Transcription Tuesdays- "A Good Tonic"

The Blacksmiths Ledger

The Backus-Page House Museum

Tyrconnell Heritage Society

Good morning! As mentioned last week in our first ever Transcription Tuesday, we will be exploring the scripture on the inside cover of the Blacksmith Ledger. Here is a closer look to what was revealed when we first open the Ledger of our local blacksmith of Tyrconnell back in 1867.

This recipe titled “A Good Tonic” by T.A. Benson was difficult to research. No information was found under the name T.A. Benson however we thought to take this opportunity to focus on the text in this small part of the ledger in hopes to reveal the purpose and history of Tonics, and what our blacksmith may have used it for.

According to the C19: The Nineteenth Century Index, the word “Tonic” comes from the Greek word tonos, which means to tone or tension and is applied to many remedies that physicians administer to patients that appear to be in a state of bodily weakness and who require improvement in his/her tone to increase strength. Doctors in the 19^th Century and earlier formally thought that tonics acted directly on the nerve and contractile tissues. Thus home remedies such as the one in the Blacksmith Ledger title “A Good Tonic” would have most likely been used as a Nerve Tonic, to suppress nerves and such behavior (1915).  

According the Museum of Royal Pharmaceutical Society, generals proprietary tonics were thought to “purify” the blood. Many believed that by “cleansing” their blood and keeping bowels empty, they would be able to rid themselves of illnesses. However published in 1909 were investigations conducted by the British Medical Association a year earlier, found that many of these homemade remedies were ‘quack’ and some ingredients had little to no medicinal value. Other substances used in various recipes were found to be highly addictive and dangerous. Medicine during this time was not yet developed and demonstrates that this recipe was most likely used prior to the release of the British Medical Associations publication of its investigation on many home remedies being used (2011).

Ginger

Ingredients in the Blacksmith’s Ledgers “A Good Tonic”:

    Ginger:

·         Ginger would have been used to combat digestion, lack of energy, vitality, infections, nausea and vomiting.

2.       Gentian

Gentian

·         Gentian is a plant for the disease of the stomach and the digestive system. It was thought to and now is proven to treat a loss of appetite, excess gas caused by poor indigestion, liver failure problems and intestinal worms. In general powdered Gentian was used to invigorate the body, purify the blood and help prevent or overcome infection.

1.   

3.       Nux Vomica  

Nux Vomica

·         The plant Nux Vomica was introduced in 1830 and was used as a central nervous stimulant. However it had many side effects (some of which would have been silenced by other products in the recipe) such as a loss of appetite, hypersensitivity, depression, anxiety, rigidness, stiffness in the arms and legs, convulsions and possible death.

If you’re feeling curious read up on the medical history in Upper Canada, the beginning of Medical Education and how our Colonel Talbot influenced both education in the medical field and politics by clicking on the following http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/history-of-medicine/ link!

* Tune into next Week’s Transcription Tuesdays as we finally get into the first entries of the Peter Cameron Blacksmiths Ledger! Have a good week and don’t forget to bring dad out to the Backus-Page House Museum for Father’s Day!

Mon

Memory Mondays: Private Stephen Backus

Private Stephen Backus

By Sandra Sales

Stephen Backus was born in New York State on Dec. 25, 1786.

He probably moved to Pennsylvania with his family about 1800, and then moved to the Talbot Settlement on the north shore of Lake Erie in 1810 to join his sister Lydia (Backus) Patterson. There he married Anne Storey who had come to the Talbot Settlement the previous year. He died November 4, 1865 at 78 years of age.

During the War of 1812 he served under Captain Leslie Patterson, his brother-in-law, in 1812, 1813, and 1814. He received Land Claim Certificate, Unit – Flank Company 1st Regiment Middlesex Militia, Vol 18 File 6, pages 455-456

It is documented that Stephen saw action as a member of the militia when it was called out to repel a raid on the 20^th of May, 1814.  Because the Talbot Settlement was raided 6 times between November 1813 and November 1814, Stephen was probably called out often.
As well, it is documented that Stephen, his wife and two children were victims of the Indians and American Raid, led by Captain Walker, on Port Talbot on August 16^th, 1814. They were living on lot 13, concession 10 Dunwich Township. They put in a claim for their losses: bed clothing, sheets, shirts, aprons, gowns, women’s clothing, men’s clothing, window glass, and a silver watch.

