USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Hampton Falls > History of the town of Hampton Falls, New Hampshire : from the time of the first settlement within its borders, 1640 until 1900 > Part 45
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Stoves were known as early as 1790, but did not come into gen- eral use until many years after. Box stoves for heating churches and schoolrooms were the first to be introduced, about 1820. Be- fore this schoolrooms were heated by an open fire, and churches were not heated at all. The only fire in the churches at that time was carried in by women in foot stoves. Cooking stoves were not much used about here before 1840. Those first introduced were simple in construction, and in no way as efficient in their work as
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those of the present time. Joshua Getchell of Exeter manufactured and put up many of the first cook stoves ever used in this town.
The brick oven was in nearly every house. At first the means for regulating the fire and retaining the heat were imperfect. A sheet-iron blower was set up on an incline before the mouth to make the fire burn more briskly, and when heated it was set in close to keep in the heat. It had a wooden door which closed outside of this. Afterward the cast-iron oven mouth, with a damper in the door and another in the top to retain the heat, came into use. This proved a great saving in fuel and heat. In heating the oven dry pine wood, which had been split and seasoned out of doors for a short time and then housed, was considered a necessity for the best results. In heating the oven it was considered hot enough when the black was all burned off the roof, and the whole inside had assumed a uniform light color. The fire was then removed with a long-handled iron shovel made for the purpose. The handle and blade were both of iron. The bottom was swept with a broom made of hemlock boughs. The process of removing the fire and getting it ready for use was called "clearing the oven." The things to be cooked were then put in .- brown bread made from rye and Indian meal, drop cakes made with milk and eggs and wheat flour, which were placed directly upon the bricks and when done and eaten hot with butter were considered a great luxury. Beans, meats, pota- toes, pies, and many other things were cooked in the oven at the same time. After the introduction of cook stoves many considered beans and brown bread baked in a brick oven much superior to those baked in a stove oven. The oven was often used to smoke hams and bacon in. This was done by making a slow fire of corn cobs, and continuing it for two or three weeks. This was consid- ered an injury to the oven, as it softened the mortar, and in time did damage.
Well-to-do families who were reputed to be good livers made it a rule to heat the oven daily, and a good supply of dry pine wood was kept on hand at all times for this purpose. When the oven was heated daily not as much fuel was necessary, as much of the heat was retained in the adjoining brickwork.
The Franklin fireplace was invented by Benjamin Franklin. It was made of iron and set out into the room, and was connected with the chimney by a funnel a foot or more in length. The frame was often of a pretty and ornamental design. It had a large iron hearth, on which an open fire was kept. As it was all in the room,
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more of the heat was retained. In other respects, its practical operations were much the same as in the ordinary fireplace.
The custom for individuals to have middle names, now so common as to be almost universal, was in the early history of the town unknown. The first instance we find upon the record was in 1760, when the name of Daniel Chase Green appears for one year. The next is that of Nathaniel H. Dodge, in 1768, which continues until his death in 1830. There are but two names on the invoice book of 1800, viz .: Christopher T. Chase and Nathaniel Hubbard Dodge. As late as 1830 there are but twelve names on the list who have a middle name. Since then there has been a large increase, until those having no middle name are the exception.
The skins of the animals which were killed upon the farm were tanned into leather. It took a year or more to do this by the old process, but it produced an excellent quality of leather which did good service when made up by the itinerant shoemakers who went about doing that kind of work. At the beginning of the century top boots were not in general use. Leggings, called "buskins," were knit, and reached from the knee to the foot with the bottom widened to cover the shoe. They were tied down with leather strings which went under the instep and came up and were tied on the top of the foot. I can recollect when nearly all the old men wore buskins. Boots made by crimping in the ankles were not in use before 1805. They were called "Suwarrow" boots, named for the Russian gen- eral of that name. Pegged boots and shoes were introduced at about the same time. There was much prejudice against them at first. The utmost economy was practiced in those times. Nearly all the young people and some of the older ones went barefoot dur- ing the summer. In going to church the girls and young women often walked a number of miles to meeting on Sunday. They wore heavy shoes or went barefooted, carrying their morocco shoes in their hands until near the church, where they were put on. This was done to save wear.
