Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-02-12
HISTORY OF The VALLEY.
CHAPTER XII.
MODE OF LIVING OF THE PRIMI-
TIVE SETTLERS.

TIVE SETTLERS.
The first houses erected by the
primitive settlers were log cabins,
with covers of split clapboardS,
and weight poles to keep them IN
place. They were frequently seen
with earthen floors; or If wood
floors were used, they were made
of split puncheons, a little smooth
ed with the broad-aXe. There
were, however, . few framed and
stone buildings erected previous to
the war Of the revolution. As the
country improved in population
and wealth, there was correspond
ing Improvement in the erection of
buildings.
When this improvement com
menced, the most general mode of
building was with hewn logs, a
shingle roof and plank floor, the
plank cut ont with a whip saw
AS it is probable some of my young
readers have never seen a whip
saw, a short description OF it may
not be uninteresting. 1t was about
the length of the common mill saw,
with a handle at each end trans
versely fixed to it. The timber in
tended to be sawed was first squar-
ed with the broad-aXe, and thcn
raised on scaffOld six or seven
feet high. Two able-bOdied men
then took hold of the saw, one
standing OH the top Of the log and
the other under it, and commenced
saving. The labor was excessively
fatiguing, and about one hundred
feet of plank or scantling was con
sidered a good days work for the
two hands. The introduction Of
saw mills, however, soon suppressed
ed the use Of the whip.saw, but
they were not entirely laid aside
until several years after the war OF
the revolution.
The dress of the early settlers
was of the plalnest materials
generally of their own manufac
ture; and if a modern "belle" or
"bcauD were now to witness the ex-.
treme plainness and simplicity of
their fashions, the one would be
almost thrown into fit of Mysteries,
and the other frightened at the odd
and grotesque appearance of their
progenitOrs.
Previous to the war of the revo-
luton, the married men generally
shaved their heads, and either wore
wigs or white linen caps. When the
war commenced, this fashion was
laid aside, partly from patriotic con
siderations. and partly from ncccs-
slty. Owing to the entire inter
ruption Of the intercourse with
England, wigs could not easily be
obtained, nor white linen for caps.
The mems coats were generally
made with broad backs, and
straight short skirts, with pockets
on the outside having large flaps.
The waistcOats had skirts nearly
hall way down to the knees, and
very broad pocket flaps. The
breeches were so short as barely to
reach the knee, with a band sur
rounding the knee, fastened with
either brass or silver BUCKLES. The
stocking was drawn up under the
knee band, and tied with garter
generally red or blue below the
knee, 40 as to be seen. The shoes
were of coarse leather, with straps
to the quarters, and fastened with
either brass or silver buckles. The
hat was either wool or fur, with a
round crown not exceeding three
or four inches high, with broad
brim. (a) The dress for the neck
was usually narrow collar to the
shirt, with white linen stock
drawn together at the ends, on the
back of the neck, with broad
metal buckle. The more wealthy
aud fashionable were sometimes
seen with their stock, knee aud
shoe buckles, set either in gold or
silver with brilliant stones. The
author can recollect, when child,
il he happened to see any of those
finely dressed "great folk" as they
were then termed, he felt awed in
their presence, and viewed them as
something more than man.
The female dress was generally
the short gown and petticoat IN ade
of the plainest materials. The
German women mostly wore tight
calico caps on their heads, and in
the summer season they were
generally seen with no other cloth
ing than linen shift and petticoat
the feet, hands, and arms bare.
| In hay and harvest time, they
iolned the men in the labor of the
meadow and grain fields. This
custom, of The females labOring in
the time of harvest, was not ex-
clusiyely a German practice, but
was common to all the northern
people. Many females were most
expert mowers and reapers. With
| in the authors recollection, he has
seen several female Teapers who
we're equal to the stoutest males in
the harvest field. 1t was no un-
common thing to see the female
part of the family at the hoe OF
plow and some Of our now wealh