Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-11-20
Photo by William 4hewtll Ellis

At a recent meeting Of the Current
Events Glass Of the Washington lleighta
Century Club. Mrs Lydia Slocomt gave
an interesting paper on Pioneer Women
In which the following description oi
pioneer lfo WAS given
"If we follow the sound of the settler
axe in the forest, We lind hun hoWlhg
down trees 10 build shelter for his family
He has made clearing 20 plant his corn,
hut the roots and stumps compel hun 70
wage an unequal warfare with the forest
Here with his family, his dogs ana ms
cattle. on whose neck he hangs bel 70
find il when il strays from the clearing, nc
braves the elements and the difficulties OF
his surroundings Ills cabin has been put
together with mud, leaving many chihk
through which the wind and storm come
The typical cabin Of the pioneer WAS
furnisbed roughly and lacked many
necessities. a single window with muslin
curtain hearth OF clay. an immense hte-
place which lighted and warmed the struc-
ture a rifle. deer skin, bunch Of eagle
feathers. a InRp of the Colonies, blnte,
volume Of Shakespeare and one oil Mutton,
n nude table with legs OF green wooa WIN
bark still on, looking rs II II grew whfie II
stood. On this table would be teapot Oh
English potterv. silver spoons, tea cups
and sometimes newspaper hohe uie
wall were trunks instead of closets
"The pioneer master had strong angular
features long. lank limbs, peculiar TO the
New England settler his is the type OF
man who adopted lie oil SeiltIde ahd
Driyation, although his carrier Gays were
a,,,t IN the midst of civilized society.
IL belonQed to that restless, calculating
nj
dured "A life in the savage wilderness Tor
,yb;le in order TO conquer and clylllze 1t.
AN EARLY MARRIAGE
Another interesting extract IRON Mrs
Slocomb's paper describes one oi the INST
settlements and marriages IN the Hudson
valley as follows:
The town of Goshen New York, was
FIRST settled by Sarah Wells, an orphan girl
Of I6 wears of age, who camo from New
York CITY up the Hudson in l7i2. With
her were two carpenters and three Indian
guides They made clearing aud built a
home for her adopted parents, Mr.. and
Mrs Dean. who were unable to leave New
York in time to secure their allotment OF
the grant of territory. They came several
weeks later Her outfit consisted of two
mack horses with bells, two milk COVE with
bells. two dogs, one spade, two pals two
beds and bedding, one small and one large
pot. one small and larger kettle, wooden
trenchers and bowls, candles and candle
sticks, frying pan, small tin plates, tour
saucers, coffee pot and tea pot and
tea canister, chocolate pot and silver
ten spoons and sugar tongs, small
China tea cups and saucers, bundles OF
clothes, saddle bags, pillow saddle, knives
and forks, mallets, medical cordals IN
vials. refined sugar IN Jumps brown sugar II
| rolls flour, biscuit, ham, potatoes, trink-
cts. ribbons They went by boat to New
Windsor and there landed, put the bur
| dens on the backs of the animals and
Indian guides, then marched 20 mules
! through a tractless wilderness IN one day
| and built wigwam the second day they
| began with the clearing and cabin. Short-
| ly after Mr. and Mrs Dean came store
| mason. William Bull A marriage was the
result He being an Episcopaiian, wished
| 10 be married by the rites of the church
! How were the bans to he published!
| After much thought magistrate WAS ne
cured from another settlement. He ex-
| plaired that if instead Of three weeks, II he
nubhshed them three times on the same
| aav that would be effectual. So witt
PRAYER book in hand, he proclaimed tht
! bans from the front door To the trees Of ths
forest; from the back door 20 the cattle
and outbuIdingB; then again from tbs
front door to the wilderness at large. The
trees made no objection, nor did the cattle
forbid the bans. The wilderness at largt
gave its consent by an echo, whereupoI
| the ceremony was performed. she re
ceiyed 100 ACRES as her share for her dariul