USA > Ohio > Ashtabula County > History of Ashtabula County, Ohio > Part 11
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John Sloan represented the congressional district of which this eounty was a part in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth congresses, or from 1819 to 1823. He was born at York, Pennsylvania, 1779, and died at Wooster, Ohio, in 1856. Hon.
Elisha Whittlesey, from 1823 to 1838, represented the Ashtabula distriet in Con- gress. He was one of the ablest men in congress at that time. He was born in Connecticut in 1783, and died in Washington, District of Columbia, 1863. Whittlesey was succeeded by the Hon. Joshua R. Giddings, in 1838, who served until 1859, and was succeeded by John Hutchins. Mr. Hutchins' term of office was from 1859 to 1863, when Hon. James A. Garfield, the present able represen- tative, was elected. Mr. Garfield lias represented this district continuously since 1863. He is the acknowledged Republican leader in the house of representa- tives. At the present time he is a resident of Mentor, Lake county.
State Senators .- Peter Hitchcock, 1812-15; Aaron Wheeler and Almond Ruggles, 1816; Aaron Wheeler and John Campbell, 1818; Almond Ruggles and John Campbell, 1819; Aaron Wheeler, 1820 ; Samuel W. Phelps, 1821-22; Samuel Wheeler, 1823-28; Eliphalet Austin, 1829-30; Uri Seeley, 1831-32; Peter Hitchcock, Sr., 1833-34; Ralph Granger, 1835-36 ; Benjamin F. Wadc, 1837-38 ; Benjamin Bissell, 1839-40 ; Benjamin F. Wade, 1841-42; William L. Perkins, 1843-46; Brewster Randall, 1847-50; Laban S. Sherman, 1852-54; Lester Taylor, 1856; Darius Cadwell, 1858; John F. Morse, 1860; Peter Hitchcock, 1862; William C. Howells, 1864; Abner Kellogg, 1866; J. B. Burrows, 1868; Decius S. Wade, 1870; John S. Casement, 1872; I. N. Hath- away, 1874; S. S. Burrows, 1876; W. P. Howland, 1878.
State Representatives .- Samuel Huntington, 1811 ; Samuel S. Baldwin, 1812; John H. Strong and William A. Harper, 1813; William A. Harper and Alfred Kelley, 1814-15; William Kerr and Alfred Kelley, 1816; Lewis Dille and Levi Gaylord, 1817 ; Lewis Dille and Ebenezer Merry, 1818; Alfred Kelley and Ebenezer Merry, 1819; Levi Gaylord, 1820; Robert Harper, 1821-22; Nehe- miah King, 1823; Robert Harper, 1824-25; Joshua R. Giddings, 1826; Lemuel Lee, 1827-28; Jonathan Higley and Amos Fisk, 1829; Amos Fisk, 1830; Jonathan Warner and D. M. Spencer, 1831; Amos Fisk, 1832; Gains W. St. John and Ira Benton, 1833; Horace Wilder, 1834; Ora H. Knapp and Chris- topher Champlin, 1835-36 ; Marvin Leonard and O. H. Fitch, 1837; Erastus Chester and O. H. Fitch, 1838; Zaphna Lake and John S. Rogers, 1839 ; Roger W. Griswold, 1840; Sebastian F. Taylor, 1841; Jonathan Tuttle, 1842; Abner Kellogg, 1843; Brewster Randall, 1844-45; Nathaniel Owen, 1846; Stephen H. Farrington, 1847; N. L. Chaffee, 1848; C. W. Ensign and Henry Krum, 1849; John F. Morse and Samuel Plumb, 1850; Samuel Plumb, 1852; John J. Elwell, 1854; Darius Cadwell and Uriah Hawkins, 1856; William S. Deming and D. C. Allen, 1858; Abel Krum, 1860-62; Abner Kellogg, 1864; Stephen A. Northway, 1866; William M. Eames, 1868; Samuel Hayward and Edward H. Fitch, 1870; W. P. Howland, 1872-76; Freeman Thorp, 1878.
