What We Look Like

Angevine Log Cabin

This log cabin was built by James Angevine about 1820.  James was born in New York City and was a sailor for a while.  He abandoned the water, and with $500 capital engaged in the grocery business meeting with excellent success.  On moving to this county in 1818, he purchased 1,100 acres of land in York Township.

The first log cabin was built on Tanners Creek and was washed away in a flood.  So about 1820 he built this cabin on the top of the hill overlooking the first cabin site.  He and his wife Susan had twelve children, but one died in infancy.  About 1834 Susan inherited money from her father and they then built a large brick house on Hartman Road in York Township, which is still standing and lived in.  Susan died in 1869.  James died in 1874 in LaSalle County, Illinois.

The fireplace was the families source of heat and cooking. The hot coals were taken from the fireplace and put on the hearth and the pots were set over them.

The women would spin wool into thread and it was wound on the yarn winder. They would have to carry water from the creek or well.

The source of light was the fireplace and candles and lanterns.

The bed was made in Lawrenceburg by William Brown Company.

The coverlets are woven and are double sided. One side was used in the winter and the other side in the summer. The blue and white one was woven in 1848.

The small trunk in front of the bed belonged to the Johnson Family and came over the mountains in 1804. It is covered in deerskin and the inside had newspaper lining.

The pie safe was where the family kept their pies and bread to keep the bugs out. The front is pierced metal to let air in.

In those days they did not have many clothes so one closet held all the family clothes. They usually only had two sets of clothes per person, everyday and Sunday.

Some beds were extremely high off the floor to allow a small bed to slide underneath. This was called a trundle bed. A stepstool would be used to get into bed. This bed is a rope bed, because it has ropes strung instead of springs. Every night they would have to use a tool to tighten the ropes so they wouldn't sag. The mattress was made of corn shucks, grass or feathers.