This bridge piece of the toaster was connected by a pivotal rivet to a stand elevated some three inches upon legs ; this had a long, flat handle with a ring at the end. Between the railings of the "bridge " slices of bread

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were stood on edge, the toaster placed before the coals in the fireplace, and the work of toasting begun. When one side had been sufficiently browned a turn was given to the bridge, and in an instant the opposite side was exposed to the tire. Upon a clean winged hearth, before a bright bed of coals, a quantity of bread sufficient for a large family could be nicely toasted in a few minutes while the housewife attended to her other duties. This bread, when walloped in a bowl of creamy milk from the udder of Crumple-horn, was sweeter than anything belonging to the bread family ever tasted since our boyhood days; wholesome, too, sir. llow my mouth waters as } write!

The Pillion .- What? A pillion, sir. "And what on airth's that for?" asked one of our old mothers who had never seen one. "Well." said I. "when Rastus kept the old mare he and Ruthy used to go down to Parson Coffin's meeting-house horseback ; in those days folks rode double, and Ruthy she sat on the pillion ahint her husband and carried little Rob in her arms at that." The old lady elevated her brows, glowered under her spectacles, held up both hands, and in great amazement exclaimed, "Shoah!" "It was won- nerful how these wimmin held on : howsomever, they seldom fell off." The pillion was invented before the roads admitted of traveling in a two-wheeled chaise ; when only bridle-paths had been cut through the woods from settle- ment to settlement and to distant towns. The simple contrivance consisted of a large, square, leather cushion that was attached to the man's saddle behind, and had a foot-rest, suspended by two straps, backed by the nigh side of the horse, "But if the mare fell into a canter, what then?" inquired my old lady friend. I replied with great gravity. "Why, she ching to her hus- band, as all good women should." "Du tell," said she. Long journeys were made on the pillion, and the wealthy and genteel rode on them when visiting the city.

Saddle-Bags. "Pray tell what these were for," asked Aunt Patience. as I took them down from the collar-beams. These, like the pillion, were use- ful when going on a journey. They were strapped to the saddle behind and rested against the sides of the horse. In these commodious, leather receptacles the doctor of physic carried drugs for his patients, and in them the doctor of divinity carried medicine for his parishioners: I mean their Bibles, hymn books, religious tracts, and written sermons. When not otherwise occupied, a baiting of grain was carried therein for the horse. Very useful in their day, were the saddle-bags.

The Shingle-Mould. This instrument was found about every pioneer's wood-house. It was the constant companion of the shingle-weaver. Some- times called a " bundling-mould." Used for bundling shaved shingles in early days. A light, low frame supported upon short, upright standards which extended a foot above the main frame ; between these the assorted shingles were laid in stacks containing a quarter of a thousand. Bundling-sticks were

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put on, twisted withes used for binders, and the work was done. Bundling- moulds must be standard size, and were "sealed" the same as weights and measures. The shingle-weaver caught with a mould narrower than required by law was branded as a fraud and scamp by the lumber dealer and usually lost the market for his wares.

Jingle-Wright .- This was an ingenious device used by teamsters. It was constructed with a sliding link, so adjusted that when attached to the yoke ring between the chains by which the two yoke of oxen were attached to the plow, the draft was perfectly equalized without any loss of energy. No asso- ciation of the best words in our generous vocabulary is adequate to elucidate to the mind of the reader the form and combination of this useful invention. It was carried in the teamster's pocket when not in use.

Chebobbin Sled .- This was a sort of cross between a tree and bob-sled. The runners were formed from the crooked trunk of birch, beech, or maple. It had but one bunk or cross-bar which was connected loosely to the runners by oak treenails that fell into grooves in said bunk. Above was a crescent-shaped beam, also held in place by the treenails. Between the forward ends a heavy roller was fixed and the great, mongrel instrument was ready for use. It was strong and sufficiently loose-jointed and flexible to crawl over the uneven sur- face of the woodland road. Hundreds of these abandoned "chebobbins " are rotting in the logging swamps of Maine to-day.

