Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-09-22
HOME-LIFE IN l776.


A HUNDRED years ago social distinc-
tions were far more clearly defined than
at present. Democracy had not then
leveled the lines. The lower classes
were too poor to ape the style of living
of the gentry, and thus the homes of the
various classes were widely dissimilar.
There were aristOcFatic, palatial homes.
the homes of the court circles, the Brit
ish governmental officials; there were the
stately homes of the rich old families in
the large towns; the hospitable homes of
the old-country families, the landed gen.
try of the colonies; the dignified homes
of the clergy; the comfortable homes of
the substantial farmer, the humble homes
of the day-laborer; and the huts and
novels passing for homes occupied by
the lowest stratum of society. The home
that fashions itself most clearly to my
mind among them all is one in which a
certain little boy was born, in March,
1776. 4 Connecticut country home.
ranking socially just below the gentry,
among the upper hundred of the middle
class, home like those of many men
who led in life in town meetings and
carried the country through the seven
years struggle. The head of this house
hold, though yet young man, had al
ready filled many civil and military
offices. Previous to the breaking out of
the war he had established flourishing
business, exchanging the surplus prod
uce of the surrounding country for
West India goods, in Providence, and
through the agency of Rhode Islands
nlunEV nriUatparq and h1ooly
was still enabled to supply his family
and neighbors with those most vital
necessities, West India rum and mo-
lasses. Influential and active in town
and business affairs, it would hardly do
to designate him as the sole "head of the
household" That position would have
been disputed by fair and resolute
young woman, who managed its dOmes-
tic affairs with much skill and efficiency.
They had been married some six years,
and the little boy of '76 was their third
child
If this little fellow had been born in
some families in the town he would
have been bundled off three miles, on
that same raw March day, to be duly
baptized by Priest Russell; but his CHRIS
tening was after another fashion. The
military company of which his father
was Lieutenant happened around that
very afternoon, and our little boy was
brought out and exhibited, and hailed
as " George" :" with three rousing cheers,
and had his health drank in good Jamai-
ca. Triplet names were not the fashion
There was but one George in '76 for
whom soldiers boy could be named, so
the Washington was withheld as an ex-
travagant superfuity. The baptizing
was deferred till more propitious sea-
son. Georges mother was of Rhode
Island origin and less strenuous upon
that point than her Connecticut neigh
bors; but his father had imbided too
much of the spirit of deaconic ancestry
to ignore this important ceremony, so
after peace came he publicly owned
the covenant" and had six children bap-
tized upon the strength of it.
Home-life IN 1915 was greatly affected
and disturbed by the war; but to little
George it made little difference. Hewas
strong, healthy child, full of life and
play, and had plenty of people to tend
and amuse him. Besides father and
mother, sister and brother, there were
uncles and aunts, grandfathers and grand
mothers, and a very wonderful great
grandmother, who had reared seven sons
and over fifty grandchildren and tended
and trotted more babies than could be
numbered. There was Sam Obeere, the
half-breed Indian, full of tricks and Ca
pers; and Aunt Nabby, the spinster,
grooming dolorous love songs. They
lived in pleasant house, under a spread.
ing elm-a "genteeP' house, with gam
brel roof, dormer widows and all the
modern improvements. Its "great room"
was the wonder and pride of the neigh
borhood, with its strip of carpet and ma
hogany chairs, its glass.buffe and pict-
about the fireplace. Little
George seldom had peep at its shut-uP
splendors, nor did he occupy the bed
room save at night and nap-time. In
those wide-awake days sleeping. rooms
were of small account. Any nook would
answer that would hold feather bed and
plenty of blankets and woolen coyerlets.
Georges mother and grandmothers would
have scorned the thought of nursery or
nurse girl. His great wooden cradle
stood upon the heaTth-stone in the big
kitchen, where he could see all that was
BOlnB On III INC luulliy. 16 COulu see
great logs of wood kindling up and burn
ing away into ashes; their flames reflect
ing upon the bright pewter of the dresser,
There was the high.backed settle, keep
Ing the draughts out; and the round
topped table, tipping back after meal
time into an armchair There were bak-
ing and brewing, and washing and churn-
ing, and dyeing and spinning and all
sorts Of work going on around him.
sometimes the merry cobbler brought his
bench there and made the family shoes
)ut of their own cOwhides and calf-skins,
)r the tailor came to fashion the home
spun spring garments. AS summer came |
1n he was taken TO the work-room, to see |
he cumbrous loom and its flashing shut
les, and left to tumble ON the grass un-
Ter the great elm, with his little brother
md sister Aunt Nabby, drudging
through the week for two and sixpence,
,ould not find time to do up dainty white |
Our baby had fine wrought !