USA > New York > Erie County > Sardinia > History of the original town of Concord : being the present towns of Concord, Collins, N. Collins, and Sardinia, Erie County, New York > Part 13
USA > New York > Erie County > Collins > History of the original town of Concord : being the present towns of Concord, Collins, N. Collins, and Sardinia, Erie County, New York > Part 13
USA > New York > Erie County > Concord > History of the original town of Concord : being the present towns of Concord, Collins, N. Collins, and Sardinia, Erie County, New York > Part 13
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, 138
REPORT OF SCHOOL TRUSTEES.
in all respects according to law. That the number of children taught in said district during said year and since said last report is ninety.
" And that the number of children residing in our district on the first day of January, instant, who are over five and under sixteen years of age is seventy-nine, and that the names of the parents or other persons with whom such children respectively reside and the number residing with each are as follows, viz .:
NAMES OF PATRONS, NUMBER OF SCHOLARS AND AMOUNT OF WOOD FURNISHED.
Scholars.
Wood.
Scholars.
Wood.
Calvin Blake
3
34 cord
Ebenezer Blake . .
6
I 12 cords
Abiel Blodgett ...
3
4
Benjamin Fay. . . .
3
34
Sylvester Russell. .
2
1/2
Amos Stanbro.
5 : 14
Phineas Scott ..
4
I
،،
Ebenezer Ferrin ..
4
I
Enoch Sinclear .
2
1/2
Printis Stanbro ... Ephram A. Briggs
4
I
Amasa Loveridge.
3
34
Noah Townsend .. Constant Trevitt. .
I
4
James Anthony .. .
2
1/2
66
2
I
Jarvis Thompson ..
3
3/4
66
Barzilla Briggs .. .
I
I
Orrin Loveridge. .
2
1/,
Isaac Russell.
2
1/2
John House.
2
1/2
Amasiah Ashman.
4
I
Harry House.
4
I
Samuel Twichell ..
2
1/2
James Flemings. .
3
3/4
Metzgar
I
14
79
--
" And we further report that our school has been visited by the Inspector of Common Schools during the year preceding this report twice, and that the sum paid for teachers' wages over and above the public moneys apportioned to said district during the same year amounts to $35.00.
" Dated at Concord the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-three.
BENJAMIN FAY, ENOCH SINCLEAR, Trustees. AMASIAH ASHMAN, Y
NOAH TOWNSEND, Clerk."
60
-Green ..
2
4
I
Asa Phillips, Jr .. .
I
I
4
..
4
I
George A. Stewart
3/
139
INNOCENT PASTIMES OF LONG AGO.
THE SPELLING SCHOOL.
There is not one scholar of fifty or sixty years ago living to-day but what has a vivid recollection of the "spelling school," and though it was a " long spell " ago, and many a sad " spell" since then has cast its shadows over the hearts of scholars and teachers, still these lines will bring to memory one of the brightest " spells" on life's pathway.
Word had been given out a week or so beforehand. The invitation was made general, not only to those who belonged to the district, but those of other districts were welcomed, and their presence was sure to add greater interest to the occasion. The elder scholars in several households had been requested to bring candles to give light while some of the older girls would stay over to give the school-house an extra sweeping, and to see also that the fire was kept brightly burning. Their busy hands were never idle,-the door, the windows and the walls of the room would be deeply festooned with evergreens that grew abundant and near, and when the room was all ablaze with light from the great open fire, and the burning candles fixed all along the walls, the sight, to the youthful imagination, was truly enchanting. Then, as the appointed time drew near and the scholars began to assemble, some on foot and some on sleds and sleighs, what shouts of joy would greet the ear as these vehicles drew up to the door and turned out their loads of happy, merry-hearted boys and girls. These sleds and sleighs were great institutions of their time, and they performed an important part in the Winter's merry-makings. Like the omnibus, there was always room for one more, and upon these occasions the great box would be filled with clean, bright straw, and then they would start out and gather them in as they passed from house to house until they had reached their destination. Perhaps the driver wielded an ox gad and the pace was slow, but it was free from danger and full of innocent fun. In good time all would be assembled before the great log fire. Hats and hoods, capes and cloaks, would be placed upon shelves or hung upon the wall, and after all had become sufficiently warm, the teacher would step to the desk, the laughing and talking would cease. Two of the best spellers were generally selected to choose sides. "Cuts" were drawn
140
FRIENDSHIPS FORMED AT SPELLING SCHOOL.
for the first choice, and the choosers would take their places on the opposite sides of the room face to face. Then the one who had won first choice would call out the name of a favorite speller, and he or she would be marshalled on that side, and likewise the second choice would be made by the other chooser, and this alternate choosing would go on until everyone present had been invited to take a part, and two long columns sat facing each other.
