Around the 1800s House: The Coffee Mill

Around the House Post: The Coffee Mill

I don’t drink coffee, but recently I got to roast some coffee beans in an old-fashioned coffee roaster and then grind them in a coffee mill. The roasting took quite a bit of time. I had to constantly spin the handle over some ashes pulled out from the fire. The ashes slowly toasted the beans.

Once the beans were ready they were transferred into a coffee mill where they were ground and then finally coffee could be made. This coffee mill is approximately six inches by six inches. On top is the grinder mechanism. The beans were placed in the top. The grinder hand cranked and the grounds would fall down into the little drawer at the bottom of the box.

The American Spelling Book

I have a replica of The American Spelling Book: Containing the Rudiments of the English Language for the Use of Schools in the United States (whew…that’s a mouthful of a title) by Noah Webster published in 1824. I’m sure when we all hear the name Noah Webster we think of the man who compiled a dictionary which became a standard for the American English language. He also compiled The America Spelling Book, which was the basic textbook for young readers in the early 19th century.

I am fascinated by the book and have been reading it. The opening lesson starts with the following passage:

ANALYSIS OF SOUNDS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.

IN the English alphabet there are twenty five single characters, that stand as representatives of certain sounds. A, b, c, d, e, f, g, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, s, t, u, v, w, x, y, z. H is not a mark of sound; but it qualifies or gives form to a succeeding sound.*

In order to understand these letters, or rather the sounds they represent, it is necessary to decline the meaning of the words vowel, diphthong and consonant.

A vowel is a simple articulate sound. A simple sound is formed by opening the mouth in a certain manner, without any contact of the parts of it. Whenever a sound can be begun and completed with the same positions of the organs, it is a simple sound.

A diphthong is a union of two simple sounds, pronounced at one breath. To form a diphthong, there are necessarily required two different positions of the organs of speech.

A consonant, or, as it is called by the ancients, a close-letter, forms no distinct articulate sound of itself. In pronouncing most of the English consonants, there is required a contact of the parts of the mouth, and the union of a vowel; though some of the consonants form imperfect syllables of themselves.

This first chapter goes on to explain pronunciation of the letters, combination of letters and talk about accents, emphasis and cadence. Then from there come the charts of words, broken down into lessons. It starts with simple one syllable words and works up to more and more complicated words. If I’d studied this book as a kid my vocabulary would be amazing. I’ve had to look up more words from the later spelling lessons! We’ve lost that eloquent (and sometimes complicated) way of speaking from the 18th and 19th century. From there the book starts to move into reading passages. And this is where I fell in love with this book. I love the observations about life and people, the little history lessons, and most of all the fables.

It’s interesting to see how church and school weren’t separate. There are many passages like the following:

Therefore be not anxious for the good things of this life, but seek the kingdom of heaven and its righteousness, and all things shall be added to you.

The fables are meant to teach children lessons—to obey their elders, to not be greedy and so forth. This is one of my favorites:

The COUNTRY MAID and her MILK-PAIL.

WHEN men suffer their imaginations to amuse them with the prospect of distant and uncertain improvement of their condition, they frequently suffer real losses by their inattention to those affairs in which they are immediately concerned.

A country maid was walking very deliberately with a pail of milk upon her head, when she fell into the following train of reflections; The money for which I shall sell this milk, will enable me to increase my flock of eggs to three hundred. These eggs, allowing for what may prove addle, and what may be destroyed by vermin will produce at least two hundred and fifty chickens. The chickens will be fit to carry to market about Christmas, when poultry always bears a good price; so that by May-day I cannot fail of having money enough to purchase a new gown. Green–let me consider–yes, green become my complexion best, and green it shall be. In this dress I will go to the fair, where all the young fellows will strive to have me for a partner; but I shall perhaps refuse every one of them, and with an air of disdain toss from them. Transported with this triumphant thought, she could not forbear acting with her head what passed in her imagination, when down came the pail of milk, and with it all her imaginary happiness.

