once upon a time...in Texas

By Mable Cash

It is March 1, 2008.the morning air smelled sweet and the sun warmed the gentle breeze as I approached the entrance of the Barrington Living History Farm. This is a working farm of the 1850's with its staff attired in period clothing and working with livestock common of this era. This is my first visit to this historic site; Washington-on-the-Brazos, the birthplace of Texas!

As I made my way toward the original home of Dr. Anson Jones, (who was the last president of the Republic of Texas) it seemed as though I had stepped back in time. The "dog-trot" style of house was still common in our area when I was a child. The uncommon feature about this home is,. it is two- story! The unique structure was designed for practical use and efficiency by the whole family. The "dog-trot" design is similar to having a large breeze-way placed between the bedrooms and the living/dining areas of the house. Fireplaces on each end of the building warmed the wooden structure. Wide covered porches skirted the east and west sides. The "cook house" was set apart from the main building because of the heat and the dangers of fire.

I made my way passed the rail fences to the Anson home, there two women sat at foot-powered spinning wheels, one, busily spinning thread from wool, while the other made thread from cotton, right there in the dot-trot. They explained that some of the woolen thread would knitted into garments for the family while the cotton was often woven into fabric for the family's use.

The Anson Jones bedroom was shared by their two youngest children, Sarah and Cromwell. The Master bed sported high posters and was equipped with mosquito nets that enclosed the trundle-bed that pulled out from underneath one side of the master bed and the baby crib drawn close along side the other. The other bedroom was occupied by Dr. Jones' older sister, Mary. She was a school teacher who taught her nieces and nephews and often used her room as a classroom. When the family had special guests to stay overnight, Mary's room became the guest room and she slept upstairs with the older children.

Wood smoke wafting from the cook-house, plus other tantalizing odors, drew me toward the single pen cabin constructed of cedar logs. A large fireplace dominated one side of the room, a lively fire with glowing coals lit the area. Dried herbs and peppers hung from rungs attached to the ceiling. A large cast-iron pot bubbling with meat and various vegetables, hung suspended from a metal arm above the fire. My stomach growled with anticipation. A slender little woman drew a heavy dutch oven from the hearth, removed the lid and emptied the perfect contents onto a plate. Cornbread, hot and fragrant, made from cornmeal freshly ground by hand that very morning, the woman explained. I am greatly impressed! She answered my numerous questions about cooking skills over an open fire during the 1800s. True to the time period of the enactment, her handmade dress was frayed at the hem and the bodice sported a patch. Her name is Alvina Meyers, a volunteer who is presently compiling a cookbook with recipes used in Texas prior to 1860. Since the mission is to interpret everyday life in Texas in the mid-1800s, she is interested in the lives of those who used these recipes.

If you would be willing to share old family recipes and or stories for this purpose, write:

Alvina J. Meyers @ PO Box 25, Washington, TX. 77880

Or Email her @: almeyers@centurytel.net

All proceeds of this completed cookbook will go to the Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site, specifically, Barrington Living History Farm.