Now some of the spectators present would be chosen to keep " tally." The master would step to the head, with book in one hand and candle in the other, a word would be pronounced to the right, then to the left, and so on, until everyone in the lines had spelled in turn. A word missed by a speller on the right, and passed to the left and corrected, was scored a point for the left. A word missed by a speller on the left, and passed to the right and corrected, was scored a point for the right. A word missed on the left, passed to the right and missed again, and passed back and corrected, was termed saved and no score made, and vice versa.
What a conflict of emotions filled the hearts of those young spellers as the words were dealt out right and left. How when the words grew hard there might have been a little blue-eyed divinity in pink frock and cheeks in that row of spellers, that made your boyish heart tremble every time she undertook to wrestle with a hard word. How you longed to be by her side, if only to prompt her, for you know there were friendships formed at those spelling-schools of fifty and sixty years ago that burn brightly to-day, and will continue to burn until the hands are folded across the peaceful breast, and you feel that life's brightest spell for you has gone, when these same loving blue eyes are forever closed.
As the spelling began at " Baker " to give the younger ones a chance, nearly half the evening has gone. The book is closed and fifteen minutes are given for intermission, when all is fun and frolic. The master would snuff the candles and brand up the fire, and at times he too would enter into the merry-mak- ings. The fifteen minutes are up and teacher and scholars again take their places, and two more scholars, perhaps younger, are selected to choose up, and the same programme
141
CONCLUSION OF THE SPELLING MATCH.
is carried out as before, and should it be your fate to be chosen next to "your girl," the enjoyment of the occasion would be greatly heightened.
The teacher is perhaps assisted by a teacher from some neighboring school ; or perhaps by some competent citizen of the district present ; or by some one of the more advanced scholars, and the spelling would proceed for a while as before. and the evening's exercises would be brought to a close by "spelling down." The teacher requests the school to rise, and then the spelling proceeds as before, from right to left, and from left to right, with this difference, that when a scholar missed a word, they took their seats, and those only who remained standing continued to spell. The words simple at first grew harder and harder, and these spellers go down as grass falls before the mower's scythe, and as the ranks of the spellers decrease, the interest in the contest increases ; and so close was the attention, and so great the interest, that the falling of a pin might have been heard, and even the trembling limbs and voices of the spellers added more and more to the intense interest of the occasion. The master has exhausted all the hard words in the common les- sons ; the tallow candles burn low; the younger scholars stretch and yawn in their drowsiness, and the master's voice has a weary husky tone, still the gladiators keep their places. Then the master closes his book and drops his head as if about to retire vanquished, but he was only preparing strategy and he pronounces out a word not found in the spelling-book. The speller is taken by surprise, and he spells out the word with trembling and fear. "Next!" cries the master in a defiant tone. There is a longer pause ere the next speller attempts for the letters have got mixed up in the brain and confidence has fled ; then the word is hesitatingly drawled out. "Wrong !" cries the master with much relief, as he correctly renders the word. Then school is dismissed and there is a hurrying to and fro for the wrappings, candles are taken from the walls and blown out, the sleds and sleighs are ready at the door to receive their loads of merry, happy-hearted boys and girls. A few of the larger lads and lassies linger around the flickering, dying embers; then the master or some one who has it in
142
THE SICKLE AND HAND-SCYTHE.
charge, covers with ashes the great bed of coals, that will keep for the morrow's fire, and almost total darkness reigns. Then there is a low, whispering consultation by the lingerers, and the shouting. waiting loads at the door are told to move on by these same lingerers as they choose to walk, and the old' school-house that stood on the hill is left to the silent watches of the night.
REAPING WITH A SICKLE, THRESHING WITH A FLAIL AND CLEANING GRAIN WITH A HAND FAN.