Clothing was made from flax and wool produced upon the farm. Many of the women were capable of taking the wool as it came from the sheep, cleansing, carding, spinning into yarn, and weaving into cloth, then cutting and making the clothes for the family. The carding was done with hand cards similar to those used for carding cattle, only a little larger and of finer mesh. When carding ma- chines came into use and the rolls were produced by machinery, it was feared that the women would become lazy by being relieved of
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so much work. The rolls were spun into yarn upon the hand wheel. Five skeins was considered a good day's work. The yarn was woven into cloth on the hand loom, which was a ponderous affair and occupied a great deal of room. The yarn which went lengthwise of the cloth had to be drawn into the harness by hand; that which went the other way came from the shuttle. The yarn which was in the shuttle was wound upon short quills, which were pieces of elder three inches in length with the pith punched out. The quills were wound on a wheel called a "quill wheel," which made a great deal of noise. This work was done by children or some attendant, while the woman of the house was weaving. Weaving was hard work. Five or six yards were considered a good day's work. Cotton was sometimes bought and worked in about the same manner as wool. When the yarn was to be knit it was generally colored before using. The dye pot was of earthen-ware and had its place in the chimney corner just inside the fireplace. It was covered with a piece of board or plank on which the children often sat. The dye was made of indigo dissolved in urine. Into this the yarn was put and remained until it was colored. When the yarn was wrung out, or the contents disturbed, the odor which arose had no resemblance to the balmy breezes from "Araby the blest." Nutshells and many other things were used to color cloth. The cloth for men's wear was called "fulled cloth." After it was woven it was taken to the clothier, where it was fulled, dyed, sheared, and pressed. That worn by women was simply dyed and pressed, and was called pressed cloth. Baize without any filling or napping was woven for women's use. In my boyhood days many of the men wore short jackets made of green baize. Some of the women wove bed covers which showed a great deal of taste and ingenuity in the designs of the fig- ures upon them.
Flax was grown upon the farm. In the fall it was pulled and placed upon the ground, where it remained a number of months until the woody portion was rotted and the fiber became pliable. When it had arrived at the right stage it was broken by a clumsy arrangement called a flax brake, which rid the fiber of the woody parts. After the fiber was separated it was "swingled," which was done by beating it with a wooden paddle called a swingling knife. When it had been prepared for the comb, it was then drawn repeat- edly over the comb, which was made of nail rods. The teeth were pointed and about six inches in length, seven rows with twelve in each row. The combing took out the short and broken portions,
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which was called tow. The tow was sometimes spun into wrapping twine. When the flax had been combed sufficiently it was put upon the distaff and spun. The linen wheel was about twenty inches in diameter, and was operated by the foot resting upon a treadle. The wheel had two grooves in the circumference, one to receive a band to drive the fliers, the other to drive the spool with a quicker motion to take up the thread. The thread when spun and woven was made into shirts, sheets, table covers, dresses, handkerchiefs, strainer cloths, etc. Shoe thread was made from linen. Shoes at that time were generally sewed. Ropes were often homemade and were of linen. In the summer men wore tow and linen clothes. A cloth made of cotton and linen was called fustian.
The cider mill was upon a great many of the farms where the apples, which were mostly natural fruit, were made into cider. This was a common drink and found a place upon the table three times a day with each meal. and was carried into the field to quench thirst forenoon and afternoon. The hired men of those days assumed to be unable to labor without a liberal supply of cider, as water seldom agreed with them. The drawing and putting the cider upon the table usually fell to the younger members of the family, and was generally considered an irksome task. In some cases it was made the rule that the one who got up the latest in the morning should draw the cider for the day. Cider which had been drawn for a little time and had become warm was not considered fit to drink. Any which remained in the mug was emptied into a barrel kept for the purpose in the cellar, and was soon converted into vinegar. In this way the family supply of vinegar was made and kept up, and it was generally of the best quality.
