Indentured Servants

In the 1600's and 1700's about half of the people coming to the American colonies were indentured servants. Most of them were from Britain with some from Germany or other places. The indentured system sought to relieve the shortage of labor in the colonies. The time of service could range from 4 to 7 years, but most contracts were for 7 years. The death rate among these servants ran much higher than the general population. Penalties for those who ran away ranged from being put to death in some areas to having their servitude doubled in others.

Although there have been many stories written of much younger indentured servants, Dale Taylor in Writer's Guide to Everyday Life in Colonial America says an immigrant couldn't be indentured until the age of 21. Then they became the property of their master until their indenture was over. They could not marry during this time or do anything without the master's permission. He had absolute power over them and could rent them out or sell their indenture to someone else. For all intents and purpose, they were slaves, except their servitude would end, while the slaves' and their children's didn't. 

A person usually agreed to become indentured in order to pay for his/her passage to the colonies. The price for an indentured servant was about 17 pounds, while a similar slave sold for around 35 pounds. Some were prisoners transferred out of England. The system continued until as late as 1917, but it began a slow decline after the Revolutionary War.

___________________________________________

Halloween's History

Although the celebration of All Hallows' Eve may have been

influenced by Celtic harvest festivals, some scholars believe it to be a purely Christian holiday. It occurs the evening before All Saints' Day or All Hallows' (Holy) Day. It likely originated in Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. At some point in history, the festival probably included mummings and guisings, where people dressed in costume and went house-to-house entertaining to be paid in food. All Saints' Day was introduced around 609, but it was celebrated in May then. It was switched to November 1 in 835.

People in Medieval Europe, lit fires and candles to keep the souls of the dead from haunting honest folk one last tine on October 31 before All Hallows' Day began. In later years, these may have evolved into carved pumpkins with scary faces to ward off these spirits with evil intent. Tradition said that souls of the departed roamed the earth until All Saints' Day, so the eve afforded them one last chance to seek revenge on their enemies before they moved on to another realm. They were afraid of fire, however, and tried to avoid it.

Of course, when the first colonists came to America, they brought some of these traditions and beliefs with them. Looking at its history, it is easy to see how All Hallows' Eve could have evolved into the Halloween we know today.

_____________________________________

How the Potato Got to Ireland

The potato was first domesticated in Peru, and it was a staple for the Inca Indians. But the Indian nations were great traders, and the potato gradually worked its way along trade routes to get to the

native populations of what is now North Carolina (first known as Virginia). They were there as the Roanoke voyages came. When the expeditions took a sample back to England, Sir Walter Raleigh (who had sponsored the voyage), presented them to Queen Elizabeth. She ordered them sent to her estate in Ireland to see if they would grow there, and grow there they did. In fact, they eventually became known as the Irish potato. Like the Inca, the Irish began to depend on them. When the potato blight hit in the 1800's and a great famine resulted, it encouraged immigration. Many Americans, especially in the South, have Scotch-Irish ancestry.

In addition, Spanish explorers may have also taken potatoes to Spain from South America around the same time period. Sir Francis Drake may have been another source as he returned from circumnavigating the globe.

When I visited Peru several years ago, I realized how many varieties of potatoes there are. Many sources say there are nearly 4,000 kinds. The markets of Peru certainly displayed many different types, while I could probably count the varieties I was familiar with in the United States on my fingers.

Much like corn, the potato is adaptable to many conditions and

climates. There are records of them even being used raw to feed

livestock through the winter in regions where crops could be a problem, like the Appalachians in the early years of settlement. Potatoes were also easy to store and normally kept over the winter months. They became an important food source in many cultures.

_________________________________________

Women in Early America

Early in American history, most women lived on farms and often ended up with extra responsibilities. A woman not only had to prepare meals, wash clothes, take care of children, plant gardens, milk cows, tend chickens, sew and mend, do other housekeeping chores, and perhaps keep bees, but she also helped her husband in the fields. With a shortage of labor, farmers often depended on their wives to help, especially at planting and harvest times.

In the first years, men outnumber women seven to one. According
to David freeman Hawke in

Everyday Life in Early America, one-third of the women who got married were pregnant at the time, twice the rate of those in England. Chances were only one in three that a husband and wife would spend ten years together. Disease, accidents, poor health, and childbirth often claimed a spouse.