Sloven Cart .- This was a sort of rack for hauling hay, straw, and corn- fodder. There were tall stakes or standards rising from the bed pieces but not protected by top rails. They were dangerous, unwieldy vehicles and many injuries were caused by falling upon the tapering stakes. The modern railed hay-rack is a great improvement and may be called elegant in comparison with the old-fashioned "sloven " cart.

Wooden Plow .- This " grew " like Topsy. Who would think of finding the mould-board of a farmer's plow in the forest? This was where they were found. The plow-maker had his twisted ideal and carved his plow to the same twist, if he could. Opinions differed as to the best curves for the mould-board of the wooden plow; that is, in order to secure easy draft and good work. When the principal part of the plow had been worked into the proper form, it was plated with narrow strips of steel to obviate wear, facilitate cleavage. and strengthen the wood. A steel point was then attached which held the foot of the coulter or sward-cutter. The beam and handles were heavy, clumsy, and rudely made. When well formed, the wooden plow did fairly good work on mellow soil, but if interwoven with small roots or interlarded with stones the old thing just rooted along, tearing up patches of earth here and there. Compared with these coarse turf-manglers the modern steel plow is a luxury to the farmer.

The Axle-Tree .- A name applied to the wooden axles used in all kinds

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of team carts and wagons in early days. Probably called axle-tree, because the tree from which it was made had changed but little in the transformation. They were usually hewed from the trunk of rock-maple or a curly birch. The tapering ends were worked into proper form with drawing knife and rasp. Iron " dogs " were driven into the wood on the under side to obviate wear and friction where the short iron wheel-boxes came into contact with the axle-tree. Through each end, to hold the wheels in place, "linch pins" were inserted. Mortises were made in the body of the axle for the forks of the cart-tongue, which were dovetailed in and secured by long keys. After a generous appli- cation of lard the wheels were made to turn, and by constant use wore the axle smooth.

Pod-Angurs. These tools were the product of the common blacksmith, I suppose. They were heavy, unfinished, and exceedingly annoying to a nervous man. Concave and convex, destitute of any " wor-ruin " to give them draft, but supplied with a " lip " turned down at the end. They were encour- aged to enter the wood by making little bens' nests with a gouge for them. Then, before starting on their slow, reluctant journey, much muscular force must be applied to the broad and long cross-handle above. After much lubri- cating to reduce friction to a minimum, away the squealing old thing went, liable to emerge anywhere, and at any time of day. The holes left by these "boriers, " as they were named in old documents, were neither round nor octa- gon, but rough as a mouse-hole. Moderate swearing would probably have been a relief to one who was compelled to bore holes for harrow teeth with a pod-augur.

Bow-Moulds. - The heavy bows for working oxen were made in early times, as now, from the best walnut or hickory, with the rind or inside bark left on to prevent breakage when bending. Upon the side of a large log a "form" was cut in relief or made from a plank and treenailed on. Around this, at intervals, were holes and adjustable pins to hold the bow in place when bent around the "form." The bow-rods were dressed into suitable form. thoroughly steamed to make them pliable, and after securing one end to the mould with a hand-pin, the other end was bent around the form with a lever and piece of rope. When a bow had remained in place until seasoned it was removed and another put upon the mould. If tie-bows were wanted for the barn, they were turned into form in the same way.

The Brick-Mould. - We allude to the primitive pattern having three cells or compartments. Much the same as a modern brick-mould but used differently. In the early days, the man who built, or was to build, a chimney hunted for a clay pit and made his own bricks. The clay, sand, and water were mixed and incorporated by driving oxen about upon the mass. The clay was taken from the vat and beaten into the mould by hand, then leveled with a scraper and carried to the drying-yard. This process was slow and laborious,

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but bricks thus made, if well burnt, were of excellent quality. These moulds were made of any light wood, dovetailed at the corners and furnished with cleat handles at the ends ; they were slightly larger on one side to facilitate the removal of the moulded bricks.

