The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-06-22

llduC u lllSldht VI just one uOOT Ill Qlu-
ing his way out of the house.
As for exhibitions, the most common
were the Babes in the Wood" and
"Sleight of Hand" These were Ordinari-
ly given in the dining rooms of village
taYeTns. Animal shows were popular;
but were not frequent, several years
often intervening between the times of
their coming. Clrcuses made their APP
pearance about forty. five years ago, aud
were from the first well patrOnized. The
first theatrical exhibition ever given In
the county was, if l am not wrong, at
| Canton, and was participated in by Mr..
StarkWeather, Mr.. GTIsWOld, William
FOgle, Jr., James Allen, and others of
the young men Of the day. This must
have been nearly fifty years ago.
But what did the people drink? Well,
l believe water stood first i'll the list Of
beverages; but undoubtedly whisky Oc-
cupied the next place, followed by cider,
small beer, strong beer, cherry bounce,
apple and peach brandy, with ordinary
| brandy, wine, and what was known as
cordial" bringing up the rear. The
most direct and unmistakable evidence
Of hospitality that could be given in
those days, was to set out the bottle,
when a neighbOr called. This bottle
was found III every cupboard, and in
every workshop and harvest field.
| Preachers and laymen were alike in
| keeping up the practice; and for either
to refuse or neglect to bring it out was
considered the height of bOOrishness
and ill-manneTs. Taverns were scat
tered along all the principal highways,
| In the villages and in the country, at
which the teamsters who transported
goods from the east to the west, and re-
| turned with their siXhOrse, canvas
covered wagons laden with the produce
Of the week, stopped over night, and
these tayerns, alone, were licensed to
sell spirituOus liquors in less quantities
than quart. The bar was located in
the most conspicuous room in the house,
corresponding to what is now designated
as "the office" To have kept tenn
perance" tavern would have been tnan-
clal suicide; as no man could have done
it and looked for success.
Churches were greatly scattered in
the times which we are considering; /;
and much of the preaching of the Oay
was done in barns, private houses, and
schoOl-houses; and from the scarcity
of suitable buildings in which to hold
serY ices grew camp-meetings. Preach
lug did not occur Ottener than once in
tour to six weeks and the services, IN
a large majority of cases, were in the
German language, or what pas sed as
such. This was necessary, as the bulk
of the settlers were from PennsylYa-
tiOns were German Lutherans, German
Reformed, German MethOdists, Ger
man Catholics, and German Baptists,
OF TunkerS. 1t was then the practice
to divide the men from the women
one sex occupying one side of church,
and the opposite sex the other. For
years no fire was allowed In somt of
the churches, as it was expected of
members to keep themselves warm by
The supernatural heat evolved by their
deVCtiOAS. There were no inStl um entS,
and but few chOirs, and to bo fore
singer" of OF of the latter was deemed
to be great honor.
AS have said, the hrst-comers into
this county were mostly from Penn
sl " ania; but Maryland also furnished
a considerable portion of the early pop
ulatiOn and the language of the people
from both States was almost eXclu
slvely what is usually termed penn
sylVanla Dutch" in which
the genuine German language
can scarcely be. Recognized; and
what there is Of it is SO badly mixed up
7 with what may be called Irish-English,
as to make it the very "what is IT. OF
languages. But as this was my 'mut-
ter sprach," and in it lisped my first
words, L will be pardOned if, with all
Its faults, | express reverence for 1t
a and for those who still use use it,
U Lie uGdlS Vi LIdNFI, tt Jl1db pei lNNI5
were very primitive. Families remOV-
ing from the east were accustomed to
stow away their household goods and
! younger children in covered wagons,
while the parents and older children
made the long journey on foot. OIdin-
arily, three or four weeks were con-
sumed IN reaching point as far west
as this-the "mOverS" meanW hlle camp
ing out at nights, (near some tavern, II
pOssibie), and carrying with them, or
purchasing on the way, provisions for
themselves, and pUOVender Tor their
horses and cattle. Many persons came
west on tours of inspection, mounted
ON stout horses, with saddle-bags con-
tanning heir clothing, and carrying in
their hands whips, with laShes and
heaVily-lOaded handles. Buggies, with
elliptic springs, there were none; but
there were several kinds of One-hOrse
wagons, some with wooden springs in
side the box, upon which the seat rest
I'd, and some without springs of any
kind, that were used for pleasure rid
ing. Also "gigs," (now known as
"sulkies'O; but these were principally
patrOnlZed by the doctors. There was
also a species of carriage, called "bar-
Ouche," hung on springs somewhat af-
ter the style Of those used on stage
coaches, with sometimes a top, and
sometimes without one, These were
| specially appropriated by rev OF the
most wealthy families, In the winter
sleds, rough sleighs, and jumpers"
were used.
Of course the transmission of news,
in those days, was a very slow pro-
cess, and place was par
ticularly favored which received
more than on mail per week. 1t took
a letter as long then to come to Canton
from New York, as it new does to
come from London here. Mails were
carried by stage-coaches, or on horse
back; and the only means of public
travel through this region, before the
opening of the Ohio Canal. was by
stage Merchants who went east to
purchase goods, usually consumed three
eeks in the trip; and travel for mere
pleasure was not to be thought of.
Correspondence was an expensive
luxury; and letter postage was rated
according to the number of sheets
written upon, and the distance the let
ter was sent. There were no envelopes
nor postage-stamps; and all letters
were sealed with either waters or paste.
Grain was cut with cradles and
| sickles and grass with ScVtheS ThrpSh-