It’s a book that definitely gives you a sense of the time period and how people thought.  If you’re looking to get a sense of the language and how it was used in the 19th century this is definitely a good book to read.  I recommend reading it for anyone writing a historical piece set in the 1800s.

What is it?

Let’s play a game!  I’m going to show you some images and I want you to tell me what you think it is! (A little hint, they’re all from the early 1800s!)

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IMAGE 3:

Banking in 1830s New England

Thompson Bank from the OSV Village.

New England’s economy in the early 19th century was largely based on credit. Cash was scarce and business needed to be conducted, so other means of doing business were adopted. Farmers and townsfolk kept detailed accounts of what they were owed and what they owed in return and settled accounts through various means of payment, which rarely included cash.

In the early 1800s, the U.S. government minted coins of copper, silver and gold, but didn’t print paper money. The face value of a coin was the actual value of the metal in the coin, which limited the amount of minted currency and made New England a cash poor society. There simply was not enough cash in early 19th century New England for all the business people needed to do. As a result, people frequently purchased items and paid for services with credit. Transactions were recorded in writing at the time of purchase, and debts would be paid back in services or goods from the farmer’s harvest. Banks were not involved. While coin may have been the only legal tender, this didn’t hinder the credit system. A new means of payment was taking hold though with existence of more and more banks—the bank note.

"Bicknell's Counterfeit Detector"

From the late 1820s on, most of the money in circulation in New England was in the form of bank notes. A bank note was a promissory note made by a bank payable to the bearer on demand. However, they were not legal tender and no one had to accept them. Because of this, a bank note was only as good as the reputation of the bank that issued it. In order to give the impression of safety and ensure trust in customers, banks were often built of brick, with plaster facades in the Greek revival style—a style fashionable in the 1830s. A bank was usually a single room with a transaction space and a steel vault—the most important element in the building—built into the wall behind the counter. The vault represented security to the customers, for so long as the vault was closed, anything sealed in it would be safe from fires or any other disaster that could befall the building.

A bank typically employed only one person, a cashier who was usually one of the bank’s principal investors. The cashiers transacted business in the mornings and closed the doors in the afternoon while he spent the rest of the day reviewing bank loan applications, writing business letters and doing bookkeeping.

One bank would usually serve the needs of several adjacent communities; unlike the country store for example, a bank was not a necessity in a rural New England town. Despite bank notes’ popularity, local townsfolk still didn’t use the bank on a day-to-day basis. If a farmer needed a personal loan, he would be more likely to seek out a wealthy individual than the bank. The country store also supplied coins and bank notes to customers who needed small amounts of money. This was a purchase of cash and didn’t involve a loan, which meant no interest. Farmers would exchange goods for the cash.

Reproduction of early paper money.

Bank's vault. As long as this door was sealed if there was a fire, nothin inside would be lost.

Most banks were commercial and primarily served the needs of businessmen—storekeepers, craftsmen and textile manufacturers. Businessmen used banks to acquire loans, referred to as “discounts” in the 1800s. Most discounts were renewable three-month loans at six percent interest that were secured by collateral. The customer actually received a smaller sum than he requested because interest in the 1800s was deducted in advance. A bank used money from its shareholders to give these short-term loans, and in return paid its shareholders from its profits.

New England would remain a community based on credit for years to come. Bank notes continued to be used in place of cash until the National Banking Act of 1863 was established and paper currency was introduced into circulation. The biggest change in the New England countryside though, was the growth of the savings bank, which served the individual and not just the businessman. The savings bank for the first time allowed the small farmers to save money, which in turn received interest—a concept that would continue to grow in popularity through the years.

Banker's work area.

Banks tried to appear strong and reliable in appearance as well.

