5th Grade Colonial Village Blog

November 4th, 2016

11/4/2016

Introduce yourself & your trade to our village!
Please separate your work into 2 complete paragraphs.
PARAGRAPH 1:
Name
Age
Trade
Family – brothers, sisters, parents...
Heritage – Where did you come from?
Why did you come to the colonies?
PARAGRAPH 2:
Name of your trade
What did your trade typically involve?
What was the purpose of your trade?
What tools were necessary to perform your trade?

33 Comments

Emma

11/4/2016 11:33:44 am

1. Hello, my name is Charity Adams. I am 16 years old and was born on May 26, 1703. I have 2 older brothers and 2 older sisters. One of my older brothers moved from Bath, England, (where my family used to live) to Williamsburg, Virginia, to get us more land. Once my brother secured land, my parents decided that our family should move to join my brother.On the voyage to Williamsburg, I was born at sea on the ship "Blessing".

Mr.L

11/4/2016 12:13:26 pm

Thank you for joining us, Charity. I'm glad to hear that your family is well.

Alice

11/29/2016 04:30:40 pm

Hey Charity I hope in the future that I can make some trades with you.

Emma Miller (Leah Van Cleave)

11/4/2016 01:30:03 pm

Hi, I’m Emma Miller, and I’m responsible for making all the butter in my family. If we can, we try to sell it in town to make some extra money. I’m the oldest child and only girl besides my mom. I live in Pennsylvania with my mom, Eleanor, dad, John, and my four brothers, John Jr., Matthew, Phillip, and Stephen. I’m 16 years old, and we moved to the Colonies last year from London, England, because my family was looking for religious freedom from the Church of England.

As the main butter churner for my family, I have very serious job. I have to keep everything VERY clean so that my family doesn’t get sick. After the cows are milked, I have to pour some of the fresh milk into a special shallow dish called a setting dish. After half a day, the cream rises to the top, and I have to use a cream skimmer to skim off the cream, while also straining out any chunks or flies (disgusting!) that may have gotten into the dishes. I then pour the cream into a tall, skinny wooden barrel, and use the dasher to churn the butter. It takes quite a long time to make butter, and I even have to pour off the extra liquid a few times. My father brought some wooden butter presses with us from England,

Mr.L

11/4/2016 01:36:11 pm

Thanks for joining us, Emma. I'm glad to hear that you had a safe voyage. Your job does not sound easy! There's nothing like fresh butter on freshly baked bread!

Emma

11/16/2016 03:50:02 pm

Emma, your work as a butter churner sounds quite amazing. My family is going to get some bread from Marie the baker. I was wondering if we could do a trade. I can tutor you or a family member, if I could get some butter from you.

Rose

11/29/2016 03:48:47 pm

Hey,can I get some fresh tubes of butter? Im having a go away party and we are needing some butter is there anyway we could make a trade on wensday?

Marie (Monica)

11/30/2016 04:05:49 pm

Hi Emma! I never tried butter on bread! My mother said it was unhealthy for me.

Emma

11/4/2016 01:46:05 pm

2. Hello again, it's Charity Adams. As you may all know, I am 16 and live in Williamsburg, Virginia. If you don't know, my trade is being a teacher. Being a teacher, I am not allowed to get married while doing my trade. I work with children of all ages and help educate them in reading, writing, and figures. Some useful tools that I use are quills and ink, a slate, a hornbook, sealing wax, and a New England Primer.

jo jo

11/16/2016 05:26:45 pm

well hi Charity Adams why not be married

jo jo

11/16/2016 05:29:53 pm

SEALING WAX that is what my job is off

Sarah Johnson (Sarah Van Cleave)

11/4/2016 01:54:47 pm

My name is Sarah Johnson and I am 14 years old. My mother’s name is Elizabeth, and my father’s name is Adam. I have 3 siblings: 2 brothers, Charles and Henry; and 1 sister named Clara. I’m the youngest one out of all of us and Clara’s the oldest. My family was so tired of England because there were things that my father did not agree with so, and we heard that people were leaving England to find a new place to live. We decided to move to the New World. After being on the ocean for months we finally landed, and now we lived in a place called South Carolina. Recently, my Father became ill, so he is teaching me how to sew while the rest of my family is doing the farming. I’m excited because I am the only child interested in my father’s trade. It is actually pretty hard to sew and not to stab yourself, but Father says, “Just keep practicing and you will be better before you know it, Princess.”

