New-York daily tribune., 1851-07-28


emplovments, the art being had IN high rePu'e,
and carried by many OF the people to a uesFe u
perfection then unequaled IN the country
The females were distinguished for habits o.
industry. Rarely would one enter a dwelling
without hearing the hum Of the wheel or 'ne
stroke of the loom All articles OF clothing were
Of domestic manufacture The wool and the
fax were carded, spun. woven, colored, and made
INTO garments. at home. To use foreign goods
was considered great extravaganza. For several
vear. their woolen cloths were not even fulled-
variety Of curious traits and usages are de-
.cribed in this volume, Of which We will present
one or two specimens:
THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY.
These occasions were celebrated with the strong
est demonstrations of Joy. When two persons were
ahout 10 be united IN wedlock Ii was customary for
the gentleman IN company with the ldther OF the Id
dy or some OF her nearest connexions, 10 go 10
the minister OF the town and request pnoushhe,hI
this the minister usually employed tle c4efk oI
the parish 10 perform, but sometimes dId II hhse
In the mean time preparations were maze f0f
sumptuous entertainment. Inc guests were an III
yted Al least three days before the wedding IL beng
considered an objectionable atTOni 10 receive an IN
vitatlon only day previous.
The bridegroom selected one OF his intimate trends
for the best man. who was to oficate lSter OF
the cerenony and the BRIDE likewise one OF her com
panlons a. best maid" The morning OF the mar
rlage-day was ushered III with the discharge o. mus
kerry In the respective nelghbOrhOods OF the persons
who we're to be united. This practice 1t seems ong
mated In ireland, IN consequence OF the Catn0lcS
having been after the Revolution, deprived OF the
use of fire arms. The Protestants proud OF the su-
Derorprivllege which they then enjoyed made dls-
Day OF their warke instruments on all pubic occi-
Sons Seldom was respectable man marred with
out his sword by ms SIDE. At the appointed hour,
the groom proceeded from his dwelling with his select
friends male and female about hal way on their
progress TO the house of the BRIDE they were met by
her select male friends and on meeting, each com
pany made choice of one OF their number to run for
the bottle" to the brides house. The champion OF
the race who returned first with the bottle, gave
toast drank to the brldegrOOms health. and. having
passed round the bottle. the whole party projected
saued by the firing of musketS from the houses they
passed, and answe werlng these salutes with psto.S
When arrived at the brides residence, the OTl1e-
grOOm's company were placed IN an Apartment Dy
themselves, and II was considered an act OF lmpOe-
ness for one OF the brides company 10 nrnde. Wnen
the ceremony was to commence, the " best man
first introduced the bridegroom then, entering the
brides apartment led her into the room, and, placing
Ter al the night hand of her intended took his station
directly behind, as did the best mad" The minis
ter commenced the marriage service with prayer,
on requesting the parties to Join hands, each put the
night hand behind, when the glove was drawn on Dy
the best man and maid Their hands being JOlned
the marriage covenant was addressed to them, WITH
appropriate remarks on the nature and reSpOnsolh-
ties OF the connection thus formed Having conciu-
ded with another prayer. he requested the groom 10
salute his BRIDE, which being done, the minister per
formed the same ceremony. and was Immediately fol-
lowed by the male part of the company the females
IN like manner sdlutcd the bridegroom
The ceremony being concluded, the whole cOmpl-
ny sat down to the entertainment, al winch the best
man and best maid presided. Soon after the enter-
tainment. the room was cleared for the dance and
other amusemenS. " and the evening" remarks our
aged informant, klndng al the recollection OF by
gone scenes was spent with a degree OF pleasure
OF which our modern lashionables are perfectly lg-
norant'
FUNERAL OBsERvANCEs
Their funeral obSeHances were of character IN
some respects, peculiar When death entered their
community, and one of their number was removed,
there al once a cessation of ali labor IN the
nelghboThOOd. The people gathered together al the
house of mourning and during the earlier periods OF
the settlement observed a custom which they had
brought with them from Ireland, called the wake,
or watching with the dead from night 20 night, until
the into These nlght scenes often exhibited
a mixture of seriousness and of humOr which appear
incompatible. The scriptures would be read, prayer
offered, aud words OF counse and consolation admin
istered but org, according to established usage,
the glass, with It's exhlarating beverage must crcu-
late freely SO that, before the dawn, the joke anu
the laugh, If not scenes more bolSterouS, would
break III upon the slumbcrs OF the dead
AT the funeral whatever might have been the age,
the character condition Oi the deceased, the is
scmbagc would be large. Every relative, however
distant the connection must surely be present or 1t
would be regarded marked neglect and II was
expected that all the friends and acqualntanceS OF
the deceased, within reasonable distance, would
attend. Although funeral sermons were seldom Il
ever delivered on the occasion. yet there would be
usually large congregation As assembled on the
Sabbath. Previous 10 the prayer, spirit was handed
around not only 10 the mOuTucrS and bearers, but 10
the whole assembly. Again, after prayer and before
the coffin was removed, the same was done. Nearly
all would follow the body 10 ;he grave, and usually
the greater number walked Professions from
third to half mile IN length, were not unfrequent
Al their return, the comforting daught was again ad-
ministcred and ample entertainment provided. Many
a family lpcamc embarrassed. If not IMPOVERISHED,
In consequence of the heavy expenses incurred, not
so much by the sickness which preceded the death OF
one OF its members by the funeral services then
observed, and which as they supposed respect Tor the
dead required.
MODES oF CONVEYANCE.
For number of years after the settlement OF The
town. there was no means OF conveyance from place
To place Vehicles, now IN such common use were
then almost entirely unknown and had there been
SUCH the state OF the roads would not have admitted
of their general use. Those who attended meeting
on the sabbath, though the distance IN some IN
stances great. usually travelled on oot-moherSo often
With Young child their arms Al length. as horses
became more common, the more wealthy part of the
inhabitants might he seen going TO meeting On
horseback, the good man before, the wife on the pill
hon. behind This. until the close Of the last CEN
tuTy, was the usual If not the only mode OF convey
ance. In this way long Journeys were performed,
females not unfreduenly carrying an infant IN their
Horses were then trained TO pace or rack and
not, TO trot that gait being more gentle and
easy for the rider. IL was not TIL nearly the com
mencement of the present century, that the first
chase was introduced This owned by Hon.
John Prentice Ii excited great wonder, and WAS
deemed an unJustlhable extravaganza. In lsli the
frs, lorse-wagon was introduced into The town.
In addition 10 the general history OF the town,
this volume contains coplOus narrative of it's
ecclesiastical affairs, an account Of the settle
ments made by emlgrants from Londonderry,
and an interesting collection OF biographical no
tices of several of It's inhabitants. The work
has the disadvantage of being posthumOus, the
author having died some time before It's publica-
tion. but appears 20 have been edited with great
fidelity by his son. To the numerous descend
ants Of the old Londonderry colonists. now scat
tered throughout every part Of the country, it
viii prove volume of grea, interest, recalling
many precious family "reminiscences. and renew