When the country was first settled farming in its various branches was conducted in a primitive manner. The machinery now in use was then unknown, and had it been it would have been of but very little use to the pioneers, whose fields were covered with great stumps that required years to decay. The sickle that had been in use from time immemorial, for Ruth gleaned in the fields of Boaz after the reapers a thousand years or more before the Christian era, made its appearance here with the landing of the pilgrim fathers, and its use had been indispensable until some " Yankee genius" invented the hand-scythe or cradle, with bended snath and wooden fingers. So the sickle here was used by the pioneer fathers to cut all small or sown grain, such as wheat, oats, barley or rye. It was similar in construction to the one now in use for cutting grass from shrubbery, only it carried a fine serrated edge, made by finely ribbing the lower side of the blade similar to one side of a mill-file, and only grinding or sharpening it upon the smooth or upper side.
The skillful reaper would thrust this implement into the grain with the right hand, which did the most of the gathering ; then with a dextrous movement of the left, the grain would be held by the thumb and forefinger, the three remaining fingers falling upon the back of the blade, holding it to its work, while the implement would be drawn by a quick motion upwards and to the right and the work was accomplished. Great care had to be exercised in the use of this implement, for its fine serrated edge was as keen as a razor's blade, and the novice was almost certain to receive an ugly gash on the fingers or ball of the left hand. The cut grain would be laid to the right rear in
143
THE RAPPING OF THE FLAIL.
" gavels," and these would be bound in bundles and " shocked." A skillful reaper would cut from a half to an acre per day, and would handle his sickle with as much dexterity as the mower could swing his bended snath.
The threshing was chiefly done with a flail upon a threshing floor. When the farmers had progressed so far in affluence as to be able to build a barn, this floor was the main one in the building. If otherwise, this floor was constructed out of doors by placing "sleepers " on the ground and covering these with two-inch plank, the grain stacked conveniently near and the grain beaten from the chaff and straw with flails. A diligent man could thresh from twenty to twenty-five bushels of oats per day, and from eight to ten bushels of wheat, and it might have been laborious, but it was not an unpleasant occupation in the cold days of winter where it was performed indoors. The big barn floor would be made perfectly clean by a free use of the splint broom ; a flooring would be thrown from the scaf- fold, consisting most generally of twenty-four bundles, these placed in two swaths across the floor, with the heads of the grain resting together; then the threshers, for company's sake, generally two, would step to one end of the flooring, and the work would begin, one to advance and the other to retreat across the grain to the alternate music of the flails. Then the grain would be turned over and another advance and retreat had across the grain and this flooring was finished. Then the straw was gathered up and the grain carefully shaken from it, and bound into bundles, the threshed-out grain pushed to one side and the threshers were ready for another flooring. Most generally the threshing season would begin at the com- mencement of cold weather, and would be continued far into the winter, and the alternate rapping, rapping, rapping of the flails heard throughout the land from early dawn until evening. was not disagreeable to the ear, but rather pleasing. Here we wish to diverge a little and then we are done with threshing.
In these times men would follow some calling and make a specialty of it, such as "chopping," "logging " or "threshing." A man by the name of Carr, and an original of the times, moved into the settlement in indigent circumstances. He pro- fessed to be a great thresher, and talked a great deal of what
144
CLEANING GRAIN WITH THE HAND-FAN.
he was able to accomplish in this peculiar line. Finally he took a job of " Square" Frye to thresh out several hundred bushels of grain. The first day Carr's efforts, when measured up, were very meager, being only about one-third what any active man would have accomplished in the same time, and this fell so far short of Carr's professions and the "Square's " expectations that there might have been something said. How- ever Carr, at the supper table that night, all of a sudden. dropped his knife and fork, and looking the old man in the face said, "'Square,' you need have no fears about my not being able to thresh your grain ; I shall do a great deal better to-mor- row, for I have got the hang of your barn." This excited the old man to a hearty laugh, and ever after if he undertook a task that did not savor of success, he would always say to those about him, " Wait until I get the hang of the barn."
As the grain has been cut and threshed, it must be separated from the chaff by "winnowing " in the wind. This was done by a "hand-fan," an implement, semi-circular in shape, bottom composed of thin, light wood, with sides of same material, about eight inches high. The shape of this fan would be similar to a large semi-circular dustpan, made of wood, with the handles on the sides. The operator filled the fan with the grain to be cleaned, and stood with his back to the wind. Then by a quick and skillful movement of the fan, the grain would be thrown into the air, the light chaff caught by the wind and carried away while the grain would fall back again into the fan, to have the operation repeated until it was free from all chaff. A skillful man would clean from thirty to forty bushels of grain per day in this manner.
MILITIA TRAINING.
