An Autumn Day in Sarah Cutter's Life
Woodbridge, New Jersey - October 1798
Dawn Breaks on the Cutter Household
Sarah Cutter stirred in the bed she shared with her sisters Hannah
and Mary, the early morning chill seeping through the thick wool
blankets. At thirteen years old, she was no longer considered a child
in the Cutter household—she was one of the older girls now, with
real responsibilities. Outside, the rooster crowed, and she could
already hear her mother Tabitha moving about downstairs, stoking the
fire in the kitchen hearth.
Slipping out of bed carefully so as not to wake little Mary, who
was only eight, Sarah quickly dressed in her shift, stays, petticoat,
and woolen dress. The autumn morning was cold, and she could see her
breath in the air of the upstairs room. Her older sister Nancy, at
twenty-seven, had her own household now, but Phebe, at twenty-eight,
still lived at home and was already downstairs helping Mama with
breakfast.
Morning Chores
Sarah hurried down the narrow stairs, her wooden-soled shoes
clattering on each step. The kitchen was the warmest room in the
house, and the fire her mother had built was already taking the chill
off the morning air.
"Good morning, Mama," Sarah said, reaching for the
wooden bucket by the door.
"Morning, daughter. Take Hannah with you to fetch water, and
mind you don't dawdle," Tabitha replied, her hands already
working dough for the morning's bread.
Sarah and Hannah made their way to the well, the frosty grass
crunching beneath their feet. This was one of Sarah's regular
duties—carrying water for cooking, washing, and drinking. Each
bucket was heavy, and they had to make several trips to fill the
large barrel by the kitchen door. The work strengthened her arms and
back, though she'd never admit to her brothers that she was nearly as
strong as some of them.
Back in the kitchen, Sarah helped her mother and sister Phebe
prepare breakfast for the large family. With eight children and her
parents, there were still many mouths to feed. Sarah sliced bread
from yesterday's loaf, helped fry salt pork in the large iron
skillet, and set out wooden bowls for the porridge that bubbled in
the pot hanging over the fire.
Her brothers Stephen, Richard, and William Whitmore clomped in
from the barn where they'd been tending the animals.
Fourteen-year-old Hannah came in with eggs she'd gathered from the
chickens, and little Samuel, at eleven, brought in an armful of
firewood for the day.
Lessons and Learning
After breakfast and the washing up—which Sarah helped with,
scrubbing the wooden bowls and iron pots with sand and water—she
was allowed to attend the local dame school for a few hours. Not all
girls in Woodbridge received much education, but Stephen Cutter
believed his daughters should be able to read, write, and cipher.
Sarah walked with Hannah and some neighbor children to the home of
Widow Foster, who ran a small school in her front parlor. About a
dozen children of various ages sat on benches, the older ones helping
the younger. Sarah was one of the older students now, and she took
pride in her improving penmanship.
The morning's lessons included:
Reading from the
Bible and practicing her letters
Writing on her
slate with a slate pencil, copying verses and practicing her
signature
Arithmetic -
learning to add and subtract, and working on multiplication tables
Needlework - every girl had to master plain
sewing, as it was essential for maintaining the family's clothing
and linens
Widow Foster also taught the girls about proper deportment and
manners. "A lady must always be modest, obedient, and
industrious," she would remind them. Sarah practiced her curtsey
and learned the proper way to address elders and gentlemen.
The boys in the class learned more advanced arithmetic for
business and trade, while the girls focused on skills they'd need to
manage a household. Sarah was a quick learner and could read quite
well by this age—far better than many girls her age, and better
than some of her brothers, which secretly pleased her.
Afternoon Duties
By early afternoon, Sarah was back home, where the real work of
the day awaited. October was a busy time, with winter preparations in
full swing.
Today, she helped her mother with several tasks:
- Spinning: Sarah sat at the spinning wheel in the
corner of the keeping room, transforming cleaned wool into yarn. The
rhythmic whir of the wheel and the gentle pull of the fibers through
her fingers was meditative work. Her mother had been teaching her
since she was small, and now her thread was nearly as even as Mama's.
This yarn would be woven into cloth or knitted into stockings and
mittens the family would need for winter.
- Preserving Food: In the kitchen, Phebe was making
apple butter from the fruit they'd picked earlier in the week. Sarah
helped peel and core apples, a tedious task that left her hands
sticky and cold. The apples would cook down slowly over the fire,
filling the house with a sweet, spicy smell.
- Mending: Every garment the family owned had to be
carefully maintained. Sarah sat with her sewing basket, darning holes
in her younger brothers' stockings and replacing a button on her
father's waistcoat. Waste was a sin, and clothes were worn until they
couldn't be patched anymore.
- Candle Making: Later in the afternoon, Sarah
helped dip candles, an essential task as the days grew shorter. The
tallow had to be kept at just the right temperature, and each wick
was dipped repeatedly, building up layers of wax until the candle was
thick enough to burn for hours.
Moments of Play and Pleasure
Despite the work, Sarah's life wasn't all drudgery. As the
afternoon chores wound down and the sun began to slant toward
evening, she found moments of joy and fun.
