Homes, Food and Clothing of the Original Settlers of Galesburg, Illinois

Earnest Elmo Calkins, in his book, They Broke the Prairie, details the lives of the early settlers of Galesburg, Illinois. In the chapters named, "Pioneer Architecture," and "Food and Clothing," these respective aspects are discussed to show that life during this period (around 1836) was difficult but through a little ingenuity, the early settlements became fairly comfortable and were able to evolve into the "civilized" cities of the East.

Also explained is how the houses were first built for the settlers of Galesburg from an encampment outside the town known as Log City. This encampment of able workers consisted of seventeen cabins and two barns and is considered unique because most towns were built on the actual site and not from a temporary construction camp.

The log cabins, which were standard fare in the new settlements, were, for the most part, constructed at Logt City. Tis began by setting up a frame from logs cut down to a length of seven feet and a thickness of nine inches. The walls were then constructed by placing logs into notches cut into the frame. The spaces between the logs were filled with sticks and then covered with clay. After the roof was up and covered with wooden shingles, openings were cut for doors, one on each side, and another for the fireplace.

The cabins only consisted of one room, but sometimes a second level was added. IT may be interesting to note that almost no metal was used in the construction of the cabins. Wooden pegs and hinges were created and used when necessary. For privacy within the cabins, curtains were sometimes employed and frequently the attic was made up into a guest room.

The diet of the early settlers was very basic and limiting compared to today's standards, consisting mostly of corn and pork. Corn and pigs were collected, cleaned, and cooked by those who were intending to eat the meal and no establishment or communal kitchens were in existence in Log City.

"Although some wheat was raised, the main dependence was corn." This was ground in hand mills for bread and baked on a slanted board or piece of metal in a fire or for the more fortunate, in a dutch oven. Other foods the settlers had were limited in quantity and consisted of such items as butter and milk, chickens, and eggs. Wild game was also plentiful and nearly all the settlers took to hunting to supplement their diets. One other thing they had was honey, which was abundant in the trees where a large number of bees made their homes.

For clothing, many settlers had brought good clothes with them, but these soon wore out and so the women were called upon to spin and weave wool, cotton, and flax which were also grown sporadically. The fashions in this time were changing. The pioneer look of leather clothes and coonskin caps was dying down and woven cloth became more popular. The women the more flashy dresses of the East grew out of style and more down-to-earth colors and fashions emerged. An important part of a woman's attire was her sunbonnet of which every woman owned. Shoes were made from the skins of slaughtered animals and put together by a travelling cobbler who came into town from time-to-time.

The lives of the early settlers were hard and without luster as can be seen by taking a look at their architecture, food, and clothing. These trying times were not all bad, however. The circumstances called for all people to work together and friendships were usually fast and lasting. A sense of community was quickly established by these people all working together for their fellow men and this was the hub of the original Galesburg and new settlements of the Midwest.