CUSTOMS OF EARLY ENGLISH FAMILIES
A picture of the Early English families would not be complete without telling something of their customs, beliefs, and attitudes after they came to Texas. They were a closely knit family and family ties were strong. Even though they were large in number, and soon rather widely scattered over East Texas, they were still a family. If your name was "ENGLISH" you were one of them. And you were all right. You were part of the family, and were so addressed. You were "uncle", "aunt" or "cousin" if you were descended from the English. Even those of the younger generation called each other Cousin Sarah, Cousin William, Cousin Sue, Cousin John, etc. At first this seemed strange, but it was explained that all well bred young people were so trained. And the early novel bore that out, even down to the youngest teen aged miss. When a young girl reached her teens she was considered a young lady; she wore long dresses, and was addressed as Miss or Cousin.
The English seemed to love music. Nearly every home had an organ and a violin. The ladies played the Organ and the men loved the violin. After the Civil War, they had little left of their former plenty and position, but they had somehow seemed to have been able to cling to their musical instruments, their carpets, their lace curtains and drapes, and their ornate lamps. They had lost much and suffered greatly, but their spirit and pride remained. They were still ENGLISH and they knew it.
It seems the English had left Virginia and come to Texas with the sole idea of becoming land-owners, farmers, and the raisers of fine horses. Besides the ten brothers and one sister and their families, there were many others in the group. They were well educated for the times before they left Virginia. Specimens of their hand writing and their signatures on legal papers in the General Land Office made soon after they arrived show beautiful penmanship. They were natural born leaders, becoming early involved in all the affairs of their new country, local, political, religion, and the military. Since early regulations permitted only persons of good moral character, Christian religion and independent means of livelihood to obtain permits to come to Texas, it meant that these early settlers were the best. As an early writer puts it "they were as enlightened, as moral as, good and as law abiding as can be found in any part of the United States, and greatly more so that ever settled a frontier." Another writer spoke of them as being "well born and well educated."
When they arrived in Texas they found only virgin land except for the scattered Indian and Mexican settlements. But they knew before they came, that they were coming to a new land, and what to expect.
Soon these young English men and women set out to make homes. First log cabins, since there were no lumber mills in 1824. But the log cabins were strong and sturdy. They were later added to, until they were comfortable. When lumber became available these houses were sealed, inside and outside with lumber and more rooms were added. The rooms were large and spacious, with a wide hall running all way through the middle of the house. The hall way was know as a dog run. It was a wonderfully cool place to sit on a hot summer day. In the winter end doors were closed and a great place for children to play indoors.
These were the EARLY ENGLISH!!!!!