When her younger siblings begged her to play, Sarah joined them in
the yard for a game of tag and blindman's
buff. Little Thomas, at just five years old, shrieked with
laughter as Sarah, blindfolded with a cloth, tried to catch him. Even
practical fourteen-year-old Hannah joined in, her usually serious
face breaking into a smile.
Sarah was also fond of:
- Jump Rope and Rhymes: The girls would chant
counting rhymes while jumping rope made from twisted hemp. "Sally
go round the sun, Sally go round the moon, Sally go round the
chimney-pot on a Saturday afternoon!" Sarah could jump longer
than any of her sisters.
- Graces: A game played with two wooden wands and a
hoop, where players tried to catch and throw the hoop gracefully. It
was meant to teach girls elegant movements and coordination.
- Telling Stories: In the evening, the family would
gather around the fire, and Papa would sometimes tell stories of the
Revolution—he'd been forty years old when independence was declared
and remembered it all vividly. Sarah loved these stories, especially
the ones about brave women who'd helped the cause.
- Singing: The Cutter family often sang
together—hymns mostly, but also folk songs and ballads. Sarah had a
clear, sweet voice, and singing while they worked made the tasks go
faster.
- Cat's Cradle: Sarah and Hannah were skilled at
making intricate string figures with a loop of yarn, passing the
patterns back and forth between their hands.
Harvest Frolic
This particular October evening held something special—the
Johnsons, their neighbors, were holding a corn husking bee.
This was both work and social event, and the whole Cutter family was
invited.
As dusk fell, Sarah put on her best dress—a dark blue wool that
Mama had made last year—and her good linen cap. She was excited;
these gatherings were rare opportunities to see young people from
other families, to laugh and socialize outside the confines of church
and school.
At the Johnson farm, young people and adults alike gathered in the
barn, where mounds of dried corn waited to be husked. Sarah found a
seat on a bench between her sister Nancy and Mary Johnson, a girl her
own age. The work began, but so did the fun.
The rules of the corn husking were well known: if a boy found a
red ear of corn, he could kiss the girl of his choice. Sarah blushed
and giggled with the other girls each time a red ear was found,
though she secretly hoped none of the boys would choose her—at
thirteen, she wasn't quite ready for such attention.
The adults told jokes and sang songs while they worked. Someone
brought out a fiddle, and the bright, lively music filled the barn.
Sarah's feet tapped along with the rhythm, and her hands flew through
the corn husks. The pile of clean, golden ears grew steadily as the
evening progressed.
When the work was done, Mrs. Johnson brought out cider and
gingerbread, special treats that Sarah savored. The young people
played games—forfeit games where those who failed
a challenge had to perform silly tasks, and dancing.
Sarah learned the steps to a reel from her older brother William
Whitmore, who was patient with her missteps.
Evening's End
Walking home under the October stars, Sarah was tired but happy.
Her hands smelled of corn husks and her feet ached from dancing, but
her heart was light. Papa carried sleeping Thomas on his shoulders,
while Mama walked arm in arm with Phebe. Hannah hummed one of the
tunes from the frolic, and even her serious brothers seemed cheerful.
Back home, Sarah climbed the stairs to the bedroom she shared with
her sisters. In the darkness, Hannah whispered, "Did you have
fun tonight, Sarah?"
"Oh yes," Sarah replied, snuggling under the quilts. "I
wish we could have harvest frolics every week."
"That's silly," Hannah said practically. "Then they
wouldn't be special."
Sarah smiled in the darkness. Hannah was right, as usual. But for
one perfect autumn evening, she'd had a glimpse of what being a young
woman might be like—the social gatherings, the music and dancing,
the sense of being part of a larger community beyond just her family.
Tomorrow would bring more chores, more lessons, more work. But
tonight, thirteen-year-old Sarah Cutter fell asleep with the music
still playing in her head and her heart full of the simple joys of an
autumn day in Woodbridge, New Jersey.
Historical Context
Education for Girls in 1798 New Jersey
In the late 18th century, girls' education was far more limited
than boys', but it was improving. Middle-class families like the
Cutters often ensured their daughters could read, write, and do basic
arithmetic. Dame schools, run by widows or unmarried women in their
homes, provided basic education for young children of both sexes.
Girls typically stopped formal education around age thirteen or
fourteen to focus on household skills.
Daily Life and Work
Thirteen was considered nearly grown in 1798. Girls Sarah's age
were expected to master all household skills: spinning, weaving,
sewing, cooking, preserving food, soap making, candle making, and
managing younger siblings. These weren't just chores—they were
essential life skills that would determine a woman's value as a
future wife.
Recreation and Social Life
While work dominated daily life, rural communities created social
occasions that combined work and pleasure. Corn husking bees,
quilting bees, barn raisings, and harvest frolics allowed neighbors
to help each other while socializing. These events were crucial for
young people to meet potential spouses under proper supervision.
Games and amusements were simple but cherished. Children made
their own entertainment with basic materials—string, sticks, hoops,
and balls. Dancing and music were important social skills, and most
households had at least one person who could play an instrument or
lead singing.
The World Sarah Knew
In October 1798, Sarah was living in a young United States—only
twenty-two years after independence. John Adams was president,
having been elected two years before. The nation was
still finding its identity, and people like the Cutters were building
the everyday fabric of American life through their work, faith, and
community connections.