As I stated before, I am learning to be a tailor. That is not a job usually held by a female, but my father needs help. Since my father is teaching me to be a tailor there are a few things of his that I use (hopefully I can get my own tools soon). I of course always use sewing needles, because if I didn’t have sewing needles then I wouldn’t be able to sew! I use pins to hold the fabric in place while I am sewing. I use a thimble to protect my finger from the pins and sewing needle - it hurts when you stick your fingers! I use shears to cut fabric and other materials. I use thread so I can sew fabric together with the needles. Lastly, I use fabric that is most importantly from England - although we have heard that a weaver has just moved nearby. I make clothing right now only for girls and women, but my father makes clothing for men, women, and children. It’s hard work, and sometimes we must work late into the night, but I like to see how happy people are when they pick up the clothing my father and I have made for them!

Justin

11/30/2016 08:34:24 pm

It sounds like a fun job to do. designing clothes

Tyler

11/4/2016 02:07:30 pm

Taylor Borger

11/4/2016 03:37:52 pm

Hello my name is Hazel Donaldson and I am described by many as a determined young woman. Although I am by nature small in size, this doesn't effect how strong I am! I was born in a small town in England on July 1, 1730 . I am 20 years old, which some may say is past the age of marriage. The average age for a girl to be married is 14 years of age. Life for me hasn't been easy living in England. Life was full of uneasiness such as war and rebellions. My family wanted peace and a quiet life. While I’m happy to say my mother, four sisters, and three brothers are still alive my poor father died a horrible death on our journey to the New World to our new home in South Carolina. Before father died he new life would be better for us in South Carolina. Jobs were few in our small town. It was said that money came easier and that’s what we needed. Father was a horse farrier and there was great job opportunity in South Carolina, because there was a lot of farming. This brought a need to care for animals working on those farms. So without hesitation our family journeyed the long trip.

My father was a strong man and many say that it’s where I get my strength. These days women's roles are to be in the house raise children, cook,and clean. My father believed that even though I was a woman I was able to learn his trade of a horse farrier, and so he taught me before he had died. For those of you that do not know what is involved in this let me explain. My work starts early morning and didn’t stop till late evening. I am in high demand from farmers because their horses hooves need to remain in good condition from their heavy workload day after day. My work is to make horse shoes by placing a large piece of iron into a very hot furnace. When the iron is pliable I use tongs to remove it and quickly shape the iron with my anvil or large hammer. While the iron is hot I also make holes in it for the nails that hold the horse's shoe onto his hoof. I also maintain the horse’s hooves by trimming the frog with a hoof knife. I use hoof nippers to trim the hoof wall, and a rasp to finish the trimming and smooth the edges. “It is very important to develop a trust between you and your patient”, my father would say. Most horses were willing and happy to have new shoes. It is hard work! I get tired but I love horses and it brings me great pleasure to care for them. It’s true I do take after my father I am determined, a hard worker and a good provider and am happy to carry on his role.

Celia Smith (SAM)

11/4/2016 03:39:40 pm

My name is Celia Smith and I’m 14 years old. I’ve been working as a weaver since I was 7. I have two brothers and one sister. I’m the oldest out of the four of us. My sister and I were born in England while my two brothers were born in America. My parents decided to leave England because they thought it would be a safer for us.
As a weaver, my job involved wool, string, and dye. The purpose of my job is to make rugs, blankets, clothes, and a lot more. Some helpful tools I use are shears to shear my sheep for the wool, a type of soap made from yucca to clean the wool, and of course a wooden loom.

Celia Smith (SAM)

11/4/2016 03:43:52 pm

Oops. Made a mistake.

My name is Celia Smith and I’m 14 years old. I’ve been working as a weaver since I was 7. I have two brothers and one sister. I’m the oldest out of the four of us. My sister and I were born in England while my two brothers were born in America. My parents decided to leave England because they thought it would be a safer for us.

As a weaver, my job involved wool, string, and dye. The purpose of my job is to make rugs, blankets, clothes, and a lot more. Some helpful tools I use are shears to shear my sheep for the wool, a type of soap made from yucca to clean the wool, and of course a wooden loom.

