Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-05-06
A weddins In Old Kentucky.

In the early days Of the State, Ken
lucky wedding was an affair in which
the whole community joined. The cerc-
mony took place Just before noon, ~
which hour dinner was served ~ q nup-
tial feast. On the morning Of the we'd
ing-day, party Of young men and
maidens gathered to escort the groom
1 from his fathers house To the brides
dwelling. The forest path was narrow
there were no roads then-and so they
rode in double file, q young man and .
maiden, side by side. Their horses were
caparisoned with old saddles or old
blankets, and guided by old brides or
halters. The men were dressed in their
best moccasins, leather bFeeches and
leggins, and in the famous Kentucky
hunting shirt. This was usually made
Of fnsey or coarse linen, and sometimes
of . dressed deer-skin. In she breast
was pocket for holding food tow for
wiping the rifle, and other articles. A
belt, tied behind, confined the shirt
to the body, and held the bullet
pouch, the tomahawk and the. knife
in lcathern sheath. As picturesque
in their array were the ladies, in
insey petticoats, then gowns, coarse
shoes, knit stockings and buckskin
gloves. II one belonged to an old vir-
ginis family she displayed q ruffie, .
buckle, two or three metal buttons and
ring-the relics of old times, handed
down as heir-looms. Sometimes tho
march through the woods was disturbed
by jocular neighbors. Forming an am
buscade they would fire their guns, for
the pleasure Of seeing the horses spring.
and the chivalric young men trying TO
fl,ao l,,-,o ,v.<~ II 81
In those days whisky was the bever-
from the brides cabin, there was a race
for bottle of that liquor. Two young
men, selected as champion riders, would
be.started with an Indian yell. The worse
the road the better the race. Over logs,
through brush and muddy hollows, across
streams they would dash. The winner
of the prize distributed It among tho
company. The conclusion Of the mar
riage ceremony was the signal for dim
ner. 1t was substantial feast Of beef,
pork, fowls, venison, bear meat, pota-
toes, cabbage and other vegetables. After
dinner dancing began, which was kept
up till late in the night. II seats wero
scarce every young man not engaged in
the dance was expected to offer his mp
as a seat to one Of the girls. The offer
was sure to be accepted.
The next thing after the wedding was
to " settle" the young couple. On .
piece of land given by one Of the parents,
the party assembled to erect q cabin.
The choppers felled the trees and cut
them in proper lengths. A carpenter
selected tree suitable for making clap
boards for the roof, while others hewed
out puncheons for the floor. Getting
out the timber was one days work. The
' raising" in which all the peighbors
joined, occupied the next, and on the
third day the cabin was furnished. This
smoothed off the floor, made q clapboard
bedstead, two or three shelves-and
the cabin, after She warming" was
ready for the bride and groom. Shelves
were made by driving wooden pins in
the logs and laying on them narrow
boards. A split slab with four auger
holes, in which four legs were inserted,
formed the table. The bedstead illus
trated the art of making the best use Of
the materials on hand. Two forked
sticks, fastened to the floor and beam,
supported poles, which were held in
place by being inserted in the cracks of
the log walls. On these boards were
placed to form the bottom of the bed. A
few pegs around the walls for woman's
things, and two small bucks horns In o
joist for the rifle, completed the house.
Then came the " warming" which was
a dance and a feast. The following day
the young people established their home
in the new cabin.
In these plain log-cabins were reared
some of the great men Of Kentucky
eloquent lawyers, able statesmen and
renowned soldiers. Youths Companion.