Women's lives fell into a routine and varied little. There were clothes to make and wash, meals to cook, children to rear, and the housekeeping to do. These routines didn't change much. When winter came, and her husband could take things easier, her chores continued. As the country grew and matured, however, things would get better for some.

_______________________________________

German Superstitions

Superstitions make up part of the folk culture in history. Each country, ethnic group, and region had their own. Here are a few from the early German settlers of Pennsylvania, North Carolina, the Appalachians, and other regions:

• It's bad luck to leave a house by a different door than you entered.
• It's bad luck to hand a needle to someone point first
• If a girl accidentally puts on her stockings wrong side out, she'll be getting a present.
• It's bad luck to pop a button while dressing.
• 
• If a woman crosses a man's path who's going fishing, he'll have bad luck.
• Break a chicken wishbone with a friend and a secret wish will come true for the one with the longer piece.
• If the groundhog sees its shadow on February 2, there will 6 more weeks of bad weather.
• A cat lying on its side with its face up means stormy weather.
• Wash your face in the dew on May 1 before  the sun rises to get rid of freckles.
• Moving on a Saturday means you won't stay there long.
• A black cat crossing your path brings bad luck.
• It's bad luck to break a mirror.
• If New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, it will be a mild winter and early spring.
• Anyone born on the first three days of the new year was doomed to an unhappy life.
• A newly bought pig must be backed into the pen to stay healthy.
  
• If a person stumbled over a grave, he must jump over it backwards or a relative would die.

I'm sure you have probably heard some of these before, but there's likely a few that are new to you, and these are only a fraction of the superstitions. There are many more from the Germans, as well as the Irish, Swedes, Dutch, and other groups.

No Middle Ground

I've seen some church people who are only concerned with making sure they get to heaven when they die. They think they can accept Christ as their Savior and still straddle the fence to have one foot in worldly things and the other one in the spiritual realm. They say the right words, are baptized, and attend church most of the time. They even contribute in special offerings or do a few good works for insurance, but they never really open their hearts, give God access to their lives, or change in any meaningful way. They don't try to witness or to be disciples, because they don't really care about others. They're too intent of looking out for number one.

"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon" (Matthew 6:24).

This will not work. There is no middle ground where God is concerned. We either obey God or Satan. Our enemy loves to encourage our selfishness and make us think we are in control of our lives, because then he has control. That's why it's essential that we turn our lives over to Christ. We either belong to God or we belong to Satan. There is no other choice. 

"For some are already turned aside after Satan" (1 Timothy 5:15).

Salvation is not about what we do, but it's everything that Christ did for us on the cross. It's free for the asking, but we need to ask from the heart and really mean it. We must truly want to become a new creature in Christ. If you totally surrender your life to Him, I guarantee your life will be fuller, more peaceful, and more satisfying than you can imagine. A surrendered life has joy despite the circumstances, because we no longer carry burdens. Christ takes them from us and directs us, if we let Him. But we must learn to give Him all of us and not be lukewarm Christians. 

"So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth" (Revelation 3:16).

______________________________________________________________

Potatoes in White Sauce

This recipe came down in my mother's family, but I don't know how it got there. It almost seems French to me, but I can find no French connection, not even with friends. Yet, my family has always liked it. When my daughter was young, she used to call the dish "Lump Bump Potatoes," a fairly good description, I guess.

In my Appalachian Roots series, some of the characters also use this recipe. Although I grew up with it, I have never seen it anywhere else. But because my mother came from the Appalachians, I assumed it fit.

Peel and cut 5 medium potatoes into 1 - 1 1/2 inch chunks. Almost cover with water and boil until they are done but not falling apart. Drain. Fill a pint jar with a tight fitting lid half full of milk. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and 1/3 cup flour. Beat with a fork. Place lid on and shake vigorously. Put 2 tablespoons butter or margarine over drained potatoes and shake jar again while butter melts. Pour milk mixture over potatoes. Bring to just boiling while stirring gently, so not to break up the potatoes chucks. The sauce should be thick enough to almost hold the potatoes together. You can adjust the amount of flour to make the sauce thickness you would prefer.

