Coral’s family history · Chapter 7

Home on Four Hundred Acres

They finally reached their destination on July 14th, 1797. Their beautiful land with the forest and stream was a very welcome sight. Thomas said “Well Mary girl, we made it, didn’t we?”, as she bent down and kissed the ground. After a little exploring they found a natural spring coming out of the hillside and running into the creek. That was where they would collect water for drinking, cooking etc. It was Edward and James who got the chore of hauling the water from the spring for the family’s use.

First came the job of building the cabin. Everyone helped. No one was idle. After picking a nice level spot, the felling of the trees for the sides of the cabin was begun. Thomas and the two boys did that work. They were helped by Richard Dick.

The fireplace and oven were of stone laid in clay mortar. The chimney was made of sticks of split wood laid in cob fashion and plastered inside and out with clay to keep them from catching fire. The plastering job fell on Mary and Margaret. Little Mary Ann helped by fetching things for them. The roof was covered in lapped hemlock bark.

The floor of the cabin was covered with puncheon. They were pieces of timber split from trees and hewed smooth with the broad axe. There was a small excavation in the ground for the storage of a few articles of food and some cooking utensils. Access was gained by lifting a loose puncheon. The loft was used for various things. Sometimes it would be used for a guest chamber. In their case it was a place for the boys to sleep. It was reached by a ladder, the sides of which were split pieces of sapling, put together without nails, like everything else.

The furniture was very primitive. The beds were made by a forked stick set in the floor and supporting the two poles, the other sides of which were allowed to rest on the sides and end of the cabin. This formed a bedstead. A home made arrangement made of elm bark cordage held up the mattress. Mattresses were ticking (made by Mary and brought with them) stuffed with dry grasses. A pillow could be made the same way. A table was made from a smooth slab supported by four rustic legs set in auger holes. Three legged stools were made in the same manner. The boys whittled pegs which were driven into auger holes supporting shelves and the limited wardrobe of the family when not in use. A few other pegs supported a rack upon which the rifle and powder horn rested, which no cabin was without. When Thomas got his first buck these were replaced with deer horns.

The windows were made small as there was always danger of trouble with the Indians. The door was made out of oak timber with iron hinges obtained at the blacksmith shop. There was a wooden latch on the outside and when the string was pulled in and the bars were put up on the inside, it was almost impossible to force an entrance.

The house was sheltered by the woods on the north and west, with brush piled up around into which the snow would drift in the winter. There was always some sort of fire burning in the fireplace summer and winter as it was not an easy task to get one started if it should go out. It was a myth that many pioneer women died because their clothes caught fire from the fireplace. The homespun clothing did not catch fire easily. If a spark lit on the clothing it singed and smelled so it was quickly extinguished. When stepping away from the fire, the pioneer woman stepped three steps backward and then turned around so as not to get the long dresses too near the fire.

There were no neighbors. Daniel Miller, Thomas Frame and Richard Dick were the only settlers west of Meadville in 1797. In 1798 four more pioneers moved in. They were Thomas Smith, Thomas McMichael, John McMichael and Abraham Jackson who was a hunter of note from the Susquehanna. He served in the Indian wars, having helped repel an Indian attack on the Susquehanna Valley. Thomas and John McMichael were from Antrim, Ireland. After the death of their parents, the two boys started with their belongings to their claims in Ohio. The water was so low they became stranded on the Ohio River and while they waited for the water to rise, they heard of good land for sale in Crawford Co. They decided to take a look and they ended up buying some claims in Fallowfield in 1798. Later John sold out to Thomas and moved to Greenwood Township.

Michael Mushrush, of German descent came from Cold Hill near Pittsburg and was one of the earliest settlers. He had a daughter named Rosanna who must have been a bit of a rebel, as she named her twin daughters Desolate and Lonely. They were early school teachers of Evansburg and vicinity. Rosanna operated an early tavern in Conneaut Lake.

Gradually there were neighbors but they were few and far between. It was a long way on a path through the woods from one neighbor to another and the winters were very lonely.

After the cabin was built, then came the job of building the outhouse. Until then everyone had to do like the Indians. Behind a bush or a tree or in a ditch had to suffice. Theirs’ was made so it could be moved. One could dig a new hole and then move the outhouse and the old hole could be filled in. The outhouse was built at least 50 to 150 feet from the house and facing away from the cabin, preferably past the woodpile. Young ladies wouldn’t be so embarrassed if they could grab an armful of wood on the way back to the cabin. That way the wood box would get filled a lot quicker.

