Way of Life in the Old Pioneer Days
The Old Days had good points and bad points.
What is important
is that we learn from them to help make our lives better now.
The
good of the Good Old Days
In general life
was slower paced and less hectic than now.
There was in most families Love
and Kindness and cooperation.
Most people had respect for each other.
Everyone
acted responsibly and took responsibility for their actions.
Everyone worked
and took care of their family.
Most people helped each other.
The Air and
Water were Pure.
People worked harder physically but were usually happier.
Many people were happy. There was singins and barn dances and preachins
and
barn raising Bees, and plowin and quilting Bees.
If you read Daniel
Stewart's Diary there was even a farmers traveling band.
If you visited a
neighbor you would most likely be invited for dinner.
Train trips on the old
Steam trains
Less pressure and stress.
Few if any bills to pay
No
telemarketers
Good Hunting with lots of wildlife
What was bad about the Old Days.
Good
medical knowledge and care were nonexistent. No hospitals.
No police, fire,
public safety protection. No ambulances or paramedics.
No 911 to call
when help was needed
Prior to the revolution, people were ruled by brute force
rather than by Laws
weapons had to be kept nearby for protection.
There
was a general lack of knowledge about health and many other important areas.
There were few if any stores and little choice of things to buy.
Most people
were farmers and had to raise or make nearly everything themselves.
They usually
had very little money to buy things.
There were few conveniences that we take
for granted now.
No electricity or electric appliances, No TV Radio or Internet
No washing machines or dryers or electric irons or electric heaters.
No toilet
paper, No flush toilets.
One had to go outside to cold outhouse even in winter.
but some people were rich enough to have a chamber pot which eliminated
the trip outside at night.
It was unwise to travel or go outside the safety
of a cabin at night. There were wild cats, wolves, bears etc. roaming around
at night.
Our pioneers often reported howling at night from outside.
Most cabins were dark inside at night because people did not have candles or oil
lamps or fireplaces.
The best place to be at night was in your bed as primitive
as it was.
If pioneers had domestic animals they had to build a barn as soon
as they could to protect them.
There were no cars, busses or airplanes
No fast food places or restaurants.
No TV dinners, freezers, refrigerators
or microwave ovens.
No telephones
No gas, oil or coal heating. You
had to build the fire first to get warm.
And just how was that fire started
without matches?
Cabins were drafty, and often did not have windows.
Many
did not have fireplaces so there was no heat or drying fire inside.
Cabins
usually had dirt floors and were at ground level which meant that insects, spiders,
mice, snakes and other vermin shared the living quarters.
Beds were primitive,
small and in general not comfortable. They often consisted of piles of grass
or straw. This may have been soft but it meant that you had to share your
bed with various other creatures. Usually with four, six or eight legs.
Later a stuffed mattress was placed on top or a suspended lattice work of rope.
This meant a lot less sharing with other creatures. Beds often had canopies.
This was to prevent creatures who inhabited or traveled in the roof which may
have been made of straw or wood from falling onto you during your sleep.
Husband and wife slept on a twin size bed. The man often insisted on "his"
husbandly rights. Women often had to bare and raise 8 to 15 children all
without the help of a doctor.
Discipline in pioneer families was extremely
strict. Children did what they were told. If they disobeyed they were
severely punnished.
Roads were dusty or muddy trails navigated by foot, horse
or wagon.
No movies or places of entertainment.
No hamburgers, pizza,
MacDonalds, Taco Bell etc.
The average person owned two pairs of clothes one
for Sunday.
Underwear was generally non existent for men and no bras for women.
There were no heated showers ot baths. If you were lucky to own a tub it
was usually about three feet in diameter and the whole family took their baths
in the same water with the father usually going first.
Shoes were awful for
the most part. All were hand made. Most were home made.
Newspapers were
not home delivered.
Magazines for the most part did not exist.
There were
no libraries in our area and most people could not read or write.
There were
few if any jobs available you worked your farm or starved and
many people
worked long hours and still had little food.
There was no welfare, food stamps
or medicaid.
There ware no medications, painkillers, pills to relieve problems.
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