User:Conman06

Meet the Daggetts -- a real family who lived in northeastern Connecticut during the mid-1700s:

Samuel and wife, Anna his daughters, Asenath

and Tabitha his son, Isaiah

The Daggetts lived on a farm in the town of Coventry, Connecticut. Unlike other New England towns, it did not have a town center or village green, but was made up of farms scattered across the countryside. Mills, craft shops and taverns were located on people's farms. Many people in this community were from families who had come from Massachusetts. They wanted to establish farms in an area where most of the land had not already been settled by earlier generations of colonists. Religion played an important role in many New England colonial communities. People from Coventry, together with people from the neighboring towns of Hebron and Lebanon, attended the First Congregational Church of Andover.

November 23, 1749 "Pulled teeth for wife of Aaron Phelps"

"In the year 1763 I made 21 barrels of cider"

August 1764 "Made a coffin for Joseph Griswold's child"B. Samuel Daggett made a living working at several occupations. You're right! In order to provide for his family, Samuel Daggett did a variety of things. Like other farmers in this area of Connecticut, Daggett grew many different crops and raised several types of animals on his farm, for his family's use or to sell or trade for other things the family needed. From his account book, we know that Samuel Daggett grew wheat, corn, barley, oats and tobacco; made cider from the apples in his orchard; and raised cattle, sheep, pigs and chickens. Like other farmers, Samuel Daggett also had additional sources of income. His main occupation was a "housewright"--meaning that he built houses. Daggett probably built his own house in the early 1750s, around the time he married his wife Anna. He also made chairs, spinning wheels and even coffins! And, from his account book, we also find that he pulled aching teeth for his neighbors, a skill he learned from his father.

A. The home life and daily activities of Anna and the Children were closely connected to the work that Samuel Daggett did. True. On farms in the colonial era, each family member played an important role in producing food, clothing and household goods for the family. Anna Daggett ran the home and cared for the family. Anna prepared and preserved food; spun yarn; made clothing, towels and sheets; gave the children their earliest lessons in reading and writing; and fed animals like chickens and pigs. The Daggett daughters, Asenath and Tabitha, learned the skills of "housewifery" from their mother. They prepared yarn by carding and spinning; made clothing, soap and candles; tended the garden; and prepared food. The son, Isaiah, helped his mother and sisters with some of the chores around the house, and learned farming and other skills from his father Captain Obadiah Newcomb 0. Was a town founder 0.	Owned many acres of land in Lebanon, Hebron and Coventry, as well as Sharon and Cornwall, Connecticut 0.	Served as captain of the local militia February 23, 1749-50 "Made cart and wheel for Captain Obadiah Newcomb"

Jenne 0. Was enslaved 0.	Worked in the household of Reverend Samuel Lockwood, the wealthy minister of the First Congregational Church of Andover, and his wife. From the will of Anna May Lockwood, March 2, 1799 "...to Jenne...10 sheep, the bed she now sleeps in...6 pewter plates" Aaron Phelps 0. Owned a farm in Hebron 0.	Operated a gristmill, grinding grain into flour for his neighbors 0.	Donated land on which the First Congregational Church was built November 23, 1749 "Repaired mill of Aaron Phelps"

Rebeckah Gibbs 0. A widow 0.	Lived on a farm in Lebanon 0.	Had to manage both running her home and operating her farm since the death of her husband April 16, 1750 "Repaired a wooden wheel and three chairs for Rebeckah Gibbs"

Nathaniel House 0. Owned a farm in Lebanon 0.	Operated an inn near the First Congregational Church 0.	Served the community as a tax collector October 25, 1748 "Worked seven days on barn frame for Nathaniel House"

A. The people who lived in the Daggett family's community were like them in some ways and different in others.

True. Like Samuel Daggett, many of the men in the community both farmed and did other types of work. For example, Aaron Phelps ran a gristmill in addition to farming. Many people in this Connecticut community came from families whose ancestors had immigrated to the American colonies from England. There were also about 100 enslaved African Americans in the community, including Jenne, who lived with the Reverend Lockwood and his wife. And, it is likely that Native Americans also lived here, laboring on nearby farms or in larger towns--often for low pay. Not everyone in the community lived in the same circumstances. Widow Rebeckah Gibbs, for example, faced many challenges in running the farm and household on her own after her husband died. Although some people had the opportunity to establish their own farms and businesses, others--like the enslaved Jenne--found their freedoms and opportunities very limited

B. People got together for a variety of reasons from getting work done to enjoying each other's company.

You're right! People saw each other most frequently at church on Sundays, which allowed them to socialize as well as attend religious services. People also got together to help one another with building a house, spinning yarn or harvesting crops. Sometimes just men or just women got together with each other, but most gatherings included some element of fun. These events helped build a sense of community. New England colonists sometimes held a day of thanksgiving, but Christmas was not celebrated. In keeping with their beliefs, New England Congregationalists did not celebrate religious holy days Question 5.

The Local Community

Barrels Meat Fork

Cloth September 17, 1757 "Rufas Rude used my oxen to draw a load of boards." Watch a Quicktime Movie (448Kb)

Goods from Hartford Click on an advertisement to see a larger image

Tea Gun Powder

Pewter

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A. The Daggetts made many of the things they needed and could have purchased others.

True. No farm family could make everything for themselves. They traded for or purchased goods they needed or special things they wanted. They could obtain some of these things from local craftspeople, like coopers (who made items like washtubs and barrels) and blacksmiths (who made items like kitchen utensils and door hinges)

B. The Daggett family had several ways to learn what was going on in their community and the world.

You're right! Most often they heard news from their neighbors. If they wanted to get a copy of the latest newspaper or needed to pick up mail, the Daggetts had to travel about 20 miles to the larger town of Hartford. How did news from far away get to the colonists? News from the outside world arrived with ships that anchored in colonial ports. This news, as well as the more local news, was printed in the growing number of newspapers published in larger colonial towns. Information that needed to be shared quickly might be printed on broadsides--cheaply printed sheets of news or advertising--that were distributed or posted around town. People also shared news by writing to their friends and families within the colonies or in England. But news rarely traveled quickly. When the British government repealed the Stamp Act--a much-hated tax placed upon the colonies in 1765--the news took almost two months to reach the American colonists! pril 1, 1766 "My oxen to Hartford with one bushel of turnips" "Joseph Sprague, my mare to Hebron" Audio of churchgoers"Rev. Lockwood lived in great state. His wife, who was called Madam Lockwood, was a grand lady; she drove about in a fine chaise...

B. The Daggetts and their neighbors walked much of the time, but had other means of travel as well.

Yes! They walked to visit their neighbors or to attend church. Farmers also used horses or oxen for transportation. Sometimes they might rent them from a neighbor if they didn't have their own. When traveling alone, a farmer might ride on horseback, but if he was transporting goods he might use a pair of oxen pulling a cart. The Reverend Lockwood and his wife owned a 2-wheel chaise, a stylish horse-drawn vehicle that was an unusual sight in rural areas. Where they existed, roads were stony, muddy and frequently zigzagged to their destination. One major road did pass through the community. Called the "Middle Post Road" it led east to Boston and west to Hartford. Travel for the most part was slow because weather was unpredictable and horses often needed a rest