Stepping into the teleporter, I transport myself back to colonial South Carolina. The location is set for the vicinity of Chester, SC, in the year 1774. I have timed my arrival to visit Ann Garner, my 7^th great grandmother. Ann, her husband, John White, and their six children migrated from Scotland to South Carolina aboard the HMS Donegal in 1767.

My purpose is to observe the family partaking in their mid-day meal, known as “dinner.”  I curious what foods they prepare and serve in colonial South Carolina

The meal may have included one or two meat dishes of venison, squirrel, opossum, rabbit, other small animals, wild and imported fowl. If meat wasn’t available, cured fish from local rivers or fish stew may have been offered instead. Breads, cakes, or porridge could made from rice, corn flour or other cereal grains. Early  colonists also grew wheat, oats, rye, and barley.  Barley or rye can be fermented to make beer or distilled spirits to serve with meals.

Coffee or tea may have been limited or too expensive to serve to guests.  Homemade beer, distilled spirits, or cider may have been served instead.  Colonial beverages may include a rum punch made with oranges, lemons, rum and egg whites. Native raspberries were pickled with vinegar then sweetened with powdered sugar and water to make beverage.

After seven years, there may have been a well-established vegetable garden to supplement their food sources.  Planted vegetables were most likely from seedlings from Scotland or England. South Carolina has several native fruits trees which provided a food source to the colonists, the Chickasaw plum, wild black cherry, persimmon, and pawpaw. Small berries such as the serviceberry and red mulberry, could be eaten raw, used in fruit preserves, or dried to make pemmican.

I do not interact with my ancestors to avoid any paradoxes or disturb the space time continuum. I am famished as I teleporting back to 2018. A quick stop at the local grocery store provides a quick meal with no preparation at all.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – 2018 Edition Challenge – Post 4

To blog more consistently in 2018, I am undertaking the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge again. The #52Ancestors Challenge is where a group of us blog about our ancestors, collateral relatives, discoveries, etc., for each week of the year.  To learn more about the challenge or if you are interesting in joining, visit Amy Johnson Crow’s site at Amy’s website.

Sources

http://www.scwildlife.com/articles/novdec2012/fruittrees.html
https://www.landofthebrave.info/colonial-food.htm
http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/3rice/3facts1.htm
www.ncpedia.org
http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodbeverages.html#colonialdrinks
http://www.foodtimeline.org/statefoods.html#southcarolina

1884 – The oldest photograph in my possession is a tintype of my Great Grandfather, Oliver Roll born in 1884. I wrote about Oliver in the 2014 edition of 52 Ancestors. Oliver died 100 years age during the Influenza Epidemic http://traceyourgenealogy.com/2014/02/17/52-ancestors-no-7-oliver-cromwell-roll/

1917 – Photograph of my step Great Grandfather, Borden Baumgartel in his National Guard Uniform.  Border served in the Guard from 1914 to 1917. Borden was part of the 2014 52 Ancestors edition. http://traceyourgenealogy.com/2014/02/08/52-ancestors-no-6-borden-hays-baumgartel-senior/

1922 – Borden’s son, Bob, will be 96 years old this year. Uncle Bob started working for GM in his twenties.  He traveled throughout his career, living in Venezuela, Greece, and Singapore. He retired and started a second career as a stationery printer.

1924 – My first cousin once removed, Chester, will be 94. He is the first child of the second generation of my ancestral Polish immigrants.

1968 – Stuffed Bunny – “Molly” was in my Easter Basket in 1968.  My family spent Easter at the cottage located in Inverhuron, Ontario, Canada.  She has survived two attempted purges of my belongings. Not sure if she will become the RV mascot when I finally retire and hit the road.

18 Years and counting – My brother is very much dismayed when I repeatedly answer his question with the same reply. “No, don’t need one.” I am the originally owner of a 2000 Subaru Outback, nicknamed “Honu.” She rolled off the Indiana Assembly plant in March 2000.  I bought her over the internet, sight unseen. The salesperson dropped the car off at my workplace with about 100 miles on the odometer. As of today, my little green Subaru has 114,998 miles on her.  I hoped to keep answering my brother’s question, Did you get a new car yet? with “No” for another two years.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – 2018 Edition Challenge – Post 3

To blog more consistently in 2018, I am undertaking the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge again. The #52Ancestors Challenge is where a group of us blog about our ancestors, collateral relatives, discoveries, etc., for each week of the year.  To learn more about the challenge or if you are interesting in joining, visit Amy Johnson Crow’s site at Amy’s website.