An Entry Meant to Impress

While rural New England farmhouses were modest, the wealthy members of town typically owned large homes, which showed off their wealth and importance.  One of the most important rooms was the entry hallway.  Unlike our concept of “hallways” today, in 1830s the entry hallway was really a room in the house.  It typically was about six to eight feet in width and ran the length of the house with doors off the hall for access to the dining room, front and back parlors and sitting room.  The hallway was the first place a guest entered and it was important for the owner to present a grand entrance to his guests.

The early 1800s was a time of vibrant patterns on the floor, walls and in fabrics.  Elaborate patterns and bold colors were extremely common and a sign of wealth and good taste.

The Walls

Wallpaper was very popular in the 1800s.  This hallway showcases an intricately patterned blue and yellow wallpaper.  By the end of the 1820s, rolls of wallpaper were becoming increasingly more abundant, but at the time this wallpaper was applied, it was made in square sheets. The sheets were painstakingly applied one by one; the pattern seamlessly matched. Also notice the intricate detail of the border that frames the entry into each room and follows the chair rail up the stairs. Another border ran along the ceiling. Together, all these elements resulted in a very elaborate design and rich-feeling space.

Fabrics

While not a major part of the design of the hallway, fabrics were still very important and not chosen lightly when putting a room together.  Guests would surely visit the sitting room or dining room and they needed to be just as splendid as the entry.  Quite often, red was used in the dining room, as it complemented dark furniture and was believed to aid digestion.  Wool damask was often use for slip covers and curtains in the dining room.  Chintz (and glazed chintz, a cotton fabric) was a very popular at the time as well.  Bold patterns with bright colors, especially large animal prints, were popular for use in sitting rooms.  As you see in the picture below, bird prints were extremely popular.  Stairs where also decorated with bright partnered carpet runners.  In this case a stripped pattern of bold colors was used.

The Floor

Floor Cloths were used as the primary floor covering in America from the mid 1700’s to the late 1800’s. These were canvas rugs, oil-painted by hand, that were prized for their beauty, durability and easy care.  Floor cloths were commonly used in entrance halls, not only because they made for a decorative first impression, but also because they were durable and easy to clean.  In a time where roads were made of dirt and horses and oxen were a common means of travel, much muck and grime was tracked into the house.  Floor cloths were much easier to clean and much more durable than rugs.

The floor cloth in the pictures below has been painted with an intricate border.  You’ll notice corner medallions were painted at the door openings to neatly end the border and indicate an opening as well.  Once the design on this floor cloth was painted, layers of varnish were painted over it.  Simply applying new coats of varnish each year or two refreshed this long lasting durable floor covering.

Furniture

A hallway wasn’t complete without furniture.  A chest, some chairs, artwork and a mirror put the final touches on the space, making it truly feel like a room, a welcoming, opulent room!

By the end of the 1820s, rolls of wallpaper were becoming increasingly more abundant, but at the time this wallpaper was applied, it was made in square sheets. The sheets were painstakingly applied one by one; the pattern seamlessly matched. Also notice the intricate detail of the border that frames the entry into each room and follows the chair rail up the stairs.  Another border ran along the ceiling.  Together, all these elements resulted in a very elaborate design and rich–feeling space.

So how did we do?

Pretty close match wouldn’t you say?

Things we intentionally left out:

• The stairs up to the porch (we ran out of time!).
• The chimney.  (Our roof was already having sagging problems.  Adding a chimney would have made matters worse).
• Some of the fences. (It got too busy, so we simplified a few things.)

Back View

Front View

Side View

Waterwheel View

The Gristmill

I know! You were all excited to see our gingerbread gristmill, weren’t you? Well, you’ll have to hold out for one more day. Today, I wanted to take a quick moment to tell you about the real 1800s gristmill our gingerbread one is modeled after. (Told you I’d throw in a history lesson on Monday, now didn’t I?)

OSV Gristmill - This is the building we replicated in gingerbread.

The waterwheel is our favorite part of the building and our GB house.

