fun facts about the colonists
Being a Woman in the Colonial Period
As you will learn in the beginning of Joy Comes in the Morning, women in this era were not permitted to own property. The only way a woman could own any land was if her husband passed away and left her a widow. In such cases, ownership of the property would transfer to her new husband if and when she remarried. As implied in my book, widows were pushed into remarriage, in some cases very quickly. If a woman had no other man in her family to care for her, she had no other choice than to quickly find a new husband. The women in that time were homemakers and caregivers for the children. They would have numerous chores each day to keep up with the demands of having a family including: milking the cow, churning butter, baking bread, cooking, cleaning, carrying water, laundry, gardening, candle-making, soap-making, sewing, perhaps spinning wool, and knitting. I'm sure there is much more than that. I'm exhausted just thinking about it. This would have been in the days before disposable diapers and feminine products. Just keeping the laundry clean would have been an around the clock job!
Indentured Servants
Many people made the voyage across the sea though they didn’t have the money to pay for their ticket. In such cases, some people would offer themselves in contract to the captain of the ship. Once they made it to the new world, the captain could sell those contracts to others who needed hired hands. This is what Jonathan did in Joy Comes in the Morning to hire James, Nicolas and Robert.
Mary Latham
Mary Latham was a real person who lived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Though my book mentions that she was hanged alone, there was one man who was hanged with her. According to John Winthrop’s records, James Britton spent an evening with Mary and afterward was afflicted with some physical illness that Winthrop described as “palsy”. He must have felt it was God punishing him for his deeds and confessed of their wrongdoing. They were both hanged for the crime. Before her death, Mary named twelve men, five of whom were apprehended, but the courts would not hang them only on her testimony so they were freed.
Clothing
Many of the photos that depict the Puritan people show them in black clothing, but much of my research said that they wore many colors, not just black. They were not against color, but against frilly things like ribbons, lace, and bows, though many of the women were displeased by these strict rules. I did a lot of research to find out what they wore, but in the end, I decided to put Isabel in the traditional Puritan garb on the cover of Joy Comes in the Morning just so potential readers would have a good idea of the setting of the book.
Coifs or Head Coverings
Puritan women were expected to cover their hair as a means of modesty and a symbol of submission to their husband because of the instructions of the Apostle Paul in chapter 11 in his first letter to the Corinthian Church. Jewish women had been wearing head coverings for thousands of years, and Corinthian women did not. Corinthian women were very liberal, and I believe that was the reason for Paul’s instruction. The Corinthians worshipped in pagan temples and did despicable things there as part of their worship. I’ve read accounts of female, male, and child prostitutes in these temples, most of whom were forced into slavery, rather than being willing participants. Some of what I’ve read states that some of those men wore their hair long and feminine-like. I’ve also read about women shaving their heads as a sign that they were a prostitute. If that is so, if makes sense that Paul would instruct the Corinthian people on how to wear their hair. I’m not sure how the tradition of head-coverings continued as long as it did, but even in America, women wore head coverings until the 20th century.
Books Were Expensive
Books are a usual commodity that we take for granted these days here in America, but back in colonial times, books were much more expensive than they are today. In Joy Comes in the Morning, Jonathan purchases three copies of the New Testament for the cost of two week’s wages. Based on things I’ve researched, that is very close to what they would have cost. Puritans prized books and education, and they played a large role in the foundation of the education system we have today.
Anne Hutchinson
Anne Hutchinson is another person mentioned in Joy Comes in the Morning who was a real person. Just as stated in the book, she was banned from the Massachusetts Bay Colony for teaching Scripture. That was a no-no in Puritan society. Women were not permitted to preach or teach, and when she was caught doing, her family was driven out. She endured much slander by Winthrop. When she gave birth to a stillborn child, Winthrop said it was a demon-child. Afterward, many people began to say that when Anne served as midwife, all of the babies she delivered were deformed in some way. As stated in the book, Winthrop continued to slander her even after her family was massacred by Native Americans, saying that her death was the Lord’s will because she was doing the work of Satan.
Medicine
The medical world looked very different in colonial times than it does nowadays. There were no antibiotics and treatments were very absurd. Their understanding of how the human body functioned was very limited. Bloodletting was one of the most common courses of treatment for numerous health problems ranging from epilepsy to gout. Sometimes veins were lanced open and at other times, leeches were placed on the patient to do the job. I did not include this as a medical treatment for any of my characters but rather stated that they were treated through herbal remedies, which was another common treatment. Doctors were hard to come by, so often the town’s midwives were the ones who had the most medical knowledge.
Religious Punishment
I’m sure many of you have heard of the novel ‘The Scarlett Letter’ by Nathaniel Hawthorne, however, many of you may not know that the Puritan people really did punish adulterers in such manner. This was a mild form of punishment for a serious crime. As stated above, some were hanged for committing adultery. Other punishments for immorality were public flogging and time in the stocks.