Natural Forms .- When there were but few tools in the settlements, Nature did much, very much, for the new-comer. If the farmer's scythe required a new " snead," why he went to the woods with his axe and cut some deformed sapling that had grown from under a log, or about a round stone, dressed it down somewhat with draw-shave, fastened the " nebs" on with an iron "neb-wedge," hung the scythe with heavy iron ring and "heel-wedge," and away he went for his "blue-jint medder." These serpentine "sneads " were well adapted to boulders, stumps, and cradle-knolls; why, they'd wind around and weave in and out with wonderful facility. If a sled-runner was wanted it was hewed from a tree having a bend or large, crooked root. Har- rows were cut from the forks of birch or maple, the dentistry attended to, the clevis-pin hole bored, the team hitched on, and away she went, jumping and scratching among the roots and rocks. When Siah wanted a "thill" for his cart or wagon, he "sarched the wood lot for an artificial one," as he said to a neighbor. Crooked yokes for oxen that had lost a mate, or hames for the horses, were shaped from such trees, or limbs from trees, as had grown, by reason of some accident or obstruction, into abnormal and irregular forms. Gambrels, long-handled pot-hooks for the brick oven, hay-hooks, tool-hooks, and canes for lame men were all cut in the forest. If they were not very symmetrical or handsome, they were strong and formidable.

For bowls, gourd shells were used; for spoons, small clam shells; for skimming shells, the shells of a hen clam; for buckets, bark peeled from the · birch tree; for feed-boxes, rings cut from a hollow hemlock or pine ; for sheep- yokes and geese-yokes, forks cut from a tree limb. Mallets were formed from an oak knurl with the handle of the same piece. Pins for bundles and coarse cloth were spines from the thorn tree; pens for writing made from crow quill or goose quill. Brooms for the house were of green hemlock; every house- wife could "pick a broom," hold it between her knees to tie the string on, and drive the pointed handle in by hard thumping on the hearth-stone. Brushes for the fireside were made of a turkey's wing; for the fur hat and velvet cape, of a fox's tail. Chairs were bottomed with elm rind, and corn fields strung to keep off crows with the same material. Door mats were braided from flags; cushions were filled with moss gathered from decaying spruces. Traps for animals were made from a small log supported by the "figury-four."

Corn-Husking .- The crop of Indian corn was usually the first harvest gathered by the settler from the black-faced ground; it was of great value to the increasing household. The growing maize was guarded and defended from marauding bears and other "varmints" with vigilance and heroism,

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and when the ripened ear burst from the husk the family was sure of bread. Before capacious barns were built the corn was brought from the rick on a "sloven cart" and piled in long heaps upon the green sward near the house. Great preparations were made for the corn-huskings without and within doors. Along the heaps saw-blocks were placed : upon these boards laid for the huskers' seat. While the "wimmin folks" were busy making puddings, pies, jumbles, and cakes besprinkled with caraway seeds, the men were forwarding the invitation, "Come to our husking," to every home in the plantation. These announcements were hailed with gladness by old and young, and due care taken to be on the husking floor in season. The farmers round about came in from their fields at an earlier hour to do the milking; their wives and daughters were dressed in tidy gowns ready for a twilight walk across lots.

These occasions were made remarkably enjoyable. Activities and festiv- ities were united. Labor was invested with recreative pleasure and toil light- ened by social intercourse. The husking became a beneficent institution. No modern jollification would bear comparison with these old-time meetings. All hands came together in exuberant spirits and engaged in the labor and amusement of the hour with hearty good-will. The crusty, suspicious old pre- cisionist had not then emerged from unknown obscurity: the fussy old maid was not present unless born in the house. Modern restraints, under the sham name of "good form," belonged to undiscovered regions. They told well- seasoned stories, they ejected side-splitting jokes, they sang rollicking songs. they gave voice to robust mirth and shouted lustily in their honest glee.

It was customary for the lassies to have a seat on the corn pile; why not? the laddies were there. When a red ear of corn was found somebody's plump . cheek must pay tribute to the choice of the gallant. This was involved in the doctrine of foreordination, so heartily believed in by the young people at that time-and now. No wonder that farmers' daughters shelled red corn into their fathers' seed basket on the sly. The more bright-colored corn at the old-fashioned husking, the more ruddy checks and primitive sweetness. See? What shouting round the corn heap when some one announced. "AAnother red car found!" Then there was a disturbance among the husks, and the non- reluctant maiden received the salutation predestinated to be given.

