Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1916-05-17
"Old Colonial Days. "

The first settlers who came to
America had great difficulty in find
ing shelter. Although they had
plenty of clay, trees and rocks, they
had no implements with which to
make these things into shape so they
could be used. The first houses were
caves on the shores of 1.-The ocean,
and on the banks of rivers. Some
made huts by digging holes in the
shape of square on the banks Of
rivers. The roofs were maze of
rushes covered with sand. Chimneys
were made of clay and sticks. The
cold was almost uncomfortable in
these rough houses. Many suffered
and died from starvation and cold.
These houses were in common use
for about a half century. The set
tiers lived in tkese until they bad
opportunity to build better ones
The caves were then used for cel-
lars to the houses which were built
over them. The houses in the south
were quite different from the caves.
Some of them were made of plated
grass in the shape of a wigwarm.
Others were made of bark slightly
fastened to a light frame. The only
instrument for cutting and shaping
the timbers was the axe. Thus, rude
log houses were made. These houses
were a great advancement in archi-
lecture. A rough board supported
by strong posts served as a bed. The
floor usually was the bare earth,
while floor of rough wood was
considered luxury. The Dutch
houses of this country were very
picturesque. The inside of the house
was very neat and a scene of adj
miration. The roofs were very state.
ly. The windows were small and
they as the doors were hung with
leather hinges. All farm houses had
cellars which were filled with ap-
pies, potatoes, turnips, beets, fruits
of all kinds and meat. Nails made
of steel were valuable and scarce.
Often an old house was burned in
order to get the nails.
As time wore or great improve
ment was made in houses. Near each
dwelling was small spinning house.
The ROOFS of many houses were
thatched, and chimneys were mlde
of reeds and mortar. Fires were fre-
quent, and it was necessary for peo-
pie to keep a large number of buck
cts for use IL case of fire. These
buckets were made of costly leath-
e1. Most settlements were surround
ed by palisadessto prevent assaults of
Indians. Fields were enclosed by
fences made of split rails, were very
high, strong and closely made, so
that no horse, COW nor pig could get
ever them and injure the growing
crops.
BY the second century houses
were simple but beautiful. On the
doors were brass knockers.
The first way of lighting the
houses was by the pine knot. Oils
and fats were next in use. Candles
were made of tallow and were very
valuable in those days. Fire in the
houses was seldom allowed to 60 en-
tirely out, for the usual method of
starting it again was with flint and
steel. This method required a great
deal of patience and you did well
to get fire started in half an hour.
Various ways of starting fires We're
used uutil about fifty years ago.
A place of much interest was the
kitchen. This roorn was very bare
of furniture, but was considered
the most important in the house.
The fire place was almost as wide
as one side of the room, and was
large enough for seats on the side
of it. Wheu wood became less plen-
tiful the chimneys and tireplaces
shrank in size. All food was cooked
on the tireplaces. Pots were hung
from the ceiling by straps, and meat
and bread were cooked in pans on
the Goals. Later, most of the cook
ing was done in ovens made in the
brick on one side of the chimneys.
The most important utensils were
the pot. kettle, spider and skillet.
They were made of brass and were
priced very highly by the house
wife. The andirons were of brass
The furniture of the house was
scant and very rude. The bed was
generally put in the kitchen because