Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-04-30

JMO luCnto blOdh dhA biibui"t "D
the lower end, and to which the
main piece Of leather was sewed
with a gathering stitch. The seam
behind was like that of u moccasOn,
and a sole was sometimes added,
The women did the tailor work.
They could all cut out and make
hunting shirts, ,leggins and drawers.
The state OF society which eX-
listed in our country at an early
period of its settlement, was well
calculated to call into action every
native mechanical genins. There
was in almost every neighborhood,
some one whose natural ingenuity
enabled him to do many things for
himself and his neighbors, far
above what could have been reason
ably expected. With the very few
tools which they brought with them
into the country, they certainly
performed wonders. Their plOws,
harrows with theiE wooden teeth,
and sleds, were in many instances
well made. Their cOoper-ware,
which comprehended every thing
for holding milk and water, was
generally pretty well executed. The
cedar. ware, by having alternately a
white and red stave, was then
thought beautiful. Many of their
2uncheon floors were very neat,
their joints close, and top even and
smooth. Their looms, although
heavy, did vey well. Those who
could not exercise these mechanic
arts were under the necessity of
giving labor or barter to their
neighbors in exchange for the use
of them, so far as their necessities
required.
An old man in my fathers
neighbOrhOOd had the art of turn
ing bowls, from the knots of trees,
particularly those of the ash. In
what way lie did it ! do not know,
or whether there was much mys-
terY in his art. BE that as it may,
the old mans skill was in great
request, as well.turned wooden
bowls were amongst our frst-rate
articles of household furniture.
My brothers and myself once
undertook TO procure fine suit of
these bowls made of the best wood,
the ash. We gathered all we
could find on our fathers land, and
took them to the artist, who was
to give, as the saying was, one half
for the other. lie put the knots in
a branch before the door, when a
freshet came and swept them all
away, not one of them being ever
found. This was a dreadful mis-
fortune. Our anticipation of an
elegant display of new bowls was
utterly blasted in a moment, as the
poor old man was not able TO re-
pair our loss or any part of it.
My father possessed a mechanic
al genius Of the highest order,
and necessity, which is the mother
of invention, occasioned the full
exercise Of his talents. His farm
ing utensils were the best in the
neighbOrhood. After making his
loom he often used it as weaver.
All the shoes belonging to the
family were made by himself He
always spun his own shoe.thread,
saying that no woman could spin
shoe thread as well as he could.
His cOoper.ware was made by him.
self. | have seen him make a
small, neat kind of wooden ware,
called set work, in which the slaves
were all attached to the bottom of
the vessel, by means Of a groove
cut IN them by strong clasp knife
and a small chiSel, before a single
hoop was put on. He was sutii
ciently the carpenter TO build the
best kind of houses then in use,
that is to say, first cabin, and
afterwards the hewed log house,
with a shingled roof. In his latter
years he became sickly, and not
being able to labor, he amused
himself with tolerably good imi-
tations of cabinet wOrh.
Not possessing sufficient health
for service on the scouts and cam
palgns, his duty was that of re-
pairing the rifles of his neighborr
when they needed it. In this busi-
ness he manifested high degree
of ingenuity. A small depression
on the surface of a stump or log,
and a wooden mallet, we're his
instruments for Strengthening the
gun barrel when crooked. With
out the aid of a bow string he
could discover the smallest bend
in a barrel, and with bit of steel
he could make saw for deeping
the burrows when requisite. "A few
shots determined whether the gun
might be trusted.
Although he never had been
more than six weeks at school, be
was nevertheless IA first rate pen
man and a good arithmetician. His
penmanship was of great service
to his neighbors in writing letters,
bonds, deeds of conveyance, &c.
Young as | was, was possessed
of an art which was of great use,
viz. that of weaving shot pouch
straps, belts and garters. could
make my loom and weave n belt in
less than one day. Having a piece
of board about four feet long, an