A Narrative of the Life of Mrs. Mary JemisonSeaver, James E. (James Everett)
History
A Narrative of the Life of Mrs. Mary Jemison
Seaver, James E. (James Everett)
Jemison, Mary, 1743-1833; Seneca Indians
Her dress at the time I saw her, was made and worn after, the Indian
fashion, and consisted of a shirt, short gown, petticoat, stockings,
moccasins, a blanket and a bonnet. The shirt was of cotton and made at
the top, as I was informed, like a man's without collar or sleeves--was
open before and extended down about midway of the hips.--The petticoat
was a piece of broadcloth with the list at the top and bottom and the
ends sewed together. This was tied on by a string that was passed over
it and around the waist, in such a manner as to let the bottom of the
petticoat down half way between the knee and ankle and leave one-fourth
of a yard at the top to be turned down over the string--the bottom of
the shift coming a little below, and on the outside of the top of
the fold so as to leave the list and two or three inches of the cloth
uncovered. The stockings, were of blue broadcloth, tied, or pinned on,
which reached from the knees, into the mouth of the moccasins.--Around
her toes only she had some rags, and over these her buckskin moccasins.
Her gown was of undressed flannel, colored brown. It was made in old
yankee style, with long sleeves, covered the top of the hips, and was
tied before in two places with strings of deer skin. Over all this,
she wore an Indian blanket. On her head she wore a piece of old brown
woollen cloth made somewhat like a sun bonnet.
Such was the dress that this woman was contented to wear, and habit had
rendered it convenient and comfortable. She wore it not as a matter of t
necessity, but from choice, for it will be seen in the sequel, that her
property is sufficient to enable her to dress in the best fashion, and
to allow her every comfort of life.
Her house, in which she lives, is 20 by 28 feet; built of square timber,
with a shingled roof, and a framed stoop. In the centre of the house is
a chimney of stones and sticks, in which there are two fire places. She
has a good framed barn, 26 by 36, well filled, and owns a fine stock
of cattle and horses. Besides the buildings above mentioned, she owns a
number of houses that are occupied by tenants, who work her flats upon
shares. Her dwelling, is about one hundred rods north of the Great
Slide, a curiosity that, will be described in its proper place, on the
west side of the Genesee river.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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