Little Egypt Heritage Articles Stories of Southern Illinois (c) Bill Oliver 08 June 2003 Vol 2 Issue: #23 ISBN: pending Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen of Little Egypt, These articles are basically history, however, they are inspired by that branch of history known as genealogy. Within this discipline is a part known as "psychic" genealogy where some additional information that one has been searching for suddenly appears. An example is to randomly reach out to remove a book from a library shelf and open the book to a page which contains some information to assist in solving the mentioned problem. During the past week a subscriber on one of the lists maintained by me asked about some notorious southern Illinois gang members. On another list someone asked for a "rundown" on Bonnie and Clyde. On a third list a person wanted some information about the "30's" gangsters that congregated in the "crossroads" of American [Toledo, Ohio]. To my amusement today's newspaper featured an article about Bonnie and Clyde, with mention of other notorious persons. Well, quite often other major newspapers on Sunday carry the same or similar articles. It is hoped that your local paper carried the article or a similar one for it is not my happiest hour writing about folks that do harmful things to others. Yet, it was interesting to me to see that article appear today, just because the topic was in my mind. Now, "psychic" genealogy would really be appreciated if I could find down along the Ohio River, the gravesite of a third great grandfather when we will be in southern Illinois during this month. Picture the year as pre-1850. Imagine yourself on a slow sternwheel steamboat. Smoke bellowing forth from twin stacks, ponderous engines groaning and puffing steam. Dense forest lines both banks and away from the river bluffs. Only occasionally is sighted signs which indicate that man exists here or has ever existed here. As a traveler, where are you? Are you proceeding up the Maumee River in northwestern Ohio? Are you somewhere down river from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on the Ohio River?? Are you heading north [or south] from St Louis, Missouri, on the Father Mississippi?? Or, their is yet another possibility; are you on the Mighty Missouri, heading to new land opportunities?? Well, it doesn't matter very much where you put your imagination to work. On all these rivers very similar things are happening. The "ship" is loaded with bales and boxes, barrels and bundles, animals — horses, oxen, sheep, cows, pigs, and chickens. On the deck are men, women and children, and possibly the family dog. All these going forth to build their own places on the "western" frontier. When these folks disembark they will go out along their own ways like the spokes from the hub of a wagon wheel to begin populating the hills and valleys, the forests and prairies in whatever is western borderland. Often, at or near the destination, the Father would have a brother or uncle or other near relative and he would set out, on foot, to locate that relative, not seen for many years. The immediate goal would be to arrange for work because their money would be low ... running out. And, true to custom, the Father would not "eat the bread of idleness". The family in the meanwhile would "camp out". They would get a fire blazing and fry up some bacon and make coffee and the odor would permeate the area for awhile. Then with blankets spread out on the ground the talk would be the excited talk of new things to come until the voices would fade and hush as the family would fall asleep beneath the stars above on this their first night on their western frontier. Father would return, possibly with a wagon and oxen to load their belongings and begin a trek to where they would make their new home. Maybe they would have to cross the river where they were let off by the sternwheeler and they would have to travel to where there would be a "rope" ferry. To those of us who only have our imaginations as to what it was like to be on a western frontier, think simple. A strong rope is made fast around a tree on both banks of the river. Two short ropes, with grooved pulleys to slide along the rope tied to both sides of the river, are attached to each end of a raft or flatboat. When the "bow" line was shortened it would put the raft or boat at diagonals with the current and the water or current would then "drive" the craft across. Upon arriving at their final destination, a shelter would be constructed. And, when the animals had properly rested they and the wagon would be returned to their owner. Then the work of making improvements to the land would begin. There were different industries which new arrivals might partake. One might be wool. Somewhere withing fifty miles or so there would be "carding" mills. There wool was spread evenly over an "endless" cloth spread over a table and sprinkled with melted grease. The moving cloth or apron would be carried along to within reach of the teeth of two revolving "carding" wheels. When the wool came out the other side it did so in rolls, ready for the spinning-wheel. Settlers would come to the mills, bringing their own and possibly their neighbors, wool in thorn pinned sheets with the required amount of grease in crocks. Their return home with the rolls of wool was the beginning of activities. Spinning wheels were put into order. They were of one type of two — large or small — wheels. The smaller wheel spinning-wheels were the more common, simply because they took up less room. The small wheels were turned by foot while the larger ones were turned by a wheel-hook. With the small wheel, the spinner sat on a stool and manipulated the roll with her hands. With the larger wheels, the spinner walked back and forth drawing out the roll to great length ... back and forth until the rolls were converted into thread. Dying of the thread would be next on the agenda or process, followed by the weaving of the thread into material. The final step was to make garments. Of course, there were the flax-patches for spinning "low cloth" for hunting shirts and grain bags. The sewing machine and the washing machine were things of the future, but that is stories for another time. Besides sewing, there was the everlasting knitting! Girls began at the earliest possible age. Seems one could never be too young. Girls and women off visiting, buggy [or wagon] riding, and even walking, plied their knitting needles on the way ... just like some folks today. My neighbor knits while watching television. :) Information from a cousin has put the idea that my third great grandfather did some sheep raising down by the Ohio River. Maybe while searching this month something psychic will happen to point toward finding out what he did for an occupation. Wado, Bill -=- Other sites worth visiting: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/SOIL http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/ILMASSAC http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ne/state/BillsArticles/LittleEgypt/intro.html