The tallow candle was used for light in the evening. When this was supplemented by a blazing fire in the fireplace it gave the room a cheerful appearance. Most of the candles were "dips," although a few were run in moulds made for the purpose. All the tallow which came from the animals killed upon the farm was carefully saved. It was tried out and rendered by heating. The liquid thus obtained was put in pans to cool. When enough had been accu- mulated it was placed in a large kettle and melted. The candle wicking was made of cotton, and was bought. It came in balls. The wicking was cut twice the length of the candle and doubled over a stick made for the purpose and then twisted together. These sticks were two feet in length and half an inch in diameter. Six wicks were placed upon each stick, and as many used as would
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hold all the candles to be made at one time. Two sticks six or eight feet in length, often old rake handles, were used for supports. These were placed upon two chairs and about eighteen inches apart. On these the sticks were placed with the wicks hanging down. By taking a couple of the sticks in the hand the wicks were placed in the hot tallow until they were soaked. When all had been thus treated dipping began. Each time a little tallow adhered, which was allowed to cool. Care was taken not to allow them to remain in the hot tallow long enough to melt off what had already cooled. While the dipping was going on the candles were suspended where a draft of air would pass over and cause them to cool quickly. Care was taken not to have the candles touch each other. The dipping continued until the candles were large enough for use. If the tal- low in the kettle became too cool to work well, some boiling water was put in which went to the bottom and kept the tallow above warm enough to work. The tallow candle made a dim light, and was disagreeable, as it smoked considerably and required constant snuffing or cutting off of the burnt portions of the wick. A little contrivance called "snuffers" was used for this purpose, in which the portions of the wick cut off were retained, and this was emptied from time to time as the receptacle became filled. Those who have been used to the bright illumination of the present time can have little conception of the days of tallow candles.
A better light was made by burning sperm oil, or whale oil, as it was sometimes called. There were some things about that not wholly agreeable. The oil had a disagreeable smell, and was often on the outside of the lamp. The wicks required trimming daily, and did not light readily. Lard oil was also used and had about the same capacity to make light as the sperm. Astral and solar lamps were used in the parlors for burning these oils, and were often pretty and ornamental.
Burning fluid made from camphine was used and made a bright light. It lighted readily; it was very inflammable, in some cases explosive, and in careless hands was dangerous, and for that reason did not come into very general use.
Kerosene oil began to be used in this town in 1858. At that time it was made from coal and was called coal oil. At first it cost $1.50 per gallon. Later it was produced by refining crude petroleum, and sold as low as ten cents per gallon. It has come into almost universal use. Its cheapness and efficiency have been of great bene- fit to all rural homes.
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Nearly every family made the soft soap used in washing clothes, floors, etc. All the ashes made were carefully saved and were stored in a dry place. In the spring the mash tub was set up. This tub would hold sixty or seventy gallons. In the bottom a row of bricks were set on edge. On them a framework was placed which was cov- ered with hemlock boughs or straw, over which a porous cloth was placed. The tub was then filled with ashes. If any doubt existed as to the strength of the ashes a little lime was put in. Boiling water was then poured on in small quantities, at frequent inter- vals. This was allowed to settle. When no more water would be taken it was left to stand an hour or more, when the first lye was drawn. An egg was dropped into the lye ; if the egg floated, all was well ; good luck was assured, and the good woman's face brightened as all anxiety as to the result was removed. Ashes from any wood except pine and beech were considered good and were used with confidence. Ashes from wood burned in an open fire were consid- ered better than those made in the stove. All the grease which had accumulated during the year was saved and placed in a kettle with some of the lye. These were boiled together, and if it did not sep- arate when cooled, it was soap. When after boiling the lye and grease separated on becoming cold, it was called bad luck, and was the result of using poor ashes and weak lye. The women folks dreaded soap-making, and felt much relieved when it was over. It was one of the hardest days of the year, and night found them very tired. It was made a point to have the soap-making precede the spring cleaning, and not make any second cleaning on this account. necessary.