__________________________________________

Somerset Place

Plantation house

When my oldest grandson came to visit in August, we went to Somerset Place, one of the largest plantations in the South. It's located near Creswell in Washington County, North Carolina, near the coast, and is a good example of life on a large plantation prior to the Civil War. Today it is a state historic site, and a reunion of its slave descendants in 1896 inspired the book, A Somerset Homecoming by Dorothy Spruill Redford.

During its 80 years of operation as an active plantation (1785 - 1865), Somerset Place comprised around 100,000 acres and grew corn, wheat, and rice. More than 800 slaves lived and worked there during those years. Eighty of these were brought directly from West Africa in 1786.

Hospital

For the first 40 years, no one lived on the land, and it was used sorely for raising crops or hunting and fishing. Then, in 1829, Josiah Collins III, his wife, and six sons built a large house and moved in. Like most plantations, the complex was pretty self-sufficient. The grounds contain a dairy, 

kitchen and laundry, smoke house, salting house, storage buildings,

Quarters for special house slaves

overseers house, stocks, and slave quarters. At Somerset, important house slaves had better living quarters than the field hands, and there was also a hospital to care for the sick and injured.  

The site is open all year on Tuesdays through Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m, but it's closed on all major holidays. Admission is free.

________________________________________

How Sweet It Is!

Although modern society has often viewed honey as just another form of sugar, history saw it differently. In the first Olympics, Greek athletes ate honey and figs to increase their stamina and performance. In fact, many people in ancient Greece and Rome believed that eating honey would help them live longer. During the Middle Ages honey was used to treat a multitude of ailments. Many old home remedies included honey for things like coughs and congestion, skin and beauty aids, an energy booster, infections, weight loss, arthritis, tumors, and digestive problems. Recent scientific studies have indicated some of these may be based in fact.

Honey comes from a process whereby honeybees take nectar from flowers and produce a sweet liquid by regurgitation and evaporation. It contains flavonoids which may reduce the risk of some types of cancer and heart disease. Current research also indicates that honey may be helpful in treating ulcers and bacterial gastroenteritis. In fact, all honey seems to be antibacterial due to an enzyme the bees add that has some of the properties of hydrogen peroxide. It can be a performance enhancer for athletes, because it is better at maintaining glycogen levels and decreasing the time needed to recover from an event than other sugars. Honey has been used to suppress coughing for ages, and buckwheat honey is especially helpful in this. Although more

research is needed, many are taking a more serious look at the benefits of honey. Perhaps much of the previous skepticism came from people subconsciously believing something that tastes good can't be that good for you. However, even the Bible speaks well of honey. For example, in Proverbs Solomon said, "My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste."
               ________________________________________

Legacy from the Past

As long as I can remember, I have always felt connected with the past. Perhaps it originated with the stories my grandmother and mother told of how things used to be. Maybe it's part of my Appalachian heritage. 

In any regard, I've always been interested in history, folk studies, arts and crafts, traveling and learning. Some of these interests seem unusual for an only child growing up in the rural foothills of the mountains and never spending a night away from her mother until she went to college. In fact, none of my relatives even believed I would stay at Appalachian State University. They were sure I would get too

homesick and come home. It never happened, and I can never remember being homesick any time in my life, even when I

traveled the world or was in the mission field.

When I recently took the poetry class at Chowan University, I drew on my appreciation of the past to write some of my poems. I thought I would share another one with you.

      Ancestors

I am my mother and father,
Struggling to pull a living
From impotent red clay.
I’m my poor grandparents,
Tramping the secluded Appalachians
To harvest timber’s treasure.
I’m made of countless who came

To North Carolina long ago—
An English doctor sailing across an ocean
In hopes of finding New World success,
Daniel Boone ever pushing west,
To have freedom from the wilderness,
A scoundrel who fled to Texas
And discovered oil at Spindletop,
An Indian married to her Dutch soldier.
I hear whispers of countless ancestors
Who blazed trails for me to follow
And left visions for me to dream.
They move about me, in and out,
And leave fingerprints across my brow,
As they help to shape and mold.
I am a composite of them all,
But the image of none.

_________________________________________________________________

The Cooper

A cooper was important in history, because he made crucial containers, such as wooden barrels, tubs, and buckets. The staves, or small wooden planks that ran vertically to form the sides of the container, was usually made of pine, cedar, or oak. A shaving horse held the wooden slat in place, while the cooper shaped it. A barrel was normally wider in the middle than on the ends. A bucket was usually narrow at the bottom and wider toward the rim.