Sheriff's .- Nathan Strong had been elected sheriff of Geauga county before the organization of Ashtabula, and continued to hold the office after the organization until 1813, in which year he was succeeded by Quintus F. Atkins, who was sheriff from 1813-20; Lynds Jones, 1820-24; Samuel Whelpley, 1824-28; Benjamin Hebard, 1828-30 ; Zaphna Lake, 1830-34 ; James M. Bloss, 1834-36; Uriah Loomis, 1836-40; Charles Stearns, 1844; John A. Prentis, 1844-48; Edward Chapman, 1848 ; died in spring of 1849, and was succeeded by R. L. Bartholomew, 1849-53; Marshall W. Wright, 1853-57; William Hendry, 1857-61; Edward A. Wright, 1861-65 ; H. J. Covell, 1865-69; A. W. Stiles, 1869-73; D. L. Hart, 1873-74; died in 1874, and was succeeded by E. A. Thompson until the fall of 1874, when Thaddeus S. Young, the present incum- bent, was elected.
Prosecuting Attorneys .- Ezra Kellogg was the first officer under this head, being appointed in 1811. He was succeeded by Robert Harper, in 1818. The records do not furnish the names of Mr. Harper's immediate successors. Just prior to the office becoming elective Edward Wade was the incumbent. The office became elective in 1835, at which time B. F. Wade obtained the position. Since then the following have been the prosecuting attorneys : S. F. Taylor, 1837-39; L. S. Sherman, 1839-41; O. H. Fitch, 1841-43; N. L. Chaffee, 1843-47; C. S. Simonds, 1847-49; L. S. Sherman, 1849-51; S. P. Jones, 1851-53; Mason King, 1853-57 ; A. S. Hall, 1857-59 ; J. Q. Farmer, 1859-61 ; Stephen A. Northway, 1861 ; resigned in 1865, and J. D. Ensign appointed to fill vacancy; in the fall of 1865 Edward H. Fitch was elected, and was succeeded, in 1867, by W. P. Howland; in 1871 Howland surrendered the office to E. C. Wade, who yielded it to his successor, the present incumbent, E. B. Leonard, in 1875.
County Clerks .- Timothy R. Hawley, 1811-25; Samuel Hendry, 1825-41; Amos C. Hubbard, 1841-49; Abner Kellogg, 1849-58; J. D. Ensign, 1858-64; A. B. Watkins, 1864-67; D. C. Lindsley, 1867-73; Asa Lamb, 1873, and is the present incumbent.
Recorders .- James A. Harper, 1811-15; Jonathan Warner, deputy recorder, 1815-22; Lynds Jones, 1822-29 ; Harvey R. Gaylord, 1829-38 ; Benjamin B. Gaylord, 1838-44; James Whitmore, 1844-62; Marshall P. Atkin, 1862-68 ;
E, G, Peck
HAT Simonas
PROBATE OFFICE AND JAIL , JEFFERSON, ASHTABULA Co.O.
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HISTORY OF ASHTABULA COUNTY, OHIO.
Truman Reeves, 1868-74; Erwin F. Mason was elected to the office in 1874, and still retains the position.
Treasurers .- David Hendry, 1811-14; Levi Gaylord, 1814-15; Orestes K. Hawley, 1815-18; Levi Gaylord, 1818-20 ; Solomon Fitch, 1820-24; Jonathan Warner, 1824-26 ; from August, 1826, to June, 1827, both Warner and Gilbert Webster claimed the office; Gilbert Webster, 1827-30; James E. Dunn, 1830-34; Church Smith, 1834-36 ; Lucius M. Austin, 1836-38 ; Platt R. Spencer, 1838-40; E. C. Root, 1840-42; Platt R. Spencer, 1842-52; Caleb Spencer, 1852-53; A. N. Wright, 1853-58 ; C. L. Bushnell was appointed to fill vacancy caused by Wright's resignation, served a few months, and in the fall of 1858 N. E. French was elected, who held the office from 1858-61; C. L. Bushnell, 1861-63; Walter Burgess, 1863-65; M. J. Foote, 1865-69; Sylvester T. Fuller, 1869-73; Dwight L. Crosby, 1873-77 ; Sidney H. Cook was elected in 1877 to succeed Mr. Crosby in 1878.
Auditors .- Quintus F. Atkins, 1820-22; Levi Gaylord, 1822-29; Samuel Whelpley, 1829-31 ; Apollos D. Bates, 1831-33; George Morton, 1833-35 ; Elnathan G. Luce, 1835-45 ; T. H. C. Kingsbury, 1845-49 ; J. C. A. Bushnell, 1849-54; W. C. St. John, 1854-56; J. C. A. Bushnell, 1856-66; William H. Crowell, the present officer, was elected in 1866, and has served continuously to the present time.
