In times gone by, preparing for Thanksgiving was a whole different matter from today. There were no supermarkets to get the food to prepare and there was a primitive kitchen in which to prepare the food. Without running water or electricity, the water had to be drawn by bucket and carried inside the kitchen from the well. There was no toasty warm house heated and cooled for comfort. The kitchen was not even connected to the house and was cold and drafty. A fire was stoked to cook on and had to be tended and just right to produce tasty food.

Someone had to go hunting for the meat that went on the table. When the turkey was shot, someone had to dress it, removing the feathers and cleaning out the innards. Cornbread for dressing would have been made from cornmeal that was ground from your own corn at a mill that was usually a wagon ride away in the community. Any side dishes such as greens, winter squash or sweet potatoes were raised in your own garden.

You ate whatever was seasonal. Dried or canned fruit put up during the summer might flavor a pie. Mincemeat put up in jars in the fall was a holiday favorite.

A few staples were purchased at the country store including: coffee, flour, salt and sugar. Syrup made from cane or honey harvested by the farmer was often used to sweeten special holiday treats baked in a Dutch oven over an open fire or later in a wood stove oven. Pecans were in season and some roasted salted nuts made a nice appetizer. A little fresh apple cider might also be a special treat. The pie crust was made from lard, prepared when the last hog was butchered, and flour. The butter on the table was churned by hand from milk from the family cow.

After a lot of labor, a meal was finally served. The poor mother was really exhausted and there are no paper plates so lots of dishes waited to be washed after the dinner was eaten.  Water again had to be drawn and fetched and boiled over the fire to wash up all of the pots and dishes. The children all had chores and helped with the bringing in of wood for the fire. They hauled in water and helped with the dishes. 

I venture to guess that the family enjoyed the conversation at dinner better than today.  No one left to answer a cell phone and no football game was beckoning the men to the couch. Games out of doors occupied the children. Yes, folks, it was a simpler time and people actually sat down to share the meal and when they said grace, they thanked God for his bounty. 

They probably appreciated the meal more a century or two ago than in the world in which we live today. So ladies, when you get out canned pumpkin and frozen crusts for pie, count your blessings. When you buy the turkey already dressed, thank the butcher who did most of the work. As you select fresh vegetables in the produce department, give thanks again for the farmers who grew the tasty items. 

And for those of you who pick up a ham in a ham store, already cooked and sliced, or buy the meal from a deli in the local supermarket, ready to heat and eat, think of the convenience that you have at your fingertips and again give thanks. 

Finally for those who go out to a restaurant to eat the meal brought to the table and served to you, be thankful. For the paper plates most modern cooks use at home today eliminating some dishwashing, again give thanks. 

We are so blessed to have wonderful meals so easily obtained and to be able in this economy to afford this pleasure. Remember the homeless and less fortunate at this time of year and say a prayer for our soldiers preserving our freedom to enjoy the bounty that we will share with loved ones and friends for Thanksgiving. 

Historic Effingham Society wishes you and yours a safe and happy holiday. 

Correction from Nov. 20: The ball player labeled Jimmy Kessler in the photograph last week of the Rincon original team was misidentified and that player should have been identified as Vernon Fail. 
Although Jimmy was an original player, he and Coach Glisson were not in the photograph which was taken by Eddie Ackerman’s brother.  

This was written by Susan Exley of Historic Effingham Society. If you have photos, comments or information to share, contact Susan Exley at 754-6681 or email her at: susanexley@historiceffinghamsociety.org.