That is, they were cooked in one pot over an open hearth. Much of the meal preparation was the man's responsibility. He had planted and harvested. He had killed a deer for the occasional piece of dried venison and he had probably ground the corn that day for the cornbread cakes that would be fried in a cast iron pan near the open fire. As we watch this family go about their daily life, we notice that there are several chores that they simply do not do.
Someone sweeps the floor, but there is no carpet to vacuum.
The house is small enough and possessions so scarce that someone could probably clean the entire place in a very short time. The strongest impression we get from this family is one of interdependence and simplicity. Life is reduced to its basic elements and the strength of the family is their home industry together. Jumping back into our time machine, we set the dial for 1860. The place is Belmont County, Ohio, on the banks of the Ohio River.