Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Chopping Wood on a Cold Mississippi Day

How much wood would a woodchuck chop for a Mississippi winter? I don't know but I suspect Earnest Spencer knew how much it took to heat his home in rural Copiah County, Mississippi.

Earnest was born in 1881 in Copiah County, died in 1971 in Chicago. He was the son of Lewis and Emaline Spencer.

Homesteading cousins talk about a cord of wood, which they consider more than enough to get through a mild Mississippi winter depending on size of home, how well insulated and the efficiency of a wood stove.

How does Earnest connect to my family tree?
Earnest married Ada Markham. She was a sister of my grandmother, Alice Markham Marshall.

Photograph of Ernest is courtesy of Anita Christopher, Ernest's granddaughter.
Photograph of the cord of wood is courtesy of Wikipedia.

Picture of Ada and Ernest

6 comments:

Kristin said...

We burned wood to heat our small house in Mississippi. It took about 1 pickup load. When we got to Michigan and were burning wood to heat both a larger house and the winter was longer and colder, it took load after load after load.

Unknown said...

Looks like a LOT to me. But imagine having to chop enough not just for heating the home, but cooking, etc...

LindaRe said...

I love the smell and sounds of wood burning in the fireplace.

LindaRe said...

My maternal grandmother had an open fireplace, and a wood stove for cooking. Her home probably needed a lot of wood.

Beth said...

A cord of wood is a lot to chop, but it doesn't look like enough to keep a home warm and fuel a cooking stove. Makes me thankful for the thermostat on the wall and the oven!

LindaRe said...

Me too. I have a couple of cousins who are living off the land, homesteading. I like the idea but I don't have what it takes to leave my conveniences.