Conecuh County AlArchives History .....History of Conecuh County 1881
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com May 23, 2004, 10:35 pm

CHAPTER X.
Customs and Habits of the Early Pioneer Families-Rude State of
Society-Early Amusements.

   Much in regard to the simplicity of the manners of the early pioneer 
families will be gathered from what has already been said. The constraints and 
conventionalities which increase with a developing state of society, found no 
exception here. Society was composed of men who were bound together by strong 
ties. A feeling of mutual dependence produced a feeling of mutual esteem. This 
they sought occasion to evince as they would ofttimes come together in the 
chase, at the "log-rolling," or at church. Here they freely mingled together, 
and were controlled as gentlemen by the dictates of natural judgment and good 
sense. The wives, sisters and daughters would meet most frequently at 
quiltings,-occasions which served the double purpose of profit and pastime. 
The occasion of preaching was hailed with delight. Everybody attended, and 
every one joined with a genuine heartiness in the sacred worship. No laws of 
dame Fashion were then transgressed by attending church barefooted, so long as 
this was regarded a necessity. So highly prized was a pair of shoes during 
these early times, that the fortunate possessor would guard against tramping 
in them the entire distance to church, by carefully wrapping them up, and 
carrying them under his arm until near the place of worship, when he would 
proceed to wipe the dust from his feet, insert them into his shoes, and stroll 
onward to church. Or. else, men and women, who had each a pair of old and new 
shoes, would wear the older within a short distance of the place of worship, 
and then proceed to displace them with the newer ones, while the others were 
concealed until their return.

   Means of conveyance were exceedingly scant. The father and husband would 
sometimes be seen approaching, on a public occasion, with his wife behind him, 
and his children disposed upon the back of a faithful horse, as they could 
find sufficient space. No violence was done the rules of social etiquette when 
a gallant youth would offer a blushing damsel a seat behind him on his horse. 
Where social gatherings were less frequent than now, these people of artless 
customs were loth to separate. Drawn together from distances far apart, and 
meeting but seldom, they would quietly listen to quite a long discourse on 
occasions of sacred service; and when the exercises were over, they would 
mingle informally together, and render the occasions doubly profitable and 
attractive to themselves by a free interchange of thought on spiritual 
experience. After an hour spent thus pleasantly together, a cordial invitation 
was extended by those living nearest the place of worship, to go with them to 
their homes and dine. Here was dispensed the freest hospitality, and in the 
simplest manner, much to the enjoyment both of the entertainer and the 
entertained.

   The favorite amusements of the least spiritual of the male population were 
shooting matches, foot races, and boxing and wrestling contests. The rude 
athletic sports, though always begun good-humoredly, were not unfrequently 
converted into occasions of "rough and tumble" fights. But the primitive "code 
of honor" forbade the use of sticks, pistols, or knives. Every contestant 
would have to depend solely upon his natural resources, should he so far 
forget himself as to be betrayed into a spirit of belligerency.



Additional Comments:
History of Conecuh County
Rev. B. F. Riley
Pastor of the Opelika Baptist Church

Columbus, Ga.;
Thos. Gilbert, Steam Printer and Book-Binder
1881

Chapter X

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