County Commissioners .- There are three county commissioners, each holding office for three years, an election for one commissioner occurring each year. The following is an abstract of the proceedings of the first meeting held by these officers : " State of Ohio, Ashtabula County, Commissioners' office, June 3, 1811. Be it remembered that the commissioners met on this day for the first time. Present, Messrs. Nathan Strong, James Harper, and Titus Hayes, Esquires. Appointed Nehemiah King, Esq., clerk of the board, and David Hendry, county treasurer ; received listers' and appraisers' returns from Harpersfield, Richfield, Ashtabula, and Wayne."
The following are the names of the succeeding commissioners: Levi Gaylord and Orcstes K. Hawley were sworn into office November 23, 1812; James Montgomery, November 16, 1813; Rufus Houghton, 1817; Eben Hewins, 1818; Jonathan Tuttle, 1824; John Bcan, 1827; Christopher Champlin, 1828; Henry Tuttle, 1829; George Webster, 1830; Samuel Higley, 1831; Selah Whiting, 1832; John Henderson, 1833; Samuel Higley, 1834; Asaph Turner, 1835 ; G. W. St. John, 1836 ; Jonathan Tuttle, 1837 ; George G. Gillett, 1838 ; William Hooper, 1839 ; William Morgan, 1841 ; John Ransom, 1842; Zebediah Denison, 1843; Morris Kellogg, 1844; John Ransom, 1845; Morris Kcl- logg, 1847 ; Sidney Bushnell, 1850; John J. Elwell, 1851; Henry Krum, 1852; Josiah D. Freer, 1853; Charles S. Wade, 1854; John H. Kilburn, 1856; William T. Simonds, 1857; Gains W. St. John, 1858; John H. Kil- burn, 1859; William T. Simonds, 1860; William Barnard, 1861; Joseph D. Hulbert, 1862; William T. Simonds, 1863; Joshua Fobes, 1864; Joseph D. Hulbert, 1865 ; William B. Quirk, 1866; Joshua Fobes, 1867 ; M. W. Wright, 1868; William T. Simonds, 1869; Duren Way, 1870; Edward G. Hurlburt, 1871 ; Henry L. Morrison, 1872; Edwin O. Peck, 1873 ; Edward G. Hurlburt, 1874; William T. Simonds, 1875 ; Edwin O. Peck, 1876 ; Calvin Dodge, 1877.
Coroners .- Gilbert Webster, 1824-30; Jesse N. Blockington, 1830-32; Elemuch Webster, 1832-33; Uriah Loomis, 1833-36; Thatcher Gregory, 1836-37 ; Milo Webster, 1837-39; Jonathan Warner, Jr., 1839-41 ; John A. Prentice, 1841-45 ; John C. Woodworth, 1845-47 ; Elihu B. Ford, 1847-49 ; Noah Bartholomew, 1849-50; R. L. Bartholomew, 1850-56; D. S. Gifford, 1856-58; Noah Hoskins, 1858-60 ; John J. Hoyt, 1860-62; B. Veits, 1862- 65 ; E. Hewitt, 1865-67 ; Jonathan Warden, 1867-69 ; L. W. Peck, 1869-73 ; N. Kingsley, 1873-74 ; E. J. Thompson, 1874; Richard P. Walcott, 1874-76. Dr. Flowers was elected in 1876; refused to qualify, and A. W. Stiles was appointed for one year; he was re-elected in 1877, and is the present coroner.
Surveyors,-Harvey Taggart, 1827-29; Josiah Atkins, 1829-36; George Morton and John Pickett, Jr., 1836-44; William Hunter, 1844-46; Benj. B. Hunter, 1846-51 ; N. B. Sherwood and W. W. Hopkins, 1851-63 ; Abner . D. Strong, 1863-66; W. W. Hopkins, 1866-69; A. B. Watkins, 1869-71; W. W. Hopkins, 1871-74; James A. Fickinger, 1874. Mr. Fickinger is the present county surveyor.
