My earliest childhood memories begin at the age of 5. I lived in Bruceton Mills, West Virginia with my one and three year old brothers, my mother and father. I recall a summertime in which I went to Bible School, in the same two-room school where the older children of the hamlet were schooled in the winter. I couldn't wait to go to school so I really enjoyed this experience, even though I knew this class was not real schooling. We listened to Bible stories and were allowed to draw with real crayons, which I had never done before. We sang religious songs; I recall learning “Jesus Loves Me.” The class ran from 9 to 11 A.M for two weeks.
Other recollections: playing at my grandparents' house which was large and old, had a porch running around two sides, low enough that one could jump to the ground. At a corner where two sides met there was a porch swing on which I spent hours playing. One could go sideways, pretending to be a train, back and forth as high as one dared. A perfect place to entertain a preschooler when it rained, or to be alone with one's imagination.
I can visualize Grandma's kitchen as clearly as if it were yesterday. A huge old room with a big coal-burning stove for cooking and heating. It was burning from morning to night, at least in wintertime. A large old square oak table was pushed up against one wall, with six chairs of various sizes. The table was covered by a green-checkered oilcloth, at least it was green at one time but then it was faded and worn in many spots. A big cabinet contained flour, sugar and other cooking supplies; salt and pepper were the only condiments. Another wall contained a white porcelain sink and drainboard, used for washing oneself and the dishes. Standing on the drain board was a big metal bucket with a dipper for pouring.
Later, a pump was installed but at that time water was obtained from a pump in the side yard. Off the kitchen there was a storage room where the homemade bread and home canned jars of vegetables and fruit were stored. There was also a small cupboard with a screen door in front and a screen in back facing outdoors, used for storing eggs, milk and butter. The kitchen also contained a cupboard for dishes - I thought it was neat because it could be opened from either the kitchen or the dining room.
The dining room contained a long table and at least a dozen chairs. However, the only time it was used was when we had special company. Another door from the kitchen led to the living room, much smaller than the kitchen. It contained a large old desk which belonged to my grandfather. On it sat a typewriter and a notary seal. Grandpa was the justice of the peace and used the notary seal to put a special stamp on official papers. These two items were off limits to little kids. In the middle of the room was a pot belly stove and on really cold evenings it would be fired up.
Against one wall was the day bed where Grandpa always took his Sunday naps, or where little ones visiting were placed for their naps. A table and a couple of old wicker chairs completed the furnishings. A door from this room led to the front porch, another to the parlor and one to upstairs. The parlor was never in use except when the preacher came to call on Grandma or there was a death in the family. The velvet drapes were drawn at all times so the room was always cold and dark. The parlor contained a nice sofa, an organ, a library table with a Bible and two chairs.
When Grandma was gone, usually out in the garden, my cousins would sneak into the parlor; try and play the organ. It was only when we were older, when we were taller and stronger, that we were able to pump the pedals, make a sound. I do not know why they had an organ as no one in the family could play it. Upstairs there were five bedrooms, with one used for storage. The two front rooms were large but the others were small. I recall the room next to that of my grandparents: it had a huge bed, dresser with a marble top and mirror above.
When I stayed overnight it was in one of the small bedrooms in the back of the house. The bed had a huge feather comforter; my Grandma made them for all the beds. I hated it because when you crawled under it you felt like you were going to smother. I always used to sleep with my arms out so I wouldn't disappear altogether. Under each bed there was a chamber pot and, as I got older, it was my job to empty these each morning. Ugh, how I hated that job!
The home had a cellar but not like the kind we have today. It was a dug out place under the kitchen area and one entered it from the outside. Double doors opened outward and one went down to a dirt area with a very low ceiling, where root vegetables were stored - potatoes, onions, turnips, cabbage, as well as apples and pears.
Grandma was the gardener and she had a large one. In fact, the front yard was just a path from the front gate to the porch. On either side of the path there were vegetables growing. The border along the front was in flowers, dahlias as I recall. In the back of the house there was another large garden, the outhouse and the chicken coop. The kitchen opened onto the side yard which was the only place where grass grew. Also located here was the wash house, clothes line, with a driveway beyond. At the end of the side yard and the driveway there was a large old barn, but at this time it contained no horses or cows. I can't remember what the barn contained except for some old horse harnesses and feed for the chickens. Next to the barn was the smoke house where Grandpa smoked hams. A little creek ran beside the driveway and we used to wade in it during the hot weather.
I remember Grandma making soap in the side yard. Grandpa would make a big fire over which a frame would be set to hold a huge old black iron pot. All I recall about the process is that she used lye, made from wood ashes, and animal fat, cooked it a long time. Then the hot soap would be poured into huge pans, be cut into appropriate size before it cooled. The soap was gritty, brown, had a strong smell and was used for washing clothes and dishes. Usually store bought soap was used for washing ourselves. Large quantities were produced as this chore was only done once or twice a year.
I still recall seeing chickens hanging from the clothes line, flopping about. Grandpa would chop off their heads and tie their legs together, let them hang from the line. Then he would singe them with a paper cone dipped into the fire, pluck their feathers. We often had chicken , especially on Sundays or when company came. Somehow, I never connected the chickens on the line with the chickens we ate or I'm sure I would never have eaten them.
Our meals were pretty predictable, limited to the foods in season or canned vegetables and fruits. Early in the fall buckwheat cake batter was started and was part of the fare until hot weather set in. It had to be mixed every evening before bedtime. For breakfast there was bulk pork sausage, fried and removed from the pan. Water was then poured into the drippings and served over buckwheat cakes which were the size of dinner plates. The men always ate 3 or 4 and heavy eaters would put away 7 or 8. I would have a hard time eating a half of one. In summer we would have oatmeal, cornmeal mush or corncakes for breakfast. Perhaps once or twice a week we would have fried eggs and potatoes, bread and jam.
I sometimes wonder how I grew up as I never liked buckwheat cakes, sausage, oatmeal, cornmeal mush or homemade bread. I only liked the whites of the eggs. However that does not mean that I didn't eat some of those foods; food was put on the children's plates and they ate it. Thank heavens, my mother gave me small portions and she didn't make an issue of food. In the summer and fall we would have peas, green beans, corn, tomatoes, beets, cabbage and cucumbers. I never heard of cauliflower or broccoli until I was an adult. The major fruits we ate were apples, rhubarb and blackberries. Grandma made currant and gooseberry jam, which I hated, but I did like blackberry jam. We had a cherry tree and some neighbors had a peach tree so we did get those fruits occasionally. The only meat we ate was beef, pork and chicken; I never tasted turkey, lamb or veal until I was an adult. About the only fish I remember was canned salmon patties. I do recall seeing salted fish at the store in big wooden containers but my family didn’t buy it.
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