People generally rode on horseback to church and elsewhere to do business. Often the man rode on the saddle and the woman on a pillion behind him. To assist in mounting and dismounting horse blocks were used at the church and in other public places. Some of the stone ones are yet to be seen. Small articles were carried in saddle-bags, balanced one on each side of the horse. Grain was carried to mill laid across the horse's back, half in each end of the sack. Some have been heard of who put the grain in one end of the bag and a stone in the other to make it balance. Most all light carrying was done on horseback, as wagons and car- riages had not come into use. My grandfather brought seventy young apple trees from Kingston before him on the horse's back. These afterward became an orchard.
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In the early days baked pumpkin and milk was a favorite dish. A hard-shelled pumpkin had a hole cut in the stem end large enough to admit the hand. The seeds and inside tissue were care- fully removed; the piece cut out was replaced, and the pumpkin was then put in a hot oven. When cooked it was filled with new milk and the contents were eaten with a spoon. When emptied the shells were often used as a receptacle for balls of yarn, rem- nants of cloth, and other small articles. Bean porridge was another dish which was quite popular. It was often made in large quanti- ties in cold weather, and was considered to grow better with age. Hence the old saying,-
Bean porridge hot; Bean porridge cold: Bean porridge best When nine days old.
Before iron shovels came much into use a shovel was made of oak, and the edges were shod with iron. They were called shod shovels, and were in general use about 1800 and a little later. Hay and manure forks were made of iron by the blacksmith. They were heavy, had large tines which bent easily, and were almost always loose in the handle. It took a great deal of strength to use them. They bore no resemblance to the light steel forks of the present day in doing easy work. Hoes were made by the blacksmith and were made of iron and laid with steel. When they had become worn they frequently were resteeled. There were many blacksmiths who could and did make axes, seythes, knives, etc. Benjamin Pike of this town was one of them.
When help was wanted upon the farm the son of some neighbor who was not as well off, or who had not work enough to profitably employ all his sons, could be hired. He became one of the family, took an active interest in his employer's business, and in not a few instances married his daughter, and later with his wife suc- ceeded to the ownership of the farm. If help was wanted in the house, some girl in the neighborhood was willing to accept the place. She was strong and ready, capable and honest, and in the absence of her mistress was able to take the lead. She was not looked upon as a menial, and often established herself permanently by becoming the life partner of the son. Girl help worked for low wages. Fifty cents per week and board for the whole year was a common price.
Clocks were not in use in every house before 1800, and for some years later. Watches were rare and expensive. The clocks first
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introduced were the long ones reaching from the floor to the ceiling. Some were more expensive than others, being of handsome design, having inlaid faces upon which the day of the month and the phases of the moon were shown. The cost of these clocks was from fifty to one hundred dollars and upward. Some of the latter, if in good condition, would sell at the present time for much more than the original cost. There were a number of clock makers who sold clocks in this town. Balch of Newburyport made quite a number of them. One of them, in the Leavitt family and owned by Thomas Leavitt, Esq., at the time of his death in 1852, was in con- tinuous use for eighty-eight years before any repairs became neces- sary. At the end of that time one of the lines gave way. Noon marks and sun dials were used before clocks beeame common. In fair weather by means of these the time could be computed with considerable accuracy, but they were of no use at night or in cloudy and stormy weather. To accommodate those who had no time- pieces, the town bell was rung at noon and at 9 p. M., so that dinner and bed time could be easily determined, and no one need suffer unnecessarily for want of food or sleep. Because many had no means of telling the time, was the reason that appointments were made for early candlelight.
