Log Cabin Pioneers: Stories, Songs & Sayings

by Wayne Erbsen

Step inside the door of Log Cabin Pioneers as Wayne Erbsen takes you on a personal journey of finding and restoring a historic log cabin. By the magic of a crackling fire, he'll introduce you to authentic pioneers who will sing you ancient songs, spin yarns about Davy Crockett, Daniel Boone and Thomas Jefferson, and tell spell-binding tales of bear hunting with moonshine or give you advice on how to buy a mule. Join other settlers in a house raising, hew logs for a cabin, shop in an old-fashioned general store, eat ash cake and dance your socks off at an old-fashioned barn dance. Includes remedies, superstitions, romantic advice, 143 vintage photos, words & music to 19 songs.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

184 pages, Paperback

First published March 28, 2001

Reviews

[Lyndon]

Just what it says it is - a collection of stories, tall tales, sayings and songs from log cabin pioneer days. Structured very well, taking the reader along a delightful path of yesteryear. Fun and enjoyable, but not scholarly, just folksy and interesting.

[Dan]

This was a very useful book for understanding the life of pioneers. There were many examples of how the pioneers dealt with their hardships and yet still were able to enjoy life's many joys. I don't think I would like to live in their time especially without running water, heat and most important toilet paper, but now I have a better feel of how they were able to improve their lives on a daily basis.

[Thomas Schulte]

As one would expect from a Mel Bay book, Log Cabin Pioneers includes easy playing music for the amateur guitarist or pianist, or for not difficult playing on any treble clef instrument. Captured in less than a dozen measures, the accessible melodies have simple keys and no chord more difficult than a 7th. Several verse of lyrics accompany these songs. However, such music is just the songs of "Stories, Songs & Sayings." The text is strewn with colorful aphorisms from the pioneer period. Examples are "Better a lame donkey than no horse" from 1854 and the undated bit of meteorological advice, "don't stand in the sun if you have butter on your head." The stories come in two varieties. We get homesteaders' tales, like "The Shrinking Britches" and a swindle worthy of Huckleberry Finn, "What has 4 Eyes, 3 Heads, and 2 Tails?" But, we also get the stories of the songs and pioneers themselves. The stories of the people cover their fashion, building techniques and more - including methods to hide a still. Stories of the songs give the reader insight into the history and meaning behind "Darling Cory", "Mary of the Wild Moor" and more. All this material is arranged topically by section: Cabin History, Pioneer Construction, Log Cabin Music, Whiskey Making, Cabin Kids, Home & Cooking, Pioneer Beauty Secrets and Log Cabin Ghosts and Lore. More entertainment and information can be had in the pioneer slang glossary that defines such obscure archaisms as explatterate (to crush or mash) and "light and hitch" (come and visit). Comment | Permalink

[Mat Kramer]

I bought this at the Laura Ingalls Wilder museum in Walnut Grove, MN. It is a quick read with some interesting stories and old time tunes.

[Josh]

This is very poorly put together. There was no apparent thought involved to make things cohesive. Could've been much better.