Although the year 1776 had been numbered with the past. and most of the active participants in the stirring events of that period in our nation's history. rested from their toils " where heaves the turf in many a mouldering heap," still that spirit which formed a lodgment in the hearts of the Puritan Fathers had been transmitted to their descendants, and not only this, but the Statutes of the State made it imperative on every male citizen who had attained the age of eighteen years, and
145
MILITARY REGULATIONS.
who was of sound body and mind to do military duty until he had reached the age of forty-five. This law was strictly enforced and there was no way of evading it unless prevented by some temporary sicknes .. The law required that the rank and file should drill two days in each year. These " drills " were termed trainings, and were held in June and September. The former was termed company training, when only the mem- bers of each individual company assembled and were instructed in the manual of arms, or the science of war, by the captain. or his under officers. The latter, or that held in September. was termed General Training, or more properly General Muster, when the companies of one or more Regiments, would assemble upon one common parade ground, and where they would be under the command of some field officer, accompan- ied by a full staff.
Aside from these drills there was another drill held by the officers and musicians in the month of August, and continued for two days. This was termed an "officer's drill," and most always the occasion would be honored by the presence of a Colonel, who with all the rest would appear in full dress, and as may be readily inferred, this band of plumed heroes were much observed by all the small boys who were out in full attendance. But the day of all others for Young America, and those who loved the pomp and circumstance of glorious war, was general muster. The ear-piercing fife and the spirit-stirring drum would call the assembled hosts to order. Then there would be a hurrying to and fro on prancing steeds, who at the sound of fife and drum seemed to possess the military spirit and zeal of the occasion, and would proudly keep step and time to the martial strains, as rank upon rank was being formed in line Then the officer in command accompanied by his staff would take charge of the field, and the troops would be drilled in the manual of arms. These officers would be mounted on richly caparisoned horses. Their bright uniforms were tasty, and made of the most costly material: their flashing sabers hung from silken sashes; their heavy plumed caps and the shimmer of their epaulets, reminded one of the splendor of Oriental pageantry.
Sometime during the day the troops would be marshaled into
9
146
ATHLETIC SPORTS-SNOW SHOES.
line where they would be reviewed by the Brigade Inspector, whose duty was to give to each soldier's arms, a personal inspection.
The day would close with a solemn invocation to the Lord of Hosts. The troops would be formed into a hollow square, with the commanding officers and staff in the center, dis- mounted. Then the Regimental Chaplain would step forth, arms would be brought to rest and heads uncovered, while they attentively listened to the brief religious exercises, and the order would be given to break ranks.
WRESTLING.
In early times, the young men at the most of the gatherings indulged more or less in athletic sports, such as jumping, run- ning and wrestling. Wrestling was the favorite, as it displayed the skill, strength and agility of the contestants. A ring would be formed and two of these modern gladiators would step in. " Collar and elbow" or " square hold " was the favorite, and a very exciting and spirited contest would be witnessed, until one or the other had won a fall, then it was the duty of the defeated to select some wrestler from those present to take his place in the ring, and the sport would continue, and, as ·before stated, the result depended on the strength, skill and agility of the contestants. It has been known for one of these to enter the ring and by his own personal prowess vanquish all com- petitors. In such an event, he was accorded the champion, an honor he had to maintain in all future rings and against all aspiring competitors.
SNOW SHOES.
Hard as it was and rough as it may appear to us of the pre- sent day, the life of the pioneer during the long dreary Winter was not without its attractions. The log house had been made comfortable by chinking it with moss and mud, and the great open Dutch fire-place always lent its welcome cheer. If the weather was severe the great forests shielded his abode from the chilling winds that blow now so keenly from the North. If his larder was supplied with a plenty of breadstuff, an exist- ance more conducive to robustness, more free from artificial worries and more hostile to disease in all its forms, cannot be
147
THE MERRY, OLD-FASHIONED DANCES.
conceived, and it was not without its creature comforts either. What if the Winters were long and the snows were deep, his wood pile was near and in abundance. An hour's chopping or thereabouts supplied his stock with plenty of "browse," and if his store of meat was getting low, he knew the range of the deer, and deep as the snow was he could reach them on his trusty " snow-shoes." These shoes were an indispensable arti- cle to the early pioneer, and were made by bending two sticks of any strong, flexible wood, about half an inch in thickness and five feet long, as you would shape an ox-bow, by bringing the ends together and firmly fastening them. Two of these formed the skeleton work for a right and left shoe. The skele- tons were finely interlaced with strings of " moose wood," elm bark, or more often the rawhide of the deer, in every direction.