Funerals and Wakes
I learned over the course of my research for this novel what a wake was. They served the purpose of simply sitting with the body of the deceased until it was time for burial to ensure that rodents were kept away. I was quite disturbed to learn that this was an issue, but they didn’t have any means to preserve a body for a funeral like we do today. Puritan funerals were short and simple affairs. They did not believe in long speeches or sermons in honor of the deceased. The part that I found most interesting is that the pallbearers were shrouded by a dark cloth as they moved the coffin to its final resting place. The cloth itself was called the pall, which is how pallbearers got their name.
Civil War in England
There was so much unrest in Europe in the seventeenth century. War was continuous and peace short-lived. In Joy Comes in the Morning, Jonathan talks about losing a friend in the Civil War back in England, though the Civil War had not officially begun at that time. It would have likely been the Bishop’s Wars which occurred between 1640 and 1642. The Civil War in England followed, spanning from 1642 to 1646, then resumed in 1648 and lasted until 1651. Part of the reason for conflict was the dispute of which religion should rule England. Many Puritans fled to North America during that time in hopes of leaving behind the unrest and starting fresh in a new land where they could worship as they pleased.
Food Storage
A larder was a small, cool room where perishable food was stored. It got its name because lard was also stored there and smeared over raw meats to preserve it. This was ideal if the meat would soon be used, but it did not preserve it for long-keeping. The most trustworthy method to keep meat for longer periods of time was to dry it. By drying out all the moisture, it would not spoil. Milk was generally not kept but used right away. However, butter would have been stored in the larder also. Spring houses began to be built during this century as well, as is mentioned in the end of Joy Comes in the Morning. It was a structure built around a stream where the spring bubbles up from the earth. This water is cleaner and cooler than other water sources and was perfect for keeping food cool. People also began to dig storage cellars in this time period. If food was stored under ground below the frost line, it stayed cool in the summer and didn’t freeze during winter.
Marriage and Weddings
Marriages needed to be approved of in advance and were announced to the public three successive meetings, or the announcement was nailed to the meetinghouse door for fourteen days. This was to allow others time to object to the union, should they wish to do so. Once the time was up, there was a ceremony, typically at the home of the bride’s family, conducted by a magistrate, not a preacher. A meal would follow to celebrate the union, which was looked upon as a civil matter, not a covenant. Because they were considered civil matters, coupled could have their marriage annulled or even be divorced. This was rare, though. From what I’ve read, only about 27 divorces occurred in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the seventeenth century. Valid reasons for divorce were infidelity, impotence, abandonment, and abuse.
As you will learn in the beginning of Joy Comes in the Morning, women in this era were not permitted to own property. The only way a woman could own any land was if her husband passed away and left her a widow. In such cases, ownership of the property would transfer to her new husband if and when she remarried. As implied in my book, widows were pushed into remarriage, in some cases very quickly. If a woman had no other man in her family to care for her, she had no other choice than to quickly find a new husband. The women in that time were homemakers and caregivers for the children. They would have numerous chores each day to keep up with the demands of having a family including: milking the cow, churning butter, baking bread, cooking, cleaning, carrying water, laundry, gardening, candle-making, soap-making, sewing, perhaps spinning wool, and knitting. I'm sure there is much more than that. I'm exhausted just thinking about it. This would have been in the days before disposable diapers and feminine products. Just keeping the laundry clean would have been an around the clock job!
Indentured Servants
Many people made the voyage across the sea though they didn’t have the money to pay for their ticket. In such cases, some people would offer themselves in contract to the captain of the ship. Once they made it to the new world, the captain could sell those contracts to others who needed hired hands. This is what Jonathan did in Joy Comes in the Morning to hire James, Nicolas and Robert.
Mary Latham
Mary Latham was a real person who lived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Though my book mentions that she was hanged alone, there was one man who was hanged with her. According to John Winthrop’s records, James Britton spent an evening with Mary and afterward was afflicted with some physical illness that Winthrop described as “palsy”. He must have felt it was God punishing him for his deeds and confessed of their wrongdoing. They were both hanged for the crime. Before her death, Mary named twelve men, five of whom were apprehended, but the courts would not hang them only on her testimony so they were freed.
Clothing
Many of the photos that depict the Puritan people show them in black clothing, but much of my research said that they wore many colors, not just black. They were not against color, but against frilly things like ribbons, lace, and bows, though many of the women were displeased by these strict rules. I did a lot of research to find out what they wore, but in the end, I decided to put Isabel in the traditional Puritan garb on the cover of Joy Comes in the Morning just so potential readers would have a good idea of the setting of the book.