Grist is grain, or the starchy seed of certain grasses, that has been separated from its chaff in preparation for being ground for use as food. Wheat, oats, rye, corn, Indian corn, and provender were all grains the 1800’s farmer harvested for use, either to feed his family or his animals. By the 1840s, the United States had over 23,000 gristmills. Some were commercial flour mills, but most were neighborhood gristmills that sold their service to nearby farmers. Law in the 1800s stated that a miller could charge a “toll” (or a fee) of 1/16th of the grain brought to him as payment for milling the rest of the grain. However, by the 1830s this practice of charging a toll was changing with the rest of the economy, and millers were starting to charge cash fees in replacement of the traditional tolls.

The gristmill used water power to grind grain into meal. The process was fairly simple and straightforward. When a sluice gate was opened, water would be filtered from a lake (or other water source) to a waterwheel. There were different types of waterwheels, but the one in this example was a “low breast” wheel because water filled the troughs on the wheel’s rim just below the midpoint. The 16 foot high waterwheel’s troughs would fill with water and the weight would cause the wheel to turn, which in turn turned the gears and shafts in the mill’s basement, transmitting power to the millstones.

While the gears and shafts turned in the basement, the millstones were at work on the first floor area of the mill. The gears rotated two 54 inch diameter 3,000 pound millstones. A “runner” stone rotated a slight distance above a stationary “bed” stone in the floor. Both stones had a pattern of grooves cut into their faces. As the runner stone turned above the bed stone, their grooves acted much like scissor blades. Grain was poured into a funnel-like wooden hopper above the millstones. It would filter down through a hole in the spinning runner stone, into the space between the two stones where it would be sheared into meal. The meal then fell into a meal chest in the floor. From there, the miller would scoop the fresh grist into his customer’s bag or barrel.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then how many words is a video worth? Enjoy the following videos of a gristmill in action.

Part 1: Inside

Part 2: Continuation of Inside

Part 3: Outside/Waterwheel

The Apple Orchard

Every New England farmer in the 1800’s had a cider and apple orchard. The apple orchard produced the apples the family would eat—from baked goods, to meals such as pork apple pie, to apple sauce, and even dried apples. Dried apples could be re-hydrated and used in baking throughout the winter. Cider molasses, apple sauce and vinegar were made in the fall to be used throughout the year. Vinegar, which was the by product of incorrectly fermented cider—or the intentional addition of oxygen—was known to have healing properties. Vinegar was also a great preservative. What remained of the apples after all this was then stored in barrels in the root cellar to be eaten throughout the winter.

However, despite their many culinary uses, most apples were grown to be drunk, not eaten. In 1800s New England, the farmer’s primary beverage wasn’t wine, beer, ale, water or even milk, but cider. Cider was relatively cheap and easy to make, and with New England’s climate so suited to apple cultivation, it was the ideal choice. To make a good cider the farmer needed three things: sweetness, acidity, and juiciness. This dictated what types of apples he needed to grow. Whereas apple orchards grew specific apples best for eating, baking and storing, cider orchards needed a wide variety of trees. Certain apples were known for their sweetness, just as others were for their acidity. It was important that the farmer had a balanced mix of apple varieties to achieve a good cider.

To start an orchard, the farmer would take some pomace (the mashed apple pulp, including the seeds) from the nut mill. He’d plow several rows in a field and shovel the pomace into these rows. By the following spring, seedlings would begin to appear. The farmer cultivated the seedlings for two to three years after which he would choose the healthiest of the plants and transplant them into his orchard. Properly tending to the mature trees was just as important. For a healthy apple tree, the farmer wanted low, wide-spread branches as opposed to tall, close branches. The low open center would allow sun, air and ventilation through his trees, which resulted in a much healthier and more productive tree. If a farmer tended his orchard carefully, he could expect anywhere from thirty five to fifty-five years of production from each tree.