Early in June came the annual sheep washing. The sheep were driven to a pond or below some mill, as rapid running water was considered better than that which was still. The sheep were taken one at a time by men and boys into the swift running water as it came from under the wheel. The sheep was turned upon its back, with one hand holding the forelegs, and the other keeping the head out of the water. The sheep was soused up and down for a number of minutes; then the wool was squeezed between the hands until much of the dirt was washed out. The sheep were then turned into the pasture to dry for a few days before shearing. Washed wool sold for one third more than the unwashed, and this was thought to pay well for doing the work. Afterward the washing became a matter of form, with little attempt to extract much of the dirt. Buyers objected to this and preferred to buy unwashed wool. The practice of washing sheep had little to commend it. The sheep is a timid animal and naturally averse to the water, and the process came near to cruelty. The wool had to be seoured by the manu- facturers before using, and the small amount of dirt extracted by washing did not amount to much. It was often an enjoyable occa- sion to those who did the washing.
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It was a custom with most families to gather roots and herbs to be used for medicinal purposes. Catnip, pennyroyal, sage, thor- oughwort. spearmint, tansy, elderblows, wormwood, and other plants were saved to be used in case of sickness. Gold thread or yellow root was saved and was a remedy for canker in the mouth. Many of the old women who had reared families of children were skillful in the use of these remedies, and were sent for in case of sick- ness, and would prescribe teas made from some of the above men- tioned plants. The services of the doctor were dispensed with and the patient restored to health without expense. There was much to recommend the practice. There was less danger of injury from these mild remedies than from the use of drugs, and quite often improvement in health resulted. The herbs were cut when in bloom and tied in small bundles which were suspended from the rafters in the garret to dry, which caused a pleasant aromatic smell in the upper part of the house. The practice of gathering herbs to be used for medicinal purposes in the family is now almost un- known.
The well was usually at some distance from the house and often located in an exposed and wind-swept position where a great deal of travel must be done daily over a snowy and slippery path in win- ter and through mud and wet at other times. Convenience in the location of the well was in too many cases overlooked. From the well all the water used for domestic purposes was brought into the house in pails. A water supply at the sink, either by a pump or running water, was very rare. The water from the well was elevated and drawn with the old well-sweep, which has now become nearly obsolete. The water from an open well was considered more healthy, as it was exposed to the air. The "old oaken bucket" raised by a windlass was also in use. The pumps were made from logs cut upon the farm. Pump makers traveled about with augers to make and repair pumps for such as were in need. Ready-made pumps with fancy tops came into use about 1850, and the chain pump a little later. The boring of log pumps, once so common, is now among the lost arts. There has been a great improvement in the matter of water supply, with much saving of labor, over the methods of the olden time, and the amount of water used has been greatly increased.
Sugar was not as generally used and cost a great deal more than it does at the present time. A pound of butter was often bartered for a pound of sugar with the storekeeper. Some families sup-
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plied themselves by making maple sugar. Brown sugars of differ- ent shades were generally used for cooking and for table use. The light brown was most in favor and was supposed to contain less dirt. The Hlavana, which came in boxes containing five hundred pounds, was called the best. White sugar was not very common, and was bought in cone-shaped loaves weighing twenty-five pounds each. They came wrapped in strong paper of a dark blue color. The loaf was reduced and crushed for use with a hammer and a large knife. Later the sugar was crushed into irregular pieces before it was offered for sale, and was known to the trade as crushed sugar. The first white granulated sugar ever seen by the writer was at his school boarding place in 1853. It came into use slowly, and was not sold by the grocers generally until a number of years later. The usual retail price of white sugar before the war was ten cents per pound, and for brown sugar from six to eight cents, the lightest colored selling for the highest price. During the war of the Rebellion white sugar at one time was sold three pounds for a dollar. Brown sugar is not now much kept for sale by the grocers as white granulated has almost entirely superseded its use. By improved methods of cultivation, modern machinery, and greater intelligence the cost of sugar has been greatly reduced, and a greater increase in the amount used has resulted.
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