Gideon Noble

11/4/2016 04:39:24 pm

I would like to see some of your blankets. I am in need of blankets for the winter.

Gideon Noble (aka) Natalie

11/4/2016 04:21:00 pm

Hello, my name is Gideon Noble. I am in my 22nd year, and my trade is that of a cooper. I came from Southampton, England. I decided to leave England because I was paid to be aboard the Mayflower as a ships cooper. All merchant ships need coopers to look after their merchandise and the pay is very good. The good people aboard the ship offered me a job in one of their colonies and it has worked out very well.
A cooper is someone who makes watertight vessels. I make casks and barrels of all sizes. They are used for almost everything from buckets to wash tubs and even wooden tankards. For example, I make a lot of barrels used to ship tobacco to England and other goods. Some of the tools I use are curved drawknives (very sharp) used to shape wooden staves (the slats used to form barrels). Bitstocks to drill holes for pins. Also I use a cooper’s compass to make sure all my barrel and cask hoops are true. I hope you find time to come and visit my shop, you might find it interesting.

Tyler

11/4/2016 04:54:16 pm

Hello my name is James and I am 26 years old. For a living I am a Silversmith. I have a sister, a mother,and a father. I was born and raised in Salem,Oregon. I came to the colonies here in California for a change, to go out on my own and start a name for myself. The name of my trade is Silver on Point. my trade involves refining silver and molding it in to items that people can use or have for decorations. Some of the tools i use is a hammer, jewelers saw, anvils, and a torch.

Caroline (Ella)

11/4/2016 08:12:54 pm

Hi. My name is Caroline Morr. I am 24 years old and my trade is carpentry. I have a mother a father a older brother two younger sisters and a little brother. When I was two years old and my brother was four my parents moved to Virginia from Denmark. We came here for freedom along with many of our friends who wanted the same as us.

The name of my trade is " Morr carpentry". My trade involves a lot of time! My father is a carpenter and I am his apprentice. Soon I will be able to have my own shop. He taught me how to fit joints perfectly together, he also taught me how to measure and cut wood. When I was little he taught me how to do math and how to saw and hammer. Right now I'm trying to memorize the different types of wood. Then I can have my own shop. I help my father build houses for people to live in. I also build cabinets, chairs, tables and beds for people. It's a lot of work but it's fun helping people! Some of the tools I use to make these things are saws, hammers, bevels, planes which help to shape and smooth wood, augers which are used to bore holes in wooden items and many other tools.

Monica

11/6/2016 10:15:44 am

Hello, my name is Marie Owen. I am 12 years of age. My mother, Anne, Taught me how to bake when I was 6. She tried to teach my younger sister, Jane, but she prefers to play with her dolls. My family and I came from Atlanta, Georgia.
In Georgia, there were no good jobs. And my mother had a passion for baking, so we went to different colonies. We stopped at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and we found an empty store for sale. So we bought it and started a bakery. Our bakery is named " Baked Goods".
I work with my mother. The jobs my mother usually gives me the jobs sweep out the ashes of the oven, bake the loafs and cookies, and put the loafs on leaves. If I am lucky, she will let me bake a pie for our family. In the village we live in, we hardly know anyone. My family and I are getting used to the colonies.

Sarah

11/29/2016 07:22:09 pm

Hi Marie! I hope you like your job as being a baker. maybe if my family travels around the area maybe we can go and see your bakery I think Father and Mother would like to have a little sweet sooner or later in the new world.Hope everything goes well with your family and the bakery,
Sincerely,
Sarah Johnson

Cyrus Rushmore (Christian)

11/6/2016 06:16:26 pm

Hello my name is Cyrus Rushmore. I am 24 years old and came here with my family which includes my father, mother, and older sister. My sister is also very serious about work. I worked as a pastor in South Carolina. My family and I came here to spread the word of God.
The name of my trade is teaching. My perpose of my trade is to teach the people about God.The tools necessary for my job is the Bible and the will to follow God and preach the good news.

