A Journal - Elkton - McGaheysville, Virginia Area

Recently  I was given a packet containing some old family photos, a few letters, newspaper clippings and a bound composition book with  ruled pages. This volume has a black and white cardboard paper cover. As I examined the outside of this book,I found it's first entry was made well over a hundred years ago by a Miss Lottie Davis of Elkton,Virginia. 

Curiosity killed the cat and being a genealogist won out over what some will say is, "good common sense". I just had to know exactly who this Miss Lottie M.Davis was.  Without that knowledge how could any of us judge the true worth of what she had written in her "Journal"?

Miss Lottie M. Davis

Well, as it turns out, Miss Lottie was, indeed, from the Elkton - McGaheysville, Virginia area as had been her family since early settlement days.  

Miss Lottie M. Davis was the daughter of Hiram Franklin Davis and his first wife, Cora Lee Eppard, the daughter of Thomas J. Eppard and his wife Mary Ann Dean who had been married on the 10 May 1888. Cora Lee Eppard Davis died 18 Dec 1916.  She and Hiram were the parents of  Hurman [Herman?] L. Davis, Lottie M. Davis, Lelia Ethel Davis, Mabel E. Davis, Hiram F. Davis, Jr., Lawrence F. Davis, William Albert Davis, Harold Russel Davis, Beulah M. Davis, M. Norwood Davis.  [Note: William Albert Davis was called "Willie" on a census record, but he was also known locally as Bill Davis.  He should not be confused with William Henry "Willie" Davis who was the son of James Henry Clinton Davis and his wife, Rebecca Suzanne Comer.]

After Cora Lee Eppard Davis died in 1916, Hiram remarried to Mattie Edna Leap the daughter of Elijah [Elisha] "Alfred" Leap and his wife, Mary Virginia Armentrout.  Mattie was a descendant of the Leap, Warble, Sellers, Monger and Armentrout  families who settled in the McGaheysville - Elkton area.

Lottie M. Davis's grandparents were:

1. John Barton Davis and Sarah Elizabeth Samuels who were married 22 Sep 1859.
2. Thomas J. Eppard and Mary Ann Dean who were married in 1867.

Lottie M. Davis's great grandparents were:
1. James S. Davis and Barbara Ann Smith who were married 23 Aug 1834.
2. Joseph Hiram Samuels, Sr. and Mary Parmelia Eppard who were married 28 Aug 1828.
3. Reuben Eppard and Mary Susan [Sarah] Smith who were married 12 Feb 1837.
4. Dean who has not yet been determined and his wife.

Lottie M. Davis's great great grandparents:
1. Davis side not yet determined. [1880 Census states James S. Davis and his father were born in Maryland.]
2. Not yet determined. [1880 Census states that James S. Davis and his mother were born in Maryland].
3. James Smith, son of William Smith and Nancy Morris. 
4. Elizabeth Miller, daughter of Christian Miller and Catherine Conrad.
5. Joseph William Samuels
6. Frances "Fanny" Snelling.
7. John George Eppard [Ebert], son of Wendel Ebert.
8. Catherine Beasley.
9. John George Eppard [Ebert], son of Wendel Ebert.
10.Catherine Beasley.
11.William Smith
12.Nancy Morris.
13. Dean who has not yet determined.
14. Not yet determined.
15. Not yet proven. 
16. Not yet proven.

From the above, it is easy to determine that Miss Lottie M. Davis was related either by blood or marriage to almost every one who had settled in the McGaheysville or Elkton area.  She lived during three horrible wars: WWI, WWII, and Korea.

Miss Lottie M. Davis is buried in the Elk Run Cemetery in Elkton, Virginia.

Much to my surprise, this journal was not a typical notebook of household activity or even one for a farm or local business as one expects to run across every now and then.  There were no weather entries or any other such things as one would expect to find.  Instead to my astonishment and delight this book, with entries starting in the year 1911, contained things which the writer felt were truly important enough for her to always remember.  As I perused the book, I found that the entries were not always in order. 