It was time to plant before it became too late in the year. The job of felling the trees to make space for the garden had been done a month before. Now the trees were dry enough to burn and they had a clearing. Some of the trees were girdled. The farmer would make cuts all around the tree with an axe and by the next summer they were leafless and the sunlight could nurture the corn. As the years went by the farmer killed the trees one by one. In the spaces between the stumps they planted the first crop of potatoes, corn and peas. The covering of ashes and the new soil produced a flourishing garden. Mary and Margaret also had a little patch of flax that they tended. That was the first step in the manufacturing of all their clothing.

Since the mills, if there were any, were often too far away, the farmer had to devise his own method of grinding the corn. A large rock maple log was dug out for the mortar. A pestle of the same material was fastened by a rope to the limb of a tree. The tree limb would pull the pestle back up and make for easy pounding. They pounded the corn with the pestle until it was fine enough for bread. The rest was boiled and eaten with peas and beans. Cornbread was their staple food and is still made today. Sometimes it is called Johnny Cake. I can remember my dad breaking it up into a glass and pouring milk over it. He really liked it that way. That was about the year 1940.

The men were engaged in hard labor day after day of enlarging the patch of ground around their homes, cutting away the forest, burning the brush, preparing the soil, planting and tending and harvesting and caring for the animals and in hunting to put food on the table.

There was a generous supply of game in the county. There were deer and bear. An occasional wolf and other small game were to be found. The deer and bear were sought for food. The wolves were killed without mercy as they went after the settler’s sheep.

The news that a settler had shot a bear was received with joy by the family. The flesh was fresh meat for the table. The fat was used in making shortcake and doughnuts and the skin for floor mats. Deer was sought as food and the skin served for various purposes, sometimes tanned for buckskin for breeches and for moccasins. The shoes of the day did not have a left or right. Both were the same. If buckskin trousers were to get wet, they would get stiff like stovepipes. As the pioneers did not wear underwear, this could prove to be uncomfortable, to say the least.

Fresh venison was good. The hams of the deer were salted and then smoked and dried for later use. Then there was always jerked venison which was meat for hunters and travelers. Wild fruits in their season were made use of and provided a delicacy. Sometimes Mary would experiment with mince pie by pounding wheat for the crust and using crab apples for the fruit.

That fall in 1797 the family opened an account with Joseph Hackney who kept store in a red building just north of John McFarland’s mercantile. They had a running account with him, trading goods for merchandise. The first record was for 21 sprouts of some kind brought in by Margaret. Mary and Margaret would bring in cloth and woolens made by their weaving. Thomas must have smoked a pipe or chewed tobacco as they charged some tobacco at one point. Another time they traded coffee for a pear of Nubbins, which were a small knot of fibers introduced into yarn during the spinning process.

Issac Kelly was a wheelwright by trade who lived in nearby Bloomfield Township. He manufactured chairs, spinning wheels, and other household items. They purchased their spinning wheels etc. from him and Mary and Margaret were in business.

First the sheep had to be sheared. The wool was then washed. The task before spinning was carding the wool with wool cards. Carding would remove the dust particles. It would also straighten the wool fibers so they could be spun easily. It was said that it took two days of carding to prepare enough wool for one days spinning. Most comfortable clothing was made from the flax that they grew. A tough cloth called Lindsey Woolsey was made by weaving flax and wool together. Making clothes took days and weeks of diligent labor.

Now the cabin often sounded with the soft whirring wheel and the rhythmic thud of the loom, especially late at night. When using the big wheel they stood as they worked. They walked backward pulling the wool fibers and turning the wheel to make yarn. The yarn would wind on the spindle as they turned the wheel in the opposite direction. The small wheel was used for flax and tow. Tow was the shorter fibers removed from flax and was used to make a coarse fabric called tow linen. This was used to make towels, ticking, men’s shirts and trousers and women’s everyday dresses.

Washing clothes, like many household tasks, was not an easy job. The clothes were first boiled in a large kettle with homemade soap. They were then hammered on stones at the creek bed, As soon as it could be afforded a washboard was purchased. In order to make soap the ash hopper was filled with ashes from the fireplace. Then water was poured into the hopper. The liquid that came out of the bottom of the hopper was lye. Lye was added to old fat and boiled in an iron kettle making the soap.

After the Frames finished their cabin, they helped Richard Dick with his. He was a good neighbor and visited often. They helped each other when they could. Richard only lived for about six more years. They buried him under a pine tree on his land. As Thomas was the assignee on his deed, he acquired Richard’s 200 acres in addition to his own 400.

Martha was born in March of 1798. Now the children numbered five. There were six more to come in the years ahead.

Luke Hill drove livestock into the valley for the Holland Land Co. as fresh meat and livestock were in great demand. According to the 1798 April tax list, by then Thomas had acquired a cow. Money was still figured in pounds, shillings and pence but the actual trade was in dollars and cents.