Rose (Alivia)

11/6/2016 08:15:39 pm

Hello my name is Rose I am 15 years old. My family and I came to this colony last month and we don't know anyone yet.THE profession of barbering is one of the oldest in the world. Barber crude forms of facial and hair adornment were practiced among different people in the ages.There are in existence many such as combs, cosmetics and razors, the latter made of tempered copper and bronze, which came from the country of Egypt. Things as well as many written records, reveal that the nobility and things activity had already become regular activities for the barbers' services 6000 years ago.
In those ancient days the barbers' art included shaving, haircutting, beard trimming, hair coloring and facial makeup.
I am missing Ireland a lot. I miss the friends and left behind my old pig. I really miss The sandwiches there and the bacon we would get every Tuesday. I wonder if I will ever see them again. Today we are in the process of making our house.my dad is a great builder and my mom is a great cooker they are teaching me how to cook and build. My younger sister isn't really interested in cooking and building she prefers to play with the cat and play with her dolls. I hope I can make a better like here in the colonies.

Caroline

11/16/2016 04:00:36 pm

Hi Rose. Do you like your job? It must be hard being a barber! I wouldn't want to be a barber because I would be nervous that I would accidently cut off someone's hair or not do what they wanted the right way. Does that ever happen to you? It sounds interesting though!

Justin

11/6/2016 08:36:05 pm

Name:Jack The shoe maker
Age:27
Trade: Shoemaker
Family Brother: Jeremy Sister: Victoria Dad: John Mother: Katie
Heritage: English
Why I came to the colonies: Cause the colonies needed shoemakers.

I am a shoemaker. I go to people's houses and measure their feet. My purpose was to make shoes that were needed by the colonists. My tools I needed were a last which is a wooden foot. Another tool I need is a awl which punches holes in the leather.

Ghynnis (joseph)

11/14/2016 09:59:42 am

Hi my name is Ghynnis I am 15 years old and the youngest of 12 brothers. I am a Candle Maker in a colonial village in Massachusetts. My older brothers is 17 but he left to be trained as a Barber. My brothers and I came from Wales, which is by England. We came to Massachusetts 5 years ago because we wanted to go to a new place and have new opportunities. My trade involves using melted animal fat to make candles. The purpose of my trade is so people can have light in the dark. The tools needed for candle maker are a stockpot to heat up water, a wax pot to hold the melted wax, a special kind of string called a wick and a bolt to tie at the bottom of the string to keep it straight. I dip the string in the wax over and over until it is thick enough to be a candle. I make 2 candles at a time and dip each one about 25 times.
Reply

Mr.L

11/14/2016 10:03:52 am

Welcome, Ghynnis! I'm glad you are joining us! Being a candle maker sounds fascinating! I can't wait to hear more.

Emma (Leah)

11/29/2016 09:05:54 pm

Hello, Ghynnis! Candle making sounds fun. It must be nice knowing you bring light to people.

Sophia Peterson (lily)

11/14/2016 10:08:30 am

Hi my name is Sophia Peterson and i am a framer i water the plants and feed and help the animals.

Ghynnis (aka jo jo)

11/14/2016 06:31:00 pm

CANDLES a thing that can make light for classrooms,churches and houses. I don't want my neighbors to live in darkness. 80% of a candle maker's time is spent scavenging for beeswax and animal fat. It takes a year to make 400 candles if I can find enough beeswax and animal fat. This trade by both men and women.

Blake Smith

11/19/2016 01:51:14 pm

I am Blake. Blake Smith. I am the blacksmith of my village, and no, I did NOT get the job for my name. It's a fun job because I get to bang metal with a hammer all day, but downside: cramped hands!! I don't really have a family anymore, but I found a wild cat. He had a white tummy with black spots. The rest is black. I called him Ash. I work with metals, and I sell it to my people. I'm part German, but I don't have a heavy accent or anything. I don't really like to share my age, but I will say that I'm in my fifties. It's good to have the know in science, I really quite like it. I'm mostly hiding out in my shop with Ash, selling my metals. I actually live in my shop, I close at night to get sleep, for you need rest to bang on metal all day. In my village, I'm known as "Smithy", from Smithy's Blacksmith Shop. At the time of the Second World War, I was too old to participate in the fight, but I did provide weapons and armor. Thank you for reading, and I hope I can interest you in my tools and metals.

November 4th, 2016

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