SNOW SHOES.
Straps were affixed in the center of these shoes similar to those on skates, and they were ready for use. These shoes brought over three superficial feet of surface to the yielding snow, and they enabled the hunter to travel wherever he willed without sinking: many times with his trusty rifle across one shoulder a deer across the other.
DANCING.
Dancing in early times was a favorite pastime and was more or less indulged in by old and young. Frequently during the Winter, as the shadows of evening deepened the gloom of the forest, a sound of merriment would be heard at the home of one of the settlers, perhaps on the occasion of a quilting or
148
THE " MONNIE MUSK " AND " SCOTCH REEL."
wedding, that would be kept up until near the hour of morn- ing. There was a great deal of innocent hearty enjoyment in one of these old fashioned dances. The old fashioned tunes were rich in melody and the figures, though not so intricate as some of the modern dances, yet they were more graceful, and, perhaps, some might say, moral. The exercises frequently would begin with the "monnie musk " and close with the " Scotch reel " or " hunt the squirrel," where all could join in the dance. The mode of traveling during the Winter through the woods, was with ox team and sled and horses and sleigh, reference to this has been made in another place, while in Summer, riding horse back was common upon such occasions. The saddles of those times most always had a " pillion," or padded cushion affixed to the rear of the seat. The rider would mount and if a part- ner was to bear him company she took a seat in the rear upon the " pillion " and away they would gallop through the woods and " o'er hill and dale," with the grace and ease of the ancient cavaliers. Buggies were entirely unknown in those days. If the occasion was a public dance, upon a holiday, the young men would assemble three or four weeks previous and choose three managers, whose duty was to make all the arrangements. They issued the cards of invitation and no one was entitled to join the dance unless formally invited. These managers con- ducted the exercises in every respect ; secured the music, and, if wines or liquors were to be used, they also obtained these and fixed the price of admission. The dancing generally com- menced sometimes in the afternoon and continued until near morning. The landlord's duty was to furnish supper and a hall and to see that the teams were properly cared for. The friendliness and hearty good will existing among the families of the early settlers added greatly to the interest and enjoy- ment of the old fashioned pioneer dances.
THE GREAT WOLF HUNT OF 1830.
One of the greatest annoyances to the early settlers, and that which occupied his night thoughts with the gravest concern, was the depredations of the wolf upon the sheep fold. These depredations were always to be found where deer and other game abounded, and when impelled by the pangs of hunger, the
149
WOLVES AMONG THE SHEEP.
bloody instinct of the cowardly animal was brought out in all ferocity and a pack of them became a dangerous foe to man or beast. They usually betook themselves to the fastness of some great forest, where they would lay concealed until night had drawn her sable curtain and then they would sally forth, and woe unto the luckless farmer who had neglected to have his sheep safe in the fold-for a bloody field of carnage would meet his gaze the next morning ---- sheep with their throats torn open, sheep with their sides bitten through, their vitals laid bare, and their entrails dragging upon the ground ; some dead and some in the last agonies of dissolution. This particular field might be but a small part of the bloody work done that night, and the day would perhaps bring the news that the floocks for miles around had suffered from these same blood-thirsty fleet- footed marauders. Of course, this general slaughter of the flocks aroused a just indignation in the breasts of the farmers, and, on this particular occasion (1830), it was resolved upon to turn out and surround them in their lair. Their retreat was known to be in the west woods, a tract of land lying west and northwest of Morton's Corners, some three miles square, extend- ing north and south from the Morton's Corners road that leads due west into Collins, to the old Genesee road three miles north, and thence running west on these respective roads about three miles, making an unbroken wilderness of about twelve miles in circumference. This tract embraced the Beaver Mead- ows and all that now known as New Michigan, which was at that time very densely timbered. A day was designated and word sent to the people of Concord, Collins and North Collins, and they did not require a second bidding, but at the time named, came flocking in by the scores. Leaders were chosen, the territory in question surrounded, and the siege began from all quarters, the objective point being the Beaver Meadow. The lines were formed and those who carried arms were placed in shooting range of each other. Horns were used as signals and cow bells indicated the line of march, and every inch of the ground was carefully patrolled, but for some cause no wolf scalp was secured. The only man that secured any trophy that day was Windsor King. The noise startled a big buck and he undertook to run the guard, but was "caught on the
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