It is my opinion, based upon studying this book, that over the years she entered information upon whatever was close at hand to ensure that she did not forget an exact day an event occurred.  Then she recopied that information into this book as she had time or perhaps found the previous notes she had made to herself.

In the following transcription, I placed the day of the month before both the month and the year in order to be positive there was no mistake made in writing the date. A lead pencil was used to make the original journal entries. Now, the pages of this volume are a beige-creamy color instead of the stark white it use to be, when it was new, a hundred plus years ago because of the acid found in the old paper. The writing on these pages is, at times, difficult to read even with the help of a strong magnifier; therefore, when I am unable to decipher an entry, a blank line will replace the letter or letters in question. Perhaps you should also be aware that I am inserting in brackets, near the original entry, additional information which I know to be true from other family, community, church or government records.

Due to the fact that this journal's content is extensive, it will be necessary to limit the number of pages which I am able to print on this site at any one time. Please also bear with me in understanding that as this site contains various topics, it will be necessary for me to rotate the subject matter among those topics.  In reality, this means that the pages from this journal will not be printed all at one time but must be rotated, along with the other subject matter.  I do know and fully understand that some of you are interested in the recipes while others are interested in only the military aspect of this blog post, so"please" bear with me as we move forward with this site which was designed in hopes that it would allow all of us a better understanding of life as it was lived in the colonies.

Oh, one other thing I forgot to mention, this journal does positively cite events in the lives of folk who lived in the Elkton - McGaheysville, Virginia area between 1911-1935. This means that if someone is listed as having died in 1911 at the age of eighty-eight years, that person would have been born ca. 1823, or eight years after the War of 1812.  In all probability they would have known their grandparents and some even their great grandparents.  These folk would most probably have served with George Washington's troops, many of whom were from this area.  Some of them may even have been your emigrant ancestor. Perhaps one or more of your elusive ancestors will be cited in this journal and you will know exactly what he or she was doing on that particular day of their life. So, even though you may be primarily interested in the recipes or perhaps the Holidays or something else entirely, you might find this section also worth your time to read.

The Journal of Miss Lottie Davis 

Inside the front cover of her journal she wrote the following recipe which I have not, as yet, tried.

Candy

 2 cups sugar,1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup nuts. 

Mix sugar. water in a large pan, bring to a boil, add milk and boil over a low flame until mixture forms a firm ball when tested in cold water. Move from fire and add nuts.  Beat until mixture is thick and creamy, but when cold [cut] in s_ [slices, squares?].