Apples were also an important export crop. In the early 1800s, ship was still the only means of travel between America and Europe. While peace was present in America, the British and French were at war and had a vast number of warships that needed to be stocked with food. The Baldwin apple, one of the heartiest varieties grown in New England, was extremely popular not only because of its good taste, but more importantly because it preserved well in the hull of a ship. Apples were also exported to the Caribbean, South America and even into Europe. It was a good source of income for many farmers who had the land to cultivate and sell their excess of apples.

New England was known for its apples, and this hasn’t changed throughout the centuries. Farmers used apples in many different ways and depended on them to get them through a year. The failure of an apple or cider orchard could spell disaster for a farmer and it definitely meant a tough year was to come. When it came down to it apples were just as important as any other crop.

Side Notes:
The Baldwin apple is no longer as popular as it was in the 19th century, because in 1933, during New England’s worst winter on record, 90% of the hearty Baldwins died. Since then, the Macintosh has replaced the Baldwin in popularity.

While people didn’t know or understand what bacteria was yet, they did know that vinegar seemed to help. So while vinegar was made for cooking, some was also put aside for medicinal use in the 1800’s household.

Cider Orchards - These orchards host a variety of apple trees.

Old-fashion Apple Picker

New England Apple Orchards

Apple Sauce (the 1800s way)

Since it is apple season in New England…here’s a recipe for apple sauce…the 1800s way!

Apple Sauce

In the country it is thought almost as indispensable to provide the stock of apple sauce for winter use, as the pork; and there is no doubt of the healthiness as well as pleasantness of fruit taken in this way as food.  To eat with meat it is best made of sour apples, not too mellow, but pleasant flavored.  Boil down new sweet cider till it is nearly as thick, when cold, as molasses; strain it through a sieve; wash the kettle (it must be brass) put in the syrup, and as soon as it boils put in the apples, which must have been previously pared, quartered and cored.  Stew over a slow fire of coals till very tender.  A barrel of cider will make half a barrel of very strong apple sauce, which will keep through the winter.

If you like it sweet to eat with tea, use sweet apples, and skim out the whole quarters, when soft; then boil the syrup and pour over them.

Brought to you by: The Good Housekeeper, by Sarah Josepha Buell Hale, 1839

Apple sauce in the 1800s was not like what we're used to today. It was rarely eaten on its own, but more common as a spread with meats or baked goods. (I apologize for the not so great picture it was the only one I had.)

New England in the Fall…different yet still the same after all these years

I had a different post scheduled for today, but after my visit to Old Sturbridge Village this weekend I decided to postpone my initial post and share with you scenes from rural New England in the fall. I don’t care what anyone says, nothing will convince me that there’s any better place to live than New England come September and October. There’s just something magical about this time of year here. Glorious sunny days with a bit of a chill to the air…leaves changing from green to bright reds, oranges, yellows and every shade of brown…weekends spent picking apples and baking everything from apple pies, to apple muffins, even apple pancakes…it doesn’t get much better than that. Much has changed in New England since 1830, but so much is still the same including that magic of fall. Come take a walk with me and enjoy the wondrous joys New England offers. And just be forewarned, it might be a little hard to figure just what time period you’re supposed to be in!

Enjoy… (click on images to enlarge) Beets, gourds and apple trees…you know it’s Fall in New England. Apple time! It’s that time.  The Nut Mill is working, crushing those apples, getting them ready for the cheese press tomorrow, so the farmers can make their apple cider for the year.  Even Henry (oxen) is a fan of apples!

From pork apple pie (top left) to making cider molasses (bottom left), the farm is busy getting ready for the winter to come.  In the kettle, boiling over the fire pit, is the cider the farmers have made.  The women would boil down the cider to get rid of the water so they were just left with the sugar, which created a very thick cider molasses.

The fire pit was a familiar sight in the farmyard.  While kitchen fireplaces where large, they still couldn’t accommodate the largest kettles.  A fire pit was the ideal alternative.  The fire pit commonly provided hot water for laundry (done only during spring, summer and fall) and was also helpful with seasonal chores–like making cider molasses, maple sugaring or in this case cleaning and dying sheep’s wool.