Little Egypt Heritage Articles Stories of Southern Illinois Bill Oliver 20 October 2002 Vol 1 Issue: #8 ISSN: pending Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen of Little Egypt, Ahhh, I got into a conversation with a near centurian not long ago. We talked about the "old" days and one of the topics was butter making. Butter was made at home. You remember those hand churns made by barrel makers [coopers] that you see in so many museums. Like making homemade ice cream, the product tastes so much better [different] when you do it yourself. However, Grandmother didn't think it was so much fun, ... rather, she thought it "so much work". Butter was/is made from "ripened" [slightly soured] cream. It can be made from fresh cream, but ripened cream churns much faster and actually produces better flavored butter. Now if you can use sweet [fresh] cream the flavor is blander. How is cream ripened? Glad you asked! Let cream stand at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours. The surface will appear glossy and the cream will have a slight acid taste. Left to ripen any longer will tend to make sour flavored butter. A Wisconsin cheesemaker, told me that the ripened cream has to go through concussion. Grams said that was the dairyman's term; she said it needs to be agitated. At any rate that means that the globules of butterfat suspended in the cream are brought together to form or yield the butter. So you want to try it yourself? Well, you can do it! The equipment is not expensive [exactly]. Probably you already have an electric beater, but you could use a hand wisk or an old fashioned egg beater. Shucks, you could even just shake it [but don't bruise it]. In the Middle East, leather bags were filled with cream and strapped to the backs of horses. Cream temperature should be about 60 degrees F. Higher and the butter will be soft and if lower the butter will take a heck of a lot long to form. In about fifteen minutes the cream should feel heavy. Once the granules have formed, stop churning and drain the buttermilk off. Then wash [rinse] the butter with cold water. The buttermilk poured off can be used in baking, or drunk, or even used in milkshakes. Grandma used to lay the butter on a piece of cheesecloth in a colander to let the cold water run over it. Now the work continues. The butter granules need to be worked together with a butter paddle [wooden spoon will do]. Grams added salt at this stage. She used "pinches" but I'm told that between 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon per pound. This preserves the butter longer. The final product is shaped or molded and wrapped in waxed paper. Pasteurizing the cream first will assure avoiding any unpleasant taste. Any milk or cream that is allowed to stand at room temperature will ferment and curdle due to bacterial action. With careful timing, thorough sterilization of the product and the use of pure-cultures of desirable bacteria, This natural spoiling process can yield such healthful and "delicious" cultured milk products as yogurt, sour cream, buttermilk and kefir. Wado, Bill -- Notes: Link to Archived Articles http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ne/state/ Little Egypt Heritage articles will be posted on Sunday evening on the following lists: SOIL-L@rootsweb.com ILJackso-L@rootsweb.com ILJohnso-L@rootsweb.com ILMassac-L@rootsweb.com

Researching the following Massac/Pope County surnames: Davidson, Glass, Trovillion, Lewis, Hannah/Hanna, & Foreman Judy Foreman Lee UdyDee43@aol.com www.angelfire.com/il/leefoss www.familytreemaker.com/users/l/e/e/Judy-F-Lee

Good Eveing Listers, Just a short summary of activities this week. There are now 155 subscribers [39 in digest mode] to this list. There have been some drop out and some new members. List and private correspondence/posts amount to 122 posts since Tuesday last. There are 37 different surnames now posted on the Massac County Surname Site at: http://www.rootsweb.com/~ilmassac/massacsur.htm Sincerely, Bill Oliver Site Manager -=-

Researching Fisher and May families. Stella C. Miller http:www.familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/m/i/l/Stella-C-Miller-IL/

Bev, I have Henritta Jackson Purcell. Born 4-14-1831 and died 8-17-1917. She was my 3rd Gr. Grandmother. Pat ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bev Baird" <bevbaird@usmo.com> To: <ILMASSAC-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, October 19, 2002 5:21 AM Subject: [ILMASSAC] Most Wanted > Hi, > > Looking for Vines, McGhee, Patterson, Purcell, Finley, Coad. > > Bev > > >

Seeking any connections to Matilda Ann BERRY King, wife of James Henry King. I am looking for parents of both. Matilda Ann Berry (listed as Matildy Ann King in death record book) died 20 Nov 1881 in Bay City, Jackson Precinct, Massac Co., IL at 29 years old. She is buried at Farmer's Hall cemetery (W.F. Rose), Massac Co., IL. According to census info, she was born 1852 in TN and her parents were both born in TN. James Henry King was born 1 Oct 1848 in Pope Co., IL and died in 1934 in Livingston Co., KY. His parents are listed as John KING and Loucinda KING on his marriage application to his second wife, Mary C. Smith. I have not been able to locate a marriage record for him and Matilda Berry, my GGgrandparents. With the names John KING and James KING, you can imagine how difficult the line has been to trace. James KING and Matilda Berry KING appear in the 1880 Massac Co., IL census, ED #62, Jackson Pct. Any help, leads, etc. will be greatly appreciated. Deb Mullins Kirsch