Part 1 - Page 1

Things Happening in 1911

25 May 1911 - Moved from Cambell [?] to Elkton.
26 May 1911 - Joined UBC  Lottie & _______ [United Brethren Church].
2 Nov 1911 - Stop School with bad _______.
1 Feb 1912 - Got glasses from Dr. Levinson.
18 Dec 1916 - Mother [Cora Lee Eppard] died on Monday morning.
26 June 1917 - Norwood [M. Norwood Davis] died on Tuesday morning.
30 April 1918 - Operated on for app[endix].
14 Oct 1918 - Aunt Maggie died.
22 Feb 1919 - Tonsils taken out Dr. Fahiney.
15 April 1919 - Mable [Mabel E. Davis] and Earl married.
28 June 1919 - Lelia [Lelia Ethel Davis] and Clark [Clark C. Monger] married. 
2 Aug 1919 - Granny [Mattie Edna Leap] and Daddy married. 
2 Feb 1920 - Teeth Xrayed.
1915 - Cover made railroad bridge.
10 Mar 1925 - Mr. W A[?] Brill operated.
1 Oct - 1912 -RMH opened [Rockingham Memorial Hospital].
14 Feb 1920 - Anna Sly got bur[ied].
18 Feb 1920 - Teeth got taken out by Dr. Rush.
9 Mar 1920 -  Temporary set of teeth.
Page 2
7 April 1920 - Foot opened by Dr. Lewis.
23 July 1920 - Naomi's birthday.
20 Aug 1920 - Began crocheting.
27 Aug 1920 - Guy's birthday [Guy Monger]
Dec 1920 - Joined Ladies Aid.
20 May 1921 - Miss Hettie Riddle died.
21 May 1921 - Mrs. N. A Dean died.
1 Aug 1921 - New Glasses.
2 Mar 1927 - Aunt Texie Frazier died.
5 Mar 1927 - Irvin Monger and Mary J. Long married .
15 Feb 1927 - Miss Anna Finkerhouser [Funkhouser] died -aged 75. 
9 Mar 1927 - Mary Dofflemyer operated on.
Feb 1927 - Fawley new house.
Dec 1926 - Mr. McComb new home.
Dec 1927 - Uncle John Mill buried. 
Jan 1928 -   "        "     "      ".
Page 3
Oct 1921 - Rev Clegg came to Elkton.
Dec 1921 - Knitting.
Jan 1922  - Tatting.
Jan 1922 - Ray Dean left home.
2 Feb 1922 - Aunt Josie died.
25 Feb 1922 - George Bear died.
24 Mar 1922 - Ben Dean died.
13 April 1922 - Eula McNiel.
Feb 1922 - Mile Penny.
May 1922 - Papered room.
May 1922 - Lura Secrist married.
12 July 1922 - New Glasses Dr. Hall.
21 July 1922 -  Dr. Gilmor died.
April 1928 - New Wing on RMH [Rockingham Memorial Hospital] opened. 
Sept 1922 - UBC [United Brethren Church] met in Martinsburg,West Virginia.
4 Sept 1922 - Nora Hitt married.
Sept 1922 - Dr. Lewis left for Cape Cha[rles].
Sept 1922 - Elkton light.
29 Aug 1922 - Mr. Walter Meadows killed.
Page 4
21 Oct 1922 - Mr N. M. Haney died.
23 Oct 1922 - Curtis Deal [Diehl] killed.
16 Sept 1922 - Began building on house.
28 Oct 1922 - New lights.
14 Dec 1923 - Hot bottle.
1922 - New fur.
9 Jan 1923 - Ernest Monger death.
29 Jan 1923 - Shirt factory started.
8 Feb 1923 - J.W. Shuler died.
25 Jan 1923 - C.W. Breeden died.
16 Feb 1923 - Mr. N.A. Dean died sudde[n].
12 Feb 1923 - Louise Bernard Powell Jr.
20 Feb 1923 - Miss Mary Kite died.
20 Feb 1923 - Mr. Lester Eppard died.
24 Feb 1923 - Mr. Amos Shifflett died.
25 Feb 1923 - Clarence Morris killed.
15 Feb 1923 - Mrs. Sam Hensley died.
28 Feb 1923 - Mr. Sam Hensley died.
25 Feb 1923 - Mrs. Henry Good died.
Page 5
19 Jan 1923 - Mr. Cal Leap was paralyzed.
23 Mar 1923 - Mr. Dallas Koontz died.
2 April 1923 - Bertan Koontz.
10 Mar 1923 - Mr. N. A. Dean sale.
4 April 1923 - Mr. Lewis Haney died.
5 April 1923 - Mr. John Tompkins operated on.
9 April 1923 - Mr. W.H. Shifflett moved in store.
8 April 1923 - Miss Lizzie Powell mother died.
18 May 1923 - Mr. Lucious accident.
9 May 1923 - Lester and Margaret married.
3 June 1923 - Mr. Frank Thomas died.
7 June 1923 - New roof put on house.
8 June 1923 - Mrs. Sam Breeden died.
14 July 1923 - Valley Dean birthday.
24 Sept 1923 - Bill and Vernie moved to Miss Mollies.
1923 - Claude Snow left Elkton.
2 Oct 1923 - Fogle and Downs house burned.
To be continued...

Homes

Have you ever given thought to what homes were like in the colonies?  Do you have any idea what furnishings they contained?  Were they similar in all colonies or was each colony vastly different?

In evaluating the life style of our ancestors, there are several things which must be considered.  From the 1600’s until the early 1800’s, most housing was just a first generational shelter as folk made their way inland from the Atlantic Ocean.  Slowly they built towns and villages before they moved into more remote wilderness areas.