In 1817, the Backus family was able to purchase their farm for 75 pounds. Their log cabin was enlarged in 1825 and in 1848 Stephen employed Robert Morris to build an addition. This home still stands and is part of the Backus-Page Museum. The frame contains chestnut boards two and one-half feet wide. The basement, which was dug out later, has logs which run the entire length of the house. Stephen and Anne raised a family of eleven children here. (Information from the Backus-Page House files)

Little else is known about Stephen Backus, but information about the family and the settlement in Dunwich Township can be read in the bios on Colonel Leslie Patterson, Veteran number 369, and Thomas Talbot, Veteran number 345.

Thank you to Sandra Sales for her research and work in honouring our War of 1812 veterans.  

Through the War of 1812 Graveside Project, Private Stephen Backus and others will be remembered with a ceremony in St. Peter's Anglican Church Cemetery on Sunday, July 12 at 1pm during Backus-Page House Museum's Living History Weekend July 11-12, 2015

Behind the Scenes of Beds, Baths & Beyond #6

Skin Care and Cosmetics Part 3

To Blacken the Eye-lashes and Eye-brows: The simplest preparation for this purpose are the juice of elder-berries; burnt cork, or cloves burnt at the candle. Some employ the black of frankincense, resin, and mastic; this black, it is said, will not come off with perspiration.

Frankincense; an aromatic resin obtained from the Boswellia family of trees.

Mastic; a resin obtained from the mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus), it is harvested as a hard brittle translucent yellow resin, but then worked (chewed) it softens and becomes a bright white and opaque gum with a slightly pine or cedar flavour, and was used as a breath-freshener and teeth-whitener; used in make-up as a bonding agent.

Rouge, For the Complexion: Take carmine in fine powder, one part, and levigated French chalk, 5 parts, mix.

Carmine; a bright red dye produced from the shells of the      cochineal insect.

                                                     French chalk; soap-stone, or stealite, is a magnesian mineral, harder than ordinary talc, which it otherwise resembles, and forming a whiter and richer powder.

**We do not recommend you try these recipes at home.  

Seedy Saturday- Foxglove

Happy Saturday everyone!  I hope you are enjoying your day and perhaps find some interest in learning a bit about Foxglove. 

Various species of this flower are native to Europe, North-West Africa and Central Asia.  The purple variety have been natural in England since the 1400s, with the yellow variety being natural to England since the Elizabethan Era.  The scientific name of the foxglove, Digitalis purpurea, mean “finger-like,” as the flower is easily fitted over a human fingertip.  It is not quite known how the  name foxglove came about, but one story says that the individual flowers of the plant are “folk,” which means “little people” or fairies’ gloves.  How did they end up across the big pond you may ask?  Well, seeds were sent to a doctor in the United States by another doctor in Britain named William Withering, who was experimenting with the plant as a heart medication in the late 1700s. 

A group of medicines extracted from foxglove plants are called digitalin. The use of this extract is used for the treatment of heart conditions still today.  It is used to control the heart rate, particularly if it is fast and irregular, therefore is often prescribed to those who been diagnosed with congestive heart failure.  Though we use this plant to help save lives, it is poisonous, so don’t eat it!

Until next week,

Catie Welch

  

Family History Friday: From the Photo Album

These unnamed gentlemen are in need of names.  We suspect they are from the Sloan, McArthur, or Allen families from the Wallacetown area, but need your assistance to identify them.  Contact our office if you can help.  519-762-3072  More pictures to come over the next few Friday blog posts.  

Events to attend @ the Backus-Page House Museum

The roaring twenties were known to be 'roaring' because there was an economic and industrial boom! Products were being produced to meet demand, including the automobile industry. Fun fact, by 1929 there were over one million cars in Canada! 

 This week's upcoming event at the Backus-Page House Museum is the Classic Car Cruise! This Sunday, June. 14th, 2015 a group of classic cars from the 1920's will be stopping at the museum between 11:00am and noon. Be sure to come out to the museum to check out the variety of cars and have a tour of the house, built in 1850. Admiring the 1920's cars is an exciting bonus for our visitors! This also means that the museum will be opening at 11:00am on Sunday, opposed to our normal weekend opening time, 12:00pm. Be sure to come check out the museum and 1920's cars!