The following lawyers are now or have been residents of the county :
Jefferson .- J. R. Giddings, S. S. Osborn, Alvin Bagley, Cyrus T. Smith, Appollus D. Bates, Edward Wade, B. F. Wade, R. P. Ranney, Flavel Sutliff, N. L. Chaffee, Abner Kellogg, A. B. Watkins, Wm. H. Ruggles, C. S. Simonds, H. B. Woodbury, C. P. Giddings, J. A. Giddings, W. P. Howland, E. B. Wood- bury, D. S. Wade, A. S. Hall, B. F. Wade, Jr., E. J. Betts, L. H. Means, Samuel Hendry, Joseph Ruggles, Darius Cadwell, C. T. Chaffee, E. B. Leonard, J. D. Ensign, Stiles P. Jones, S. A. North way, Hiram Plumb, James L. Oliver, E. C. Wade, D. C. Sperry, Theodore Hawley.
Ashtabula .- R. W. Griswold, O. H. Fitch, M. M. Sawtell, L. S. Sherman, Charles Booth, Mason King, Edward H. Fitch, Hiram Boom, Edward Wheeler, Eusebius Lee, Ezra Kellogg, Theodore Hall, Edgar Hall, W. H. Hubbard, F. A. Pettibone, T. E. Hoyt, John Strong, - Russell.
Conneaut .- O. H. Knapp, Horace Wilder, Brewster Randall, Wm. B. Chap- man, S. F. Taylor, M. C. Leland, Benson Owen, J. Q. Farmer, Allen M. Cox, C. B. Godard, A. R. Chase, Benjamin Carpenter.
Geneva .- J. B. Burrows, Burt Beett, N. Bennen, M. B. Gary, O. C. Pinney, J. E. Pinney.
Harpersfield .- Samuel Wheeler, Robert Harper, and A. W. Edmunds.
Monroe .- S. B. McClung.
Andover .- J. N. Wight and C. D. Ainger.
Richmond .- S. D. Ashley, L. D. Marsh.
Windsor .- F. R. Smith.
Saybrook .- J. Robinson.
Pierpont .- M. A. Leonard.
New Lyme .- Nelson Hyde.
Morgan .- Halsey Moses, Charles Meigs, Erastus Divan.
CHAPTER XII.
SOCIAL LIFE IN EARLY TIMES .*
THE social quality was present in as strong a degree with the pioneers of the county as it is to-day with their descendants. Humanity to a certain extent is the same the world over; and though there may be and are different ways of expressing the joys and "ills that human flesh is heir to," still, these will be found to exist in one community as certainly as in another, though not alike, nor with the same degree of contrast in all. But Ashtabula's pioneers had the same emotional characteristics that are possessed by its inhabitants of to-day. Desire, love, ambition, hope, filial and parental ties, the fondness for one another's society, grief, sorrow, hatred, etc., all these were present. What actually occurred, therefore, in social life was that which reason would teach us should naturally take place. The pioneer fathers met at one another's dwellings to compare views, to relate incidents within the range of their own experience, to speak of the olden times, of hardships incurred, of their present state, of their brighter prospects ahead. The young men and maidens had their parties, their excursions through the forest groves, their lovers' quarrels, their delights and their disappointments. The struggle for enlightenment over ignorance, and for a sure footing upon the road to prosperity, was more severe than it is to-day, because present auxiliaries were lacking ; but the success so universally attained was therefore all the more striking.
This people left homes of comfort and refinement in New England, and under- took life anew in a wild forest whose soil had never felt the touch of the husband- man. Their character was tested by the new surroundings, but with a firm, strong hand they controlled circumstances, and in a large measure prevented their characters from being dwarfed by a material environment.
We who live at the present time can hardly appreciate the difficulties under which they labored. But they laid well the foundations for society here. We can trace the present prevalent social condition of the people to the influence which sprang from the exemplary lives of the first settlers. We may say of these worthy men and women that "they builded better than they knew." It is remarkable, however, that successive generations have been called upon to do this same work of laying foundations. Their ancestors contended with the diffi- cultics of a new country in the carly scttlement of New England ; many of their children have gone out from these scenes and laid the foundations in other regions farther west. Thus each successive generation has been a generation of founders. This progress of settlement, this advance of civilization, this march of empire and conquest of soil has gone on until now the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific coast are the limits to its power. There was a conquering spirit in the hearts of the New England fathers. It worked through peace, freighted with blessings. Civilization followed in its wake, and society is to-day the result of what it accomplished. Two hundred years ago New England was what Ohio was when the first settlers came to this region. Bancroft says, in speaking of Connecticut in 1676, " there was venison from the hills, saluion in their scason, and sugar from the trees of the forest; for foreign market little was produced beside cattle, and in return for them but few foreign luxuries stowed in. The soil had originally been justly divided or held as common property in trust for
* Mainly contributed by Rev. S. D. Peet.