There was no hurry about husking and the baskets were not all carried to the chamber until midnight; that was not a late hour on such an occasion. When the husking floor had been cleared the party gathered about the long, groaning tables. The white-capped old dames and beruffled dowagers were in the kitchen pouring the coffee and "dishing out " the food, while winsome damsels with sparkling eyes and sly winks- why, a wink was more significant then than a whole evening of gush is now-were busily " waitin' on the table." Compliments of superlative degree anent the excellence of the food and the

OLD TIMES ON THE SACO.

attractiveness of the waitresses were in vogue and were sent forth in great abundanee.

Supper finished, the extemporized tables, having served their "day and gineration," were quickly pitched out the door, and the floor cleared for a dance. The squeak of a fiddle was heard and the sets formed. The figures were of the old geometrical sort, and the evolutions were performed with mus- eular demonstration if not with gracefulness. One thing is certain; the music did not monopolize the noise. The tripping in those days was not done by "the light fantastic toe," for the clatter of heavy shoes was heard as some nimble-footed rustic made the floor smoke with the friction between sole leather and "norroway pine" while going through the double shuffle. The robust arm cordially encircled the pliable waist without a "corset bone" between and was tangible enough to make an impression; sometimes a depres- sion. These old-time dancers put some buckram into the exercise and made their feet tingle with the rush of a rejuvenating circulation.

While the young folk were "honing down the floor" within, the old men about the door-yard were bragging about the_courage and prowess of their prime, and rubbed in the stories with the half-challenge, " If you don't believe it, sir, just take a holt here and see." To the elderly people it was "gittin' late," and they wended drowsily homeward; to the frolicking lads and lassies it was "airly," and they kept their feet a-going; yea, before the "sparks" had convoyed their sweethearts home the feathered heralds of the morning, with elarion ery from the collar-beam, were proclaiming the coming dawn.

We believe these occasions were, as a rule, beneficial. Such assembling of the isolated settlers stimulated fresh tributaries of thought and lifted the toiling people from the ruts of a struggling existence. Under the exhilerating effect of such prudent pastimes cares flew away like a floek of frightened birds. The festivities invested farm life with a charm that bound the sons and daughters to the generous soil, and these became the noble yeomanry who have sent forth our ablest statesmen and scholars. All the modern sociables, suppers, whist parties, and evening waltzes boiled down to a jelly would be but a drop in the bucket or the dust of the balance compared to one of these old-fashioned "rincktums " or "frolies " enjoyed a hundred years ago. And there was utility in the recreation, for they husked out the corn.

Grain-Threshing .- This lively employment might properly be called the "reveille of flails." The threshing of grain was early mentioned in saered history. Threshing floors were made by beating down circular plots of ground; these were enclosed, were permanent, and became known as landmarks. In early times the grain was separated from the straw by driving oxen about upon it in the threshing floor. Thus it was written: "Thou shalt not muzzle the month of the ox that treadeth ont the corn." The "sharp, threshing instrument having teeth," mentioned in seripture, was a kind of drag containing corrugated

OLD TIMES ON THE SACO.

rollers, which was drawn over the grain in the threshing floor by oxen, the driver, meanwhile, sitting upon it.

The use of the flail was known to the eastern nations at a very remote period as proven by sculptured threshers found in Egyptian ruins. The pro- phetic writer, Isaiah, saith : " For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin ; but fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod." Rattle of the fails! It was inspiration to the ears of many a farmer's boy who is now far from the old homestead and feeble with the weight of years. Rap. rap, rap ! From early morning until the dinner hour ; from the nooning until sundown, the barn floor resounded with the noise of alternating flail strokes.

The great barn doors were open, and a small one in the rear. It would be an October day. The bundles of ripened wheat and rye had been brought to the scaffold, and were now ready for the flails ; fails of white oak or hickory; handle called the " staff," and " swingle " lashed together by an cet skin passed through an eyelet and swivel. In the hay-mows, fragrant with clover and honey- suckle, mellow apples have been hid away for the threshing time. The noisy hens are cackling upon a beam overhead. The bundles of wheat are laid in order across the barn floor, the heads in the middle; two tiers, each having six bundles. On either side the two threshers take their stations, and swing the humming fails upon the bounding bundles. At first there is a rebound of the springy straw, a stubborn resistance against the invading flagellation, and the sound is like that of the muffled drum beat ; but after a little time, the whole mass becomes broken, and the responsive barn floor is made vocal with noisy clatter. Round and round go the threshers : rap, rap. rap, go the flails, and the kernels of grain fly up from the increasing heap.