The trussing ring held the staves in place to form a circle. These slats were heated to make them pliable, pulled tightly together by using a windlass, and several hoops were hammered into the container to make it hold its shape and not leak. Round lids were cut from wide boards for barrels, and these boards were usually joined together to get them wide enough. Sometimes a hole might be drilled into it and plugged, so liquids could be poured out.

Coopers favored white oak for wine; red oak for molasses or sugar; and willow for tubs, buckets, or churns. All of these came in different sizes. Barrels also stored things like salted meat, fish, pickles, rum, cider, beer, and water. Since goods were shipped and stored in barrels, and every household needed buckets and tubs, if not barrels, the cooper was an important part of a community.

________________________________________

Researching Historical Fiction

Proper research is important in all novels and especially historical ones. I've found many historical errors as I've read, and I've even pre-read novels to help writers out. The mistake that jumps out the most came from the novel of a very well-known author. The book was set in the West in 1848, and the main character walked into a bank that had it's ceiling fans going. How did the building have the power to run them in 1848, since the first ceiling fans didn't come out until the 1860's?

The most difficulty I've had in research comes from tying to find records from the South prior to the Civil War, because so many of them were destroyed in the war. Since three of the four books in my Appalachian Roots series are set prior to 1865, this has presented a problem. Yet, I've found libraries, universities, museums, and historical associations to be particularly helpful.

The source I find myself using most as I write is the book, English Through the Ages, by William Brohaugh. It gives the date English words were first used. If my novel is set in 1804, I wouldn't want to use a word that didn't come into existence until much later. This is a common mistake for new writers to make. In addition, I can look up words, like "telephone" and have a good idea of when it came into use by the date listed in Brohaugh's book.

I don't find research tedious but usually like it. Maybe this comes from the fact that my Bachelor's Degree is in history. However, I also realize how easy it is to make mistakes when writing a full-length book. If someone finds historical errors in my books, at least I'll know it wasn't because I didn't put a lot of effort into getting it right.

__________________________________________

The Best Thing to Teach a Child

But Jesus said, Suffer the little children and forbid them not to come unto me; for of such is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 19:14).

Parents, guardians, and other relatives are always wondering how's the best way to bring up their children.

They would like for them to grow up to be happy, responsible people who make good choices in life. The very best way to do this is to bring them up in church. They need to be taught to love God and others at an early age. As they learn that being close to Him, following His word, and obeying Him leads to a joyful life of peace, not because of easy circumstances but because of His presence, then everything else will fall into place in their lives.

And ye shall teach them [God's Words] to your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up (Deuteronomy 11:19).

As a public school teacher for thirty years, a mother, and a church teacher and Bible study leader, I've seen many children go through struggles. Those who have a firm Christian foundation make much wiser choices. Most of them may go through a period of rebellion, but, like the Bible says, they return to what they've been taught. Today's world has a strong pull on

young people. Without faith it is easy to succumb to drugs, obsession with pornography or sex, problems with anger, unlawful behavior in an effort to get money, or violent behavior. Even if they don't push the limits, they are unhappy and wrapped up in themselves. 

Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6).

Jesus is the answer. Make sure the children in your life know this. It is the best thing you can teach them.

__________________________________________________________________

Hope Plantation

Tucked out in the country from the small town of Windsor, North Carolina in Bertie County is a history jewel. Not many outside the local area may know of Hope Plantation. It is the restored home of North Carolina governor, David Stone (1770-1818) and gives a good view of what 18th and 19th century rural life was like for the wealthy in rural eastern North Carolina. 

The outsides of the houses and the museum on the property can be

seen without cost. I found the small museum to be well-done. It gave information about the Native Americans in the area before settlement and the way of life of the early planters and farmers.

In addition to the main house, circa 1803, the museum complex also displays the King-Bazemore House, circa 1763. For a reasonable admission fee, you can tour the houses and the grounds. I found the tour guide to be very knowledgeable and informative. It was a half-day well spent.