The overwhelming majority were self-sufficient which resulted in most of America living in villages composed of small, crude dwellings or in remote wooded areas.  Winter severely limited their life style as it dictated they be confined to a single living area dominated by a fireplace.  Their activities, indeed their entire family’s existence – domestic, economic, and bodily functions – were all primarily limited to this one space. 

In areas from the Chesapeake Bay northward, the winter temperatures were harsher than the colonists had experienced in England. This resulted in families burrowing deeper into their shelters for protection against the bitter winds and the deep snowdrifts.  In many cases, a shelter was divided and shared with any livestock the family was fortunate enough to own.  The fireplace ensured the survival of all.  Edmund Morgan, the eminent historian, stated that heading into the 18^th Century, a few affluent colonists built homes of brick, “but everyone else still lived in the rotting wooden affairs that lay about the landscape like so many landlocked ships.  A heavy downpour would knock them down or fire devour them in an instant.  But no matter – sift the ashes for nails and put up more – wood was cheap.”  Jack Larkin in The Reshaping of Everyday Life: 1790-1840 wrote, “Many homes were genuinely squalid, starkly reflective of the world of scarcity in which their owners lived.”

It is known from the works of various historians that on an average there were five to seven people living in this small space.  The fireplace kept these folk alive by providing hot meals, warmth from the outside elements and about fourteen hours of firelight each day which enabled them to conduct their various activities.  Keeping the fire stoked was a life-or-death necessity as wind chill factors often plunged to below zero.  Normally a dozen cords of wood were used over the winter.  This wood had to be accessible which resulted in it also being stacked in the interior living space during periods of heavy snowfall.  Families spread straw over their dirt or rough plank floors to help insulate against the cold and to sop up the inevitable messes. Additional layers of straw were added to replace that which had broken down into layers of dust. 

                       

Slops, the time honored term for human and animal wastes, inedible food and other garbage, piled up as snowdrifts blocked paths to privies.  Washing clothes was confined to small batches which could be hung on poles near the fire to dry.  Bathing, which was considered a health hazard by most people, was postponed until warm weather.  Winter confinement, despite the best efforts of all members of a household, was a time of prolonged darkness, ashes, soot, vermin, stink and mounting filth.

With the appearance of spring, men readied their fields for planting, gathered syrup for making sugar, and sheared their sheep.  Women raked the dirty stinking straw from their homes and scrubbed everything in sight.  “Spring cleaning” was more than an event, it was a necessary ritual.  Regardless of how hard a woman worked, cleaning never ended as dust and bugs flew in the open doorway and windows. 

Eventually, as the economy expanded and the early settlers were replaced by new waves of immigrants, people were able to turn their attention to a better quality of life which brought an added sense of orderliness to their homes and gardens. 

May Day

The tradition of celebrating May Day by singing and dancing around a maypole which is tied with colorful ribbons or streamers survive in America as part of the English tradition.  Weaving in and out while holding ribbons to  entwine the Maypole, the choosing of a May Queen and  hanging May baskets filled with flowers on the doorknob or steps of neighbors homes are all leftover bits of old European traditions whose origins date back beyond the birth of Christ.

An ancient rite performed throughout the world on this day was the setting of a new fire which was thought to lend its life to the springtime sun. In early Irish lore a number of significant events took place on Beltane [Beltine, Beltaine, Belltaine], which long remained the focus of folk traditions and tales in Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man.  For the Druids of the British Isles, this was the second most important holiday of the year.  Other pre-Christian Celtic peoples, divided the year into two main seasons as did the Irish. The beginning of the year [winter] which was known as Samhain meaning “death” by the Irish.  It fell on November 1^st.  Midyear [summer] was known as Beltaine and by Cétamain which means “life” in Scotland and also in parts of Ireland.

  

These two days were believed to be critical periods because the bounds between the supernatural and human worlds were temporarily erased.  Everyone knew that on May Eve, witches and fairies roamed freely making it necessary for measures to be taken against their enchantments.