8
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HISTORY OF ASHTABULA COUNTY, OHIO.
the people. Happiness was enjoyed unconsciously ; beneath the rugged exterior humanity wore its sweetest smile. There was for a long time hardly a lawyer in the land. The husbandman who held his own plow and fed his own cattle was the great man of the age. No one was superior to the matron who, with her busy daughters, kept the hum of the wheel incessantly alive spinning and weav- ing every article of their dress. Fashion was confined within narrow limits, and pride aimed at no grander equipage than a pillion, and could exult only in the common splendor of the blue-white linen gown with short sleeves, and in the snow-white flaxen apron, which, primly starched and ironed, was worn on public days by every woman in the land. There was no revolution except from the time of sowing to the time of reaping; from the plain dress of the week-day to the more trim attire of Sunday. Every family was taught to look upward to God as the fountain of all good ; yet life was not sombre. The spirit of frolic mingled with innocence, and religion itself wore the garb of gayety, and the annual thanksgiving was joyous as it was sincere."
Such is the picture of the people in their homes before they set out for the forest region in this vicinity. We shall see how much the early condition of society in this county became the repetition of it. The old character daguerreo- typed itself upon the new circumstances; the same traits appeared under new conditions.
In the early years of the settlement of the county the country was indeed new ; everything was rude and wild, the forest still covered the land, the few openings in its depths only revealed how dense were the shadows. The roadways which had been cut through the wilderness were still lined by tangled brush and hemmed in by overhanging branches, while a single path wove in and out among the great stumps, but abounding with many a mud-hole and deep rut, which made traveling exceedingly slow and irksome. Little clearings had been made along the roads so that the sunlight might easily penetrate them, warming and mellowing the damp and long-darkened soil. The fields were full of piles of brush, while the great trunks of trees were hiding beneath them. Heaps of logs were blazing day and night, filling the air with smoke, far and near. An army of stumps lifted up their heads, as if in very mockery at the attempt of the husbandman. In the midst of this mingled scene, where the wildness of the primitive forest still triumphed over the improvements which had been made, the people had their homes. These homes were also rude, in keeping with the wild surroundings. They were constructed of the trees which they had felled ; the rough logs pre- sented their rugged bark and notched ends at their sides and corners, while smaller poles rested on the roofs, and kept in place the long stakes or split pieces of wood. The chimneys were constructed of sticks and mud, and sometimes took up a good portion of the room within. In some cases there was an entire absence of glass, oil-paper taking its place ; the doors were of rude construction, often with wooden hinges and latches. Near at hand was the well-used axe, and the beetle and wedges were not far away. A few frame houses here and there contrasted strangely with the log buildings that were scattered in every direction. It was a mingled scene of wildness and rude cultivation. Civilization was struggling with nature. The wild Indian had disappeared ; the native forests had been invaded ; nature's spell had been broken ; but the face of culture was scarcely discernible. It was under a coarse garb and in decp disguise that the refinement of the people appeared. Yet it was present. Within the rude cottages there were many cul- tivated minds.
The refinements of society had not been lost, the privileges of their former life had not been forgotten. Piety and a zeal for improvement conspired to destroy the effect of their surroundings. They could not become rough or uncouth and barbarous with the possession of these sterling characteristics and the memory of gentler influences. "If barbarism was their first danger, piety was their safeguard."
Those homes in the wilderness! what a gentle air pervades everything about them ! The home-spun clothing, the home-made furniture, the plain appearance of everything does not obscure the gentility of the people. The family gather around the blazing fireplace, sit down to the evening meal, happy in their home, and contented with their lot. To enter one of these domiciles at night-time was to encounter hospitality and to find a scene of happiness.
The blazing fire cast its radiance across the interior, filling the little cottage with lights and shadows, which served to disclose the faces of the inmates. Parents resting from their toil ; young men and maidens with books in hands surround the blazing hearth ; children at their play or gone to their rest. All, cheerful, happy, amid their rude surroundings. A homelike fecling and a gentle character arc predominant. We wonder, when we consider the disadvantages they experienced, that so much intelligence and refinement survived ; but, when we remember that within them there was something superior to all their circum- stances, we find an explanation.