The woods afforded excellent pasture in summer for the cow. She could roam free on all those acres. However, they had to purchase a cow bell so she could be found at milking time. In the winter Thomas went with his axe morning and night and cut down Maple and Linden trees. The smaller branches were eaten. This was called browsing the cattle, which with a little grain kept them in good condition.

By the year 1800 Thomas had acquired a team of oxen. Without them it was hard to get along and most settlers practiced every economy until he was able to buy a pair. It was said that when a settler could get a team of oxen, it was the turning point of his fortune.

Next came the building of the still. First came the still house and then the vessels and equipment. The capacity of a still was from twelve to thirty bushels of rye per week. Rye was the only grain used. A bushel yielded three gallons of distilled spirits. Most stills operated all winter long. Every settler who laid any claim to respectability had a barrel of whiskey for the use of his family and for the entertainment of his friends. Peach Brandy was held in high esteem but not as readily available as the whiskey.

There is a story that was told by James Calhoun. He settled on tract 754 in Fallowfield. He told that early on he decided to keep a tavern at his little cabin so he bought two measures from a Tinner in Meadville. He had a three gallon keg filled at Frame’s Distillary. His cash assets were a sixpence. He installed his better half as bartender and with his sixpence purchased a drink. His wife, having an equal desire to imbibe, then became a purchaser and transferred the coin to her husband for a drink. The were then out of business, but smili 2.

The first mail route came to the county in 1802. The route was from Erie to Pittsburg. Mr. Ash was the mail carrier. He came on horseback once every three weeks and carried the mail in saddlebags. He was always punctual unless there was deep snow or flooding, announcing his arrival with a tin horn and many came out to ask him to carry mail to the nearest post office.

James McIntyre was the first schoolmaster in F. allowfield. He first settled in Sadsbury Township. He was a weaver by trade but he lost his property at sea when he was shipwrecked off the coast just thirty miles from his destination. James and his two brothers swam the thirty miles to safety. The other nine children in his family perished. While living in Sadsbury, he decided he really wanted to relocate to Fallowfield. He wanted tract # 8 in that township. Fearing that someone else might settle there, he built a small cabin on the land and had his daughter and smaller son stay there during the week. He brought them to the cabin every Monday morning, leaving them with ample supplies, and returned for them on F riday night. The children were always visited by hungry prospectors and Indians who asked for or demanded food and the children cheerfully gave it to them. Consequently they were out of provisions before the end of the week. Fearful of returning home before the week was out, as they became very hungry, they had to fall back on their own resources. One time they ate some wild onions and another time they dug up some potatoes that had been planted. They were so ravenous that they devoured them before they were fully cooked. The children spent the summer in this lonely manner and that fall the Mclntyres moved to Fallowfield. That was in December of 1802.

James McIntyre was one of the earliest and best schoolteachers of the day, holding terms in and around the township from 1802 to 1827, the winter of the four foot snow. In 1802 Edward, James and Mary Ann attended the school. Margaret was nineteen and needed at home. Mary had taught her to read and write. It was a long path through the woods to school everyday for the other three.

Mr. McIntyre held a term in his weaving shop in 1809. A log was removed and greased paper substituted to make more light and with several other alterations made an excellent schoolroom. His son John ran a weaving loom at the other end of the building. Jerry Gelvin, then fourteen, applied for admission to learn the art of ciphering. Mr. McIntyre objected, saying that he was too big to whip but Jerry promised to be a good pupil and he was procedure was continued until the i was drained and consequently they accepted. An early schoolmaster wasn’t worth his salt if he couldn’t whip the unruly boys into submission.

A few years later, Jerry Gelvin had a lot of tragedy in his life. About 1818, his little girl was lost coming home from her uncle’s house with some peaches for her mother who was ill. She went off the beaten path and never found it again. The men in the township formed a search party but they never found her. A few years later Abraham Jackson found her remains beside a large log. She must have been trying to keep warm by lying beside the log. She was identified by the clothing she wore. This was after her mother had perished in a snowstorm one night while making her way from one cabin to another. The baby in her arms was also frozen to death.

Jerry left the area after that and headed toward the great lakes to join the Merchant Marines. Years after that he did marry again and lived to be one hundred years of age. He died in 1893.

In 1805 James McIntyre taught a term in Daniel Miller’s cabin for $10.00 a month. John Gelvin and several others who attended this school went the next year on Burr’s ill fated expedition. Burr and General Wilkinson, who was also governor of Louisiana Territory, were involved in a plot to seize mammoth quantities of undeveloped land and build an empire on the southwestern frontier.

