DANCER-L Archives

From: "Bertie B.Dancer" <>
Subject: Lydia Dancer Cottle
Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2000 22:50:47 -0500

This is for the special benefit of the modern
day housewife who may have trouble with her
automatic washer and dryer.

The following instructions for washing clothes
were written in 1866, in Bastrop County, Texas,
by Mrs. LYDIA DANCER COTTLE, wife of Zebulon
Pike COTTLE, to her daughter, Mrs. ELIZA LOUISA
(COTTLE) BAKER, who was the bride of Obed BAKER.
Eliza was the eldest of 15 children. The copy
of this "receet" was supplied by Ralph Love,
(great-grandson of Mrs. Eliza Baker) of George-
town, Texas (April 1970).

Receet for Washing Clothes

1) Bild fire in backyard to het kettle of rain
water.
2) Set tub so as smoke won't blow in eyes if
wind gits pert.
3) Shave one hole cake lie soap in bilin water.
4) Sort things, make 3 piles, 1 pile white,
1 pile cullard, 1 pile work.
5) Stur flour in cold water to smooth, then
thin on down with bilin water. Add 1 tea-
spoon sugar to mix and stur.
6) Rub durty spots on board, scrub hard, if
severe, beat on batten board, then Rub
cullard but Don't bile, just rench.
7) Now take white things out of kettle with
broom handle and rench.
8) Spread tee towels out on tall grass so as
to bleech.
9) Hang old rags along fence to dry.
10) Pore all rench water out on flower beds.
11) Scrub porch off with hot sopey waters.
12) Turn tubs upside to drene.
13) Put out fire under pot and put ashes in
hopper.
14) Now go put on cleen dress, smooth back
hair with side combs, Brew yourself a
hot cup of tee, Set and rest and rock a
spell and Count Blessings.

[Lydia Dancer Cottle b 8 April 1831 was one
daughter of Ashall Dancer and Mary Ward who
settled in Bastrop County, Texas around 1837.
Ashall was a Primitive Baptist Preacher in
Bastrop and Fayette Counties. He died in
1849. bd]

This thread:

• Lydia Dancer Cottle by "Bertie B.Dancer" <>