When one side has been thoroughly beaten, the bundles are turned over and the same process repeated. As one of the threshers retreats down the barn floor the other advances; then he retreats and is promptly followed by the first. As one flail swingle comes down the other goes up, and the rap, rap. rap, is as regular as the "cooper's march " played upon the truss-hoop.

But fails were dangerous things in careless hands ; radical things to hold a discussion with. Look out for broken flail strings! Woe betide the thresher who himself gets threshed. When a swingle is broken from the staff and sails aloft, beware of the downward stroke. Accidents rarely occur when old hands are on the threshing floor ; such swing their flails with nice precision, and the alternating blows, falling without a break in their time. indicate the skill of the performers.

The cheerful farmers intersperse the music of the rattling instruments with conversation ; they sing and whistle to the tune of the fails.

When a " flooring " has been well beaten and the grain is all separated from the straw, it is shaken out with forks and raked away. The wheat or

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rye is then pushed against the bulk-head at the bay side, and another flooring thrown down. And so the lively exercise goes on. It is very wholesome withal ; it throws the shoulders back, expands the lungs, and causes the blood to dance.

When there was a "rick " covered with four acres of burnt-ground rye, a generous wheat field, several tons of barley and oats, buckwheat, beans and peas, one might hear the rattle of flails for weeks together in the barns all about the neighborhood. When the wind was " favorable " the sound of flails could be heard distinctly more than a mile. Two farmers living near, if they were not "agin one tother " would often " change work " and assist each other in grain-threshing.

The winnowing was done by hand with a shovel or half-bushel measure. Barn doors wide open, and a brisk wind sweeping through ; then the farmer by dexterity shakes the grain upon the floor and the chaff is blown away.

Men now living, who were children on a Saco valley farm when threshing time came, will remember the rattle of the flail almost as well as the "patter of the shingle."

delinter Harbor Settlement.

ICHARD VINES may be properly called the founder of Saco valley settlements. He visited the coast of Maine as early as 1609, and was an inhabitant here almost constantly for thirty years thereafter. He was the trusted agent of Sir Ferdinando Georges, who failed to induce the English people to come over to New England and establish permanent homes because of the exaggerated reports that had reached them regarding the severity of the long winters. To prove the possibility of living comfortably on the coast of Maine, Georges sent Vines over in 1616, with instructions to remain with his companions and test the rigor of the climate. The winter was passed in the sheltered basin now known as Biddeford Pool. From that time the locality was called Winter Harbor. That Vines estab- lished a settlement here prior to 1623 is proved by a statement made by Georges that year relating to Agamenticus. He said they had more hope of establishing a permanent plantation there from the fact that "there had been settled some years before, not far away, Mr. Richard Vines, a servant of whose care and diligence he had formerly made much trial." In his voyages to our coast subsequent to 1616, Vines made Winter Harbor his headquarters. He probably erected houses here and kept up the settlement until he had secured his patent, which embraced the locality.

One of the conditions of the grant was that Vines and his associate. John Oldham, should transport fifty persons to the colony within seven years "to plant and inhabit there." The first settlements were along the borders of the sea, at Goosefair, Winter Harbor, the Lower Ferry, and on the lands now tray- ersed by the ferry road, where many indications of pioneer homes long re- mained to mark the spots where the emigrants to the new world built their first cabins.

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Saco Valley settlements and families. Historical, biographical, genealogical, traditional, and legendary, Part 11

Author: Ridlon, Gideon Tibbetts, 1841- [from old catalog] Publication date: 1895 Publisher: Portland, Me., The author Number of Pages: 1424

Author: Ridlon, Gideon Tibbetts, 1841- [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Portland, Me., The author
Number of Pages: 1424