Hi, Looking for Vines, McGhee, Patterson, Purcell, Finley, Coad. Bev

My most wanted are: CRENSHAW/ ALEXANDER/ BRUSH/ HARPER/ POE/ Mary Jo Moore

The name I am researching is Thomas Jefferson Taylor. He was a sheriff for Massac County. He was born 1832 in TN. Psalms 108:1-4 "My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody! Awake, O my soul! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn! I will give thanks to the thee, O Lord, among the peoples, I will sing praises to thee among the nations. For they steadfast love is great above the heavens, thy faithfulness reaches to the clouds."(RSV)

In Massac County, I am interested in the Collie and Pendall families. I have a fair amount on Collies and would love to share what I have, but I have virtually no information on the Pendall family. Susan Carroll Kelley

No matter what link I click on I keep going back to the Massac Co. site home page. Anyone else having this problem? Virginia

Looking for William H Snow, his son Henry C Snow, and his Edwin Mortimer Snow around 1860s. Massac possible stop in family move from CT to Bureau Co., ILL. Regards tsnow@flash.net.

I am currently researching the MIZELL line which has several GRACE connections. What line are you researching? Thanks, Mark A. Collier -----Original Message----- From: LadyJane8@aol.com [mailto:LadyJane8@aol.com] Sent: Thursday, October 17, 2002 5:51 AM To: ILMASSAC-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [ILMASSAC] Most Wanted I am searching: MURRAY all spellings REDDING all spellings McELYA all spellings GRACE THANK YOU Jane

Ellie I have contacted a Hightower in my research of other names. His Address is hightower@galesburg.net Tom and Maggie. Perhaps they can help you .... Good luck Donna

Thanks Mark, I will continue to look. Donna

Susan, Yes my Uncle BUCK (Elmer) is the right line. He Married Amy they live here in Kankakee, IL until their death. They had no children. Uncle Buck ran a tavern and died in 1952 Amy died in 1972. She went blind in 1956 after Uncle Buck died and lived alone in her apartment until her death. Uncle Buck was in the process of building their house when he died of a heart attack. I have fond memories of my uncle and aunt. He would bring me toys and she would crochet clothing for the dolls. They were special people. Thank you for finding them. Your cousin Donna Kay I am Sarah Kathleen's daughter. She married Lloyd Stoner and she changed her name to Katie Sarah.

What DYE's are you interested in? Kenneth R. Searles Huntsville, KY ----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard Hogue" <res091eu@verizon.net> To: <ILMASSAC-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, October 17, 2002 12:19 AM Subject: [ILMASSAC] Most Wanted > My most wanted are Hogue and Dye > > Adele Leach > richard.hogue@verizon.com > >

Where did your Kelly's come from when they came to Pope & Massac Co.'s Do they trace back to the Kilkelly family? Barney Frothingham ----- Original Message ----- From: <VigoINGenes@aol.com> To: <ILMASSAC-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, October 16, 2002 2:28 PM Subject: [ILMASSAC] Re: ILMASSAC-D Digest V02 #39 > My most wanted are the Kelly's of Massac/Pope counties. James W. Kelly & his > son, W. Sam Kelly. they were there in the 1890,s till about the 1820's. > Missy Rose :) > > My family tree is full of nuts!!!! > > >

Seeking information re: LOCKER; WEBBER; FREER et el Clyde Gotcher - Hermann MO Raking the leaves under my family tree. All outgoing mail scanned with Norton AntiVirus

We are Laird's of course. How are you related? I have gobs of Laird stuff. Are you going to be the one to put the up-to-date LAIRD book together? ----- Original Message ----- From: "Elie~Sue" <Ohboy-33@webtv.net> To: <ILMASSAC-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, October 17, 2002 4:35 AM Subject: Re: [ILMASSAC] Most Wanted > Wow!!! this is the most action I have seen on this in some time!!!! > my family surnames are as follows.... > Powell, Davis, Whitlock, Baccus, Laird, Richardson, Clarkson, Choate, > Cummins, Hightower, Woodis or Woods or Woodes... > thank you all > Elie! > >