The first mentioned of Beltane was in a glossary attributed to Cormac, Bishop of Cashel and King of Munster, who was killed in 908. Cormac describes how on Beltane, cattle were driven between two bonfires as a magical means of protecting them from disease before they were led into open summer pastures.  This custom was still observed in Ireland during the 19th century. Other festivities enjoyed during this celebration included Maypole dances and the cutting of green boughs and flowers.

Cormac derived the word Beltaine from the Old Irish word tene meaning “fire” and the name of the god, Bel or Bil.  A number of 20^th century scholars have maintained modified versions of this etymology despite linguistic difficulties by linking the first element of the word with the Gaulish god Belenos which the Irish call Belenus.

Cattle were driven through the fire to purify them. Men, with their sweethearts, passed through the smoke for good luck. The word ‘Beltane’ is derived from the Irish Gaelic ‘Bealtaine’ or the Scottish Gaelic ‘Bealtuinn’, meaning ‘Bel-fire’, the fire of the Celtic god of light (Bel, Beli or Belinus). He, in turn, may be traced to the Middle Eastern god Ba’al. Bonfires [bone fires—from human sacrifice] were lit, and leaping the fire was a custom thought to encourage the crops to grow as high as the leaper could leap or jump the fire. These fires, also called “balefires” or “need-fires” were thought to have healing properties.

When the Romans came to occupy the British Isles, the beginning of May became a very popular feast time for them. It was devoted primarily to the worship of Flora, the goddess of flowers. A five day celebration, called the Floralia, was held in her honor. The five day festival started on April 28^th  and end on May 2^nd. Gradually the rituals of Floralia were added to those of the Beltane. Many of today's May Day customs bear a stark similarity to those combined traditions.

Maypoles were of all sizes which led to villages competing with one another to produce the tallest Maypole. Much merrymaking accompanied the bringing in of the Maypole from the woods.  The Maypole was usually set up for just the one day in smaller towns, but in London and larger towns, they were erected as a permanent fixture.

The Puritans discouraged May Day celebrations.  It was revived when they lost power in England, but the celebration did not have the same dedicated following as before.  Eventually it came to be regarded as more of a day of joy and merriment for young people rather than as a day of observing the ancient customs.

Attempts to do away with the practices which were obviously of pagan origins were brought about by the Reformation.  Although they basically succeeded, the Maypole with many of the other traditions still survives. In France, the name merely changed.  In Perigord and elsewhere, the May Tree became the "Tree of Liberty" and was the symbol of the French Revolution. Despite the new nomenclature, the peasants treated the tree in the same traditional spirit. And they would dance around it the same way as their forefathers had always done.

The tradition of celebrating May Day by singing and dancing around a maypole which is tied with colorful ribbons or streamers survived in America as part of the English tradition.  Weaving in and out while holding ribbons to  entwine the Maypole, the choosing of a May Queen and  hanging May baskets filled with flowers on the doorknob or steps of neighbors homes are all leftover bits of old European traditions.

 In the Shenandoah Valley, “Freckle Washing” was commonly celebrated on the first day of May.  To work it had to be performed in the following manner, one must arise before sunrise and not speak to anyone.  If you slept upstairs it was necessary to walk down the steps backwards before going to wash your freckles in the stump of a tree in which rain water had been trapped. If stump water was not to be found, one could place their hands on the dew dampened grass and moisten the freckles  by rubbing dampened hands  over the face or wherever the freckles were located.  The rest of the moisture must be removed by wiping it on a part of the body where the freckles would not show publicly.  It was then important to say, “The first morning in May, I wash my freckles away.  Where I put them I want them to stay.” as one rubbed the dew onto their body.  For this ritual to be successful, it had to be repeated three years in a row on the first day of May. 

It was also believed that if one looked over their shoulder into a well or spring with a mirror they would see their future spouse.  Your casket was said to appear if you were to remain unmarried.

Just in case one was interrupted during the three consecutive years of the May Day treatment or for whatever reason the above treatment did not work, there is a very old recipe with which to solve the problem. 

To Remove Freckles, Tan, Pimples, Etc.

To two gallons of strong lye soap suds add one pint of pure alcohol and four ounces of rosemary.  Mix together well. Apply mixture with a linen cloth twice a day until the object is affected.