Ticket prices

• $11.00  for adults
• $10.00 for seniors over 65
• $6.00 for college students with ID and those under 18.
• Bertie County school children free

10% discount for AAA members and groups over 25. Catered lunches are available for groups over 25 for an addition charge.

Hours:

• Monday:  Saturday 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
• Sundays:  2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Contact

• Wesite:  http://www.hopeplantation.org/
• Phone:  252-794-3140

____________________________________________________________________

Moss Playhouses

In Cleared for Planting, when their father gets mean after a drinking binge, Emma takes her younger sister, Christie, into the forest around their cabin to get away from him. Emma spends the day on activities she knows Christie will enjoy.

            Emma set out to entertain Christie. She found a mossy area, and they built a little playhouse interior using the moss and sticks. They made chairs, beds, and tables. They found twigs and broke them to look like stick figures, dressed them in a leaf, and played for a long time. Emma felt too old to be playing like this, but it provided a good diversion, and Christie certainly enjoyed it.

            “Can we come back here and play with the moss house again sometime?” Christie asked.

            “Sure, we can.”

            They found a sunny spot and sat on huge rocks. Emma told stories of kings, queens, princes, princesses, and knights who fought dragons, saved kingdoms, married the one of their dreams, and lived happily ever after.

closeup of moss

            “Is that what’s going to happen to Francie?” Christie asked.

            “Of course it is,” Emma answered, because that’s what Christie wanted to hear, and they both knew this was a day for make-believe.

            They found a persimmon tree and scared an ugly possum away. They ate persimmons from the ground for dinner. They were sweet and juicy from the early frost.

            Emma taught Christie to skip rocks across the widest part of the stream. She showed her how to hold a blade of grass taut against the base of her hands and blow to make a shrill whistle. They cut sassafras twigs and chewed them for their flavor.

            “Winter will be here soon, and we’ll start your lessons again,” Emma reminded her sister.

            “Will you teach me?”

            “Would you prefer Mama or me?”

            “I like you because you make the lessons fun.”

            “Then that’s how it’ll be.”

            They walked around observing the trees and wildlife, and Emma shared what information she could think of about what they saw. When Emma judged it to be about four o’clock from the position of the sun, they started home.

            “Thank you for today,” Christie said, “I did have fun.”

            “I had fun too, Christie. When we get home, if Papa is upset, you go directly up to the sleeping loft. Say you’re tired or not feeling well, whichever is true. I’ll bring you up some supper as soon as I can.”

      

Building the inside of a little playhouse from moss, like Emma and Christie did, is something Mother and I did when I was very young, before I started to school. I loved it. This has become one of my fondest early memories, and perhaps that's why I wrote about it here.

________________________________________

Poetry Writing

Chowan University

When I saw Chowan University was offering a creative writing course in poetry writing, I jumped at the chance. It was being taught by Dr. Matthew Fullerty, an English professor I already appreciated from a novel writing class. After I signed up for the class, I dug out my poetry folder from so long ago that the pages had turned brown, and I was astounded by how many poems I'd written. I had forgotten there'd been so many. At one time, I had written poetry because it helped firm up my prose and because I had fun with it. Now, I was amazed that many of them appealed to me, for I had never considered myself a poet at all.

The class turned out to be just what I'd been looking for. We

Dr. Matt Fullerty

practiced a wide range of poetry styles, turned in a portfolio, and had a final exam where we wrote more poems. Somehow, with the direction of an excellent English teacher who is also a writer and editor, I managed to make a perfect score in the class. More importantly, I had a wonderful time and became reintroduced to poetry writing. Below is not the best poem from my portfolio, but it's the one that fits best with Cleared for Planting and what I've blogged so far.

Mountain Majesty

(photo by Hugh Morton)

She meditates
As she reaches up to touch the sky,
Among others, yet standing alone,
Filling the horizon with quiet splendor,
Giving my longing spirit a home;

She repairs
By filling in the deep ravines

Mount Jefferson

Time and weather have inflicted,
And pushing back the borders
That have kept me restricted.

She comforts
As she lifts and shows me
A different set of plans,
Grasping me gently but firmly
In her own weathered hands.

She encourages
And makes me understand
There is a better way,
Which causes me to pause
For a moment to pray.

Why, oh why have I
Stayed away so long?
I need to see the mountain’s glory

And listen to her song.

___________________________________________________________________