Crossley 25/30

1920 Premier Model 6-D Seven Passenger Touring

World War Wednesdays: Famous Faces of the Second World War

     So many of us have a relative or someone we know of who served in the Second World War. To us, they are our heroes, and we are proud of their contributions in one of the greatest conflicts in human history. However, during the Second World War, a number of faces recognizable to almost all of us also added their name to the Honour Roll. The war was indifferent to social standing and occupation, and required effort from every person. This week's post explores some of the most famous members of the "greatest generation" who gave their all in WWII with the best of them.

1. Clark Gable

     Of course, we all know him as Rhett Butler, but during the war he was known to many as major Clark Gable. After enlisting in 1942, he served as an aerial gunner on a bomber and flew in five combat missions, for which he earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal. He was discharged in 1944 at his own request after he became over the age for active service. During his time in the Air Force, he also completed a film called Combat America. Interestingly, Adolf Hitler favored Gable above all other actors. During the war, Hitler offered a sizable reward to anyone who could capture and bring Gable to him unscathed.

2. Carole Lombard

    
  The beautiful blond actress famous for her comedies was also known for being married to actor Clark Gable. During the war, the couple became known for their support of the war effort, with Carole making a particular name for herself advertising the sale of bonds. When the U.S. entered World War II at the end of 1941, Lombard traveled to her home state of Indiana for a war bond rally with her mother, and Clark Gable's press agent. Lombard was able to raise over $2 million in defense bonds in a single evening. Her party had initially been scheduled to return to Los Angeles by train, but Lombard was anxious to reach home more quickly and wanted to fly by a scheduled airline. Her mother and the agent were both afraid of flying and insisted they follow their original travel plans. Lombard suggested they flip a coin; they agreed and Lombard won the toss.
     In the early morning hours of January 16, 1942, Lombard, her mother, and the agent  boarded an aircraft to return to California.After refueling in Las Vegas, the flight took off at 7:07 p.m. and approximately 13 minutes later, crashed into "Double Up Peak" near the level of Potosi Mountain, 51 km southwest of Las Vegas. All 22 aboard, Lombard and her mother included, plus 15 army servicemen, were killed instantly.

3. James Stewart

    
  We all know him as the charming lead of the classic It's a Wonderful Life, but Jimmy Stewart also served his country during the Second World War. A pilot before the war, Stewart was drafted into the army in 1940  but repeatedly denied because he was just shy of the minimum weight requirement. Eventually, he became the first major American movie star to wear a military uniform in World War II when he enlisted in 1941. His celebrity status led to his role as a flight instructor in the U.S, but eventually led squadrons in attacks over Germany, for which he received numerous prestigious awards. Eventually, he became one of the few Americans to rise from private to colonel in four years.
     At the beginning of June 1945, Stewart was the presiding officer of the court-martial of a pilot and navigator who were charged with dereliction of duty for having accidentally bombed the Swiss city of Zurich the previous March—the first instance of U.S. personnel being tried for an attack on a neutral country. The Court acquitted the defendants.
     Stewart is known for being one of the most active celebrities in the Second World War, and never let his status influence his duty.

4. Glenn Miller

    
     The wildly popular big band leader will always be remembered for such songs as "American Patrol", "In the Mood", and "Chattanooga Choo Choo". However, Glenn Miller also contributed to the war effort in a tragic and sinister way. In 1942, at the peak of his civilian career, Miller decided to join the war effort, forsaking an income of $15,000 to $20,000 per week in civilian life. At 38, Miller was too old to be drafted and first volunteered for the Navy but was told that they did not need his services. Miller then wrote to Army Brigadier General Charles Young. He persuaded the United States Army to accept him so he could, in his own words, "be placed in charge of a modernized Army band". At first placed in the United States Army, Miller was transferred to the Army Air Forces. Captain Glenn Miller served initially as assistant special services officer for the Army Air Forces Southeast Training Center in Alabama in December 1942. He played trombone with the Rhythmaires, a 15-piece dance band, in both Montgomery and in service clubs and recreation halls on Maxwell. Miller also appeared on the radio, promoting the activities of civil service women aircraft mechanics.
     On December 15, 1944, Miller was to fly from the United Kingdom to Paris, France, to play for the soldiers there. His plane departed from the outskirts of Bedford and disappeared while flying over the English Channel. There were two others on board the plane. No remains were ever found.


     I hope that a newfound appreciation can be gained for these famous faces of the war, just some of many. While all experienced the hardship that so many others had to endure, some ended up paying the ultimate sacrifice. These heartbreaking stories are a reminder that the horrors of the Second World War were not particular about who they affected, and that not even the icons people looked up to were spared the experience.

Thanks for reading,

Delany