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– 1776 — 1976 –
Click on caption to view illustrations:
- A Junior Spirit of ’76
- The Colonial Fireplace
- Source of Heat & Light
- In early colonial times a drummer beckoned the citizens to worship. Later, churches had bells.
- This scene from the late 1700’s shows the congregation of a large church.
- Church was an important part of the lives of these people.
- The worshippers at this small village church of the early 1700’s keep their weapons close at hand in case Indians should attack during the Sunday morning services.
- The rich had curtained beds to keep out drafts.
- Fine furniture included grandfather clocks and Windsor chairs, luxuries only the wealthiest men in Hampton could afford.
- How Soap Was Made
- Father: Jack of all trades
- Mother: Washing the family clothes
- Candlemaking
- Whittling wooden bowls or toys
- Turkey in the cornfield
- A typical Colonial kitchen
- The patriot
- Feeding the cows in winter
- Even in the coldest weather, dad had to care for the cows. Without them, there would be no meat, milk or butter.
- Preparing the meals in the kitchen
- Mother always had food to prepare. Pots are steaming over the fire as the men pause for a puff at their pipes and a tankard of ale.
- Shearing the sheep.
- Spinning and weaving were two of the most important tasks of the colonial housewife.
- Cloth made at home was known as “homespun”, made on a loom and much of it was linsey-woolsey.
- Stitching of the woven cloth was done with coarse thread and a needle which often was made of bone.
- This mother is wearing a gray or grown wool dress with a falling band of linen around the neck and a long, white Holland style apron.
- Home entertainment consisted of playing the violin, piano, or other musical instruments.
- Large, fluffy, powdered wigs were worn by all men who could afford them for more than 100 years.
- First umbrellas came to America from Europe in 1770s. First users were criticised for defying the will of God who made the rain.
- Surveyors were in much demand during theColonial era.
- The blacksmith was important to every community. He shod horses and made hoops, kettles, hinges, chains and other items.
- This sketch calls to mind Hampton’s Col. Christopher Toppan, a Hampton merchant.
- Farming was the most common occupation of Hampton men of the 1700’s.
- Harvesting the grain was one of the duties of the farmers in Hampton during the 1700’s.
- During the planting and harvesting seasons, the men worked from dawn till dusk
- Sailing ships built of oak and pine were once constructed at Hampton.
- The tallest trees were marked to be saved for ship masts of British Navy vessels.
- The fastest way to travel on land was by horseback in the 1700’s.
- The first stagecoach passed through Hampton on Monday, April 20, 1761.
- Stagecoach passengers and people traveling by horseback were put up overnight in taverns or inns, such as the Hotel Whittier in Hampton.
- Two hundred years ago a 16-ton sloop could make a round trip to Boston in less than a week.
- Several of the beautiful masted schooners were owned by Hampton merchants and traders.
- Large rowboats were often seen on the Hampton River.
- The alphabet carved on a wide board with a handle was called a “hornbook.”
- “Reading, Writing & ‘Rithmatic …. talk to the tune of the hickory stick.”
- Boys often chopped, stacked and carried wood for the fireplace.
- A favorite pastime of the Towle c;hildren and their friends was rolling hoops.
- The children of this family, probably played tag, marbles, leap-frog, hopscotch, blindman’s buff and hop, skip and jump.
- Mary Towle was looking forwad to tomorrow’s quilting bee at their Sanborn cousins’ large home in Hampton village.
- About all Sarah could talk about this fall was the new doll she wanted for Christmas that came from France.
- The first newspaper was published in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1690 by Benjamin Harris.
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