Even at this carly date they had secured many advantages. The school-house
and the church attended the primitive settlements. Even before the fields were cleared or the forests subdued the place for schooling and the house for worship made its appearance. The first tide of immigration was not an army which had sheltered itself to leave desolation, but it was a people which had settled to bring civilization.
There was scarcely a community in the county where the former privileges were not soon prevalent. We picture to ourselves that primitive log church at Austin- burg, isolated from any community, standing alone in the forest half-way between the south and north part of the town where the settlements were. Its very lone- liness peopled the woods, for here the people gathered regularly on the Sabbath. It also proved a welcome shelter to many new-comers.
If the furniture was stowed away to make room for the congregation on the Sabbath, the hospitality of the house of God showed itself by this certain sign. This house was erected as early as 1803, and continued down to 1816, when the first frame church building made its appearance. Another house was built about this time in Wayne. It was used for many years by the people of two townships,- Williamsfield and Wayne. It was a large double log building, built with two lengths of logs, and a wide gable-end with a single door for entrance. It was a rude-looking structure, the crevices between the logs filled with chinkings of mud ; the ceiling disclosed the rafters and shingles ; the seats were slabs ; a simple desk occupied.one end, but there was no stove and no other furniture. Here in this primitive structure the people assembled from Sabbath to Sabbath for many years. The school-houses of the county at this time were of this same character. Among the first erected in the county was one at Austinburg. It was built of thick plank, and was located near the spot where Grand River institute now stands. Other school-houses, built of logs, were located in different parts of the county, and were used for meetings, elections, and all other public gatherings. The influ- ence of education and religion was very great. It overcame the rough life of the frontier, and brought in refinement and culture. There was a refining influence, too, in the forests,-the lofty arches and the whispering leaves filled the inhab- itants with a reverent spirit. The silence of solitude, broken only by the deep bass of the forest hymn, filled the soul with a sense of solemnity. There was a melancholy interest surrounding the primitive homes. The shadowy for- ests gathered closely their dark depths, and furnished a contrast to the little clear- ings, and a sense of awe mingled with the home feeling. Then again the silence of the forest was broken by the sharp ring of the axe and the crashing blow or the heavy thud of the falling tree. Occasionally the deep bay of the hound echoed through the forests, while the sharp crack of the rifle could be heard in the distance. Nor was there lacking a sense of beauty in these scenes. There was beauty in the wildwood, there was beauty in the cottages, and the very loca- tion of the houses as they nestled among the trees unconsciously had its educating power. A description may have been seen of a little school-house on the banks of Lake Erie, which must have presented a picture of beauty hardly surpassed. It was located beneath the overshadowing branches of a great hemlock, and on the very beach of the lake, and close beside the water. So near, indeed, was it that the waves would sometimes wash up to the very door. The clean pebbles of the beach were a pavement for it ; a trickling stream served for a fountain, and the lake itself was a picture of beauty and an inspiration to each beholder, filling the mind with a sense of grandeur. The sound of the waves made incessant music, while the sighing of the branches made a rich refrain in the melody. A few pictures of social life at an early day from the pen of Miss Betsy Cowles were made shortly before her death, who wrote a series of articles for the Ashtabula News, wherein she says, " A new country, free from conventionalities, seems about the only place in which the social element can be fully enjoyed. These people came together as neighbors, in the full meaning of that term. First, the Sunday meetings gave ample scope for visiting, coming together in the morning at ten o'clock, separating at three in the afternoon. Who could help spending that hour in social intercourse ? They talked of what pertained to local interest,-of the news from old Connecticut, the political upheavals from old Europe, Bonaparte . and the allied powers, or the Indian wars. Men found ample time for gossip; the young folks walked into the woods and picked winter-greens, and the women gathered in circles and groups. The social gatherings during the week were of a very friendly character. The women would gather at some house, usually going on horseback, two on a horse. Their dress was a checked apron, on the head a plain white cap, with a black ribbon over the frill; their gown was a chintz, brought from old Connecticut. Each one carried a work-bag, and no time was lost from work. Whatever was to be done in the family could be done while vis- iting,-darning stockings, mending trousers, and making shirts. The horses lazily dozed at the hitching-post and gave an occasional stamp, caused by a vicious fly, while the women visit through the long afternoon. At four o'clock the tea-kettle is suspended over the blazing fire in the fireplace, and the short-cake is baked in a spider. The cross-legged table is drawn out from the wall, a brown cloth is
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