Coifs or Head Coverings
Puritan women were expected to cover their hair as a means of modesty and a symbol of submission to their husband because of the instructions of the Apostle Paul in chapter 11 in his first letter to the Corinthian Church. Jewish women had been wearing head coverings for thousands of years, and Corinthian women did not. Corinthian women were very liberal, and I believe that was the reason for Paul’s instruction. The Corinthians worshipped in pagan temples and did despicable things there as part of their worship. I’ve read accounts of female, male, and child prostitutes in these temples, most of whom were forced into slavery, rather than being willing participants. Some of what I’ve read states that some of those men wore their hair long and feminine-like. I’ve also read about women shaving their heads as a sign that they were a prostitute. If that is so, if makes sense that Paul would instruct the Corinthian people on how to wear their hair. I’m not sure how the tradition of head-coverings continued as long as it did, but even in America, women wore head coverings until the 20th century.
Books Were Expensive
Books are a usual commodity that we take for granted these days here in America, but back in colonial times, books were much more expensive than they are today. In Joy Comes in the Morning, Jonathan purchases three copies of the New Testament for the cost of two week’s wages. Based on things I’ve researched, that is very close to what they would have cost. Puritans prized books and education, and they played a large role in the foundation of the education system we have today.
Anne Hutchinson
Anne Hutchinson is another person mentioned in Joy Comes in the Morning who was a real person. Just as stated in the book, she was banned from the Massachusetts Bay Colony for teaching Scripture. That was a no-no in Puritan society. Women were not permitted to preach or teach, and when she was caught doing, her family was driven out. She endured much slander by Winthrop. When she gave birth to a stillborn child, Winthrop said it was a demon-child. Afterward, many people began to say that when Anne served as midwife, all of the babies she delivered were deformed in some way. As stated in the book, Winthrop continued to slander her even after her family was massacred by Native Americans, saying that her death was the Lord’s will because she was doing the work of Satan.
Medicine
The medical world looked very different in colonial times than it does nowadays. There were no antibiotics and treatments were very absurd. Their understanding of how the human body functioned was very limited. Bloodletting was one of the most common courses of treatment for numerous health problems ranging from epilepsy to gout. Sometimes veins were lanced open and at other times, leeches were placed on the patient to do the job. I did not include this as a medical treatment for any of my characters but rather stated that they were treated through herbal remedies, which was another common treatment. Doctors were hard to come by, so often the town’s midwives were the ones who had the most medical knowledge.
Religious Punishment
I’m sure many of you have heard of the novel ‘The Scarlett Letter’ by Nathaniel Hawthorne, however, many of you may not know that the Puritan people really did punish adulterers in such manner. This was a mild form of punishment for a serious crime. As stated above, some were hanged for committing adultery. Other punishments for immorality were public flogging and time in the stocks.
Funerals and Wakes
I learned over the course of my research for this novel what a wake was. They served the purpose of simply sitting with the body of the deceased until it was time for burial to ensure that rodents were kept away. I was quite disturbed to learn that this was an issue, but they didn’t have any means to preserve a body for a funeral like we do today. Puritan funerals were short and simple affairs. They did not believe in long speeches or sermons in honor of the deceased. The part that I found most interesting is that the pallbearers were shrouded by a dark cloth as they moved the coffin to its final resting place. The cloth itself was called the pall, which is how pallbearers got their name.
Civil War in England
There was so much unrest in Europe in the seventeenth century. War was continuous and peace short-lived. In Joy Comes in the Morning, Jonathan talks about losing a friend in the Civil War back in England, though the Civil War had not officially begun at that time. It would have likely been the Bishop’s Wars which occurred between 1640 and 1642. The Civil War in England followed, spanning from 1642 to 1646, then resumed in 1648 and lasted until 1651. Part of the reason for conflict was the dispute of which religion should rule England. Many Puritans fled to North America during that time in hopes of leaving behind the unrest and starting fresh in a new land where they could worship as they pleased.
Food Storage
A larder was a small, cool room where perishable food was stored. It got its name because lard was also stored there and smeared over raw meats to preserve it. This was ideal if the meat would soon be used, but it did not preserve it for long-keeping. The most trustworthy method to keep meat for longer periods of time was to dry it. By drying out all the moisture, it would not spoil. Milk was generally not kept but used right away. However, butter would have been stored in the larder also. Spring houses began to be built during this century as well, as is mentioned in the end of Joy Comes in the Morning. It was a structure built around a stream where the spring bubbles up from the earth. This water is cleaner and cooler than other water sources and was perfect for keeping food cool. People also began to dig storage cellars in this time period. If food was stored under ground below the frost line, it stayed cool in the summer and didn’t freeze during winter.
Marriage and Weddings
Marriages needed to be approved of in advance and were announced to the public three successive meetings, or the announcement was nailed to the meetinghouse door for fourteen days. This was to allow others time to object to the union, should they wish to do so. Once the time was up, there was a ceremony, typically at the home of the bride’s family, conducted by a magistrate, not a preacher. A meal would follow to celebrate the union, which was looked upon as a civil matter, not a covenant. Because they were considered civil matters, coupled could have their marriage annulled or even be divorced. This was rare, though. From what I’ve read, only about 27 divorces occurred in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the seventeenth century. Valid reasons for divorce were infidelity, impotence, abandonment, and abuse.