One of Burr’s emissaries, Captain Davis was recruiting in northwest Pa. for the expedition that brought charges of treason against the former Vice President. Local Federalists used a tavern operated by Bartholomew White as their headquarters. It was one of the finest taverns in Meadville. This was the focal point of their recruiting.

In a letter to the president Patrick Fennely of Meadville identified Luke Hill, Fred Haymaker and seven others as Federalists who departed in canoes down French Creek after being recruited by Burr’s Agents. According to Fenelly, some of the men were fleeing from their creditors. Some of them returned. Luke Hill did not. He disappeared somewhere in the wilds of Louisiana.

The early settlers were eminently social in their habits, They assembled to build each other’s houses. They had frolics to chop down trees. They had loggings, flax pullings, scratchings and huskings. The women had quiltings, spinnings and hatchelings. These special occasions brought the people from great distances, for the settlements were scattering. Many of the guests stayed over. The general rule was to cover a space on the floor across the cabin with deer and bearskin and other mats and place the quilts and coverlets over these. Then the man and his wife would lie down in the center and on the wife’s side the women were arranged in a row toward the wall, while the men occupied the place on the other side, so that all things were conducted with the utmost propriety and modesty.

By 1808 the Frame family measured eleven children. Sarah arrived about 1800. Then came Thomas Jr. in 1802 and then Abner in 1804, Elizabeth in 1806. John was born in 1807 and Ally, the youngest was born in 1808. That year Margaret was married to John McQueen, an early settler of Crawford Co. Thomas marked off about forty acres for her and her husband and they built a cabin on the land.

Thomas marked off a place for the Frame Cemetery on a hill. It was on two levels. It was a beautiful place. Anyone that would be buried there had to be a descendent of him and Mary or related in some way.

Sometime in 1812 or 1813 they had a new frame house built. The family had way outgrown the original cabin and this new large house was welcomed by all. Everyone was indeed happy.

In 1812 the United States declared war on Great Britain. The war of 1812 was a strange war. Men were called upon to serve for short periods of time and when they weren’t needed, they could go home until the next call for duty. The people were frequently called upon to give their aid in the defense of Erie where the fleet of Commodore Perry was being built. The whole county would be roused by runners in a day and in a very few hours most of the able bodied population, whether belonging to a voluntary company or the militia would be on the march to Erie along the old state road which was the main thoroughfare between Pittsburg and Erie. Along this route munitions of war were carried to Erie and the returning soldiers made their way back home.

Richard Custard kept the Black Horse Tavern, the first public house of entertainment in Fairfield Township, on the old state road. It was the most traveled thoroughfare in the county and the tavern was a welcome and much frequented shelter for weary travelers. It was opened before the war of 1812 and continued there for about twenty years.

Thomas, Edward and James all served in the war of 1812 several times. All three served in the 17th Regt. (Halls) Pa. Militia and the 135th Regt. (Christy’s) Pa Militia, Thomas and James served in the 135th Regt. 16th Div. from the third day of Sept. until the 24th day of Oct. 1812 and each received 5.00 for the 22 days of service. Lt. Col. Andrew Christy was their commanding officer.

James also served in the 133rd. Regt. (Gowdy’s) Pa. Militia. He was then a Corporal. Edward and James also served in Capt. Millers Company from July 23rd to Aug. 9th in 1813 after Thomas died. Mary was left alone with the two oldest boys being Thomas Jr., then 11 and Abner, age 9.

In the spring of 1813 Thomas fell gravely ill. He just became weaker and weaker. There was nothing a doctor could do for him. As he had considerable property, he summoned three friends to witness his will. The will was witnessed by James McConnel, David McGranahan and Smith McGranahan. The will was written on the 7th of August 1813, the day Thomas died. He was 53 years of age.

The will directed James McConnel to go on to build the barn according to their contract with what may be left of the debt coming from him and others and the selling of the stills and vessels. Any left over was to be applied toward putting a chimney on the new house and any subsequent repairs and improvements on the house to be paid by the person getting the said house. Executors of the will were Mary, Adam Stewart and their son James. Mary was left everything on the farm and house until the youngest child was of age and she was to bring up and educate the children. Then she would have the personal property at her disposal and the real estate was to be divided equally among the eleven children or their heirs. They were to have an equal share in the care of their mother.

Thomas was the first one to be laid to rest in the Frame Cemetery. Mary lived long enough to see the children grown. The youngest girl was 19 and the youngest son 18. She died on the 15th of March in 1827 at the age of 63. She was buried next to Thomas in the Frame cemetery, not too far from the new house that was completed before Thomas died.

Thave a special admiration for Thomas and Mary and what they accomplished in their lifetime. They are among my favorite ancestors.