Bartholomew Remington

30. Farmer. New York. I like big books & I cannot lie. If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.

[theodore-livy-blog]

Welcome to my farm. I put a lot of dedication into this to make it the best in the colony. Although it may look easy, I spent hours telling the slaves I owned where and what they were suppose to be doing. And you would think that they would listen after getting punished once. But nope, these pesky rats were lazy and put no effort in anything they were told to do. Maybe it because of the lack of nutrition they were getting but that’s no excuse. I just hope one day that they will get the fact that hard-work pays off and can lead you to a better place.                                                                        XOXO, Livy

[breadbasketcolonist]

It’s no wonder your servants can’t seem to behave properly. How do you expect them to thoroughly fulfill the tasks at hand when their bodies are not being cared for properly? You southern colonists are all the same, all you care about is the profit your plantations make even if you have to completely degrade a large group of people. I personally believe if the slaves were given proper living conditions and treated with more respect, then they would want to return your hospitality by putting in the maximum amount of effort into their work. The middle colonies has a very diverse group of colonists and a limited slave population, but we do not treat them as poorly as you do. Have you ever considered actually working on your own plantation to see how grueling the labor is? It sounds to me that you are truly the lazy one and not the slaves.

[breadbasketcolonist]

We will miss you dearly Addison

On this day I regret to inform you all of my wife’s passing. She had contracted the measles and was not strong enough to pull through. Everything had been done to try and save her life, but the doctors’ remedies did not prevail. I should have known better than to expect miraculous results from poorly trained physicians. My children and I thank you all for your prayers. I know Addison is in a better place right now and I will continue to watch over my children as they grow up. My main priorities are Stan and Mary, so I will no longer be able to post about my daily life. I hope you will all understand. Goodbye.

[breadbasketcolonist]

Have you heard about the Zenger Trial?

If you haven’t, I’ll give you a brief summary of it then. The trial involved John Peter Zenger, a New York printer. One of his publications harshly pointed out the actions of the corrupt royal governor. It accused the government of rigging elections and allowing the French enemy to explore New York harbor. It also accused the governor of an assortment of crimes and basically labeled him an idiot. Zenger only printed these articles, he did not write them, but refused to give up the authors. It resulted with the jury returning with a verdict of not guilty. This was big news for the colonists because newspaper publishers could now feel free to print their honest opinions.

I personally approve of this decision and hope our freedom continues to grow. It truly makes me happy that my children are able to grow up in a place where there are sparks of liberty and a wide range of diverse people. The dirty governors should have expected this as soon as they began abusing their power. No one should be given a free pass for doing illegal things just because you have connections to the King.

[breadbasketcolonist]

I’m back!!

The Remington family has finally returned from our long trip to Pennsylvania. I was able to experience many new things and meet many new people. Pennsylvania was founded by William Penn as a place for people with different religions to live peacefully in one place. The middle colonies are known for their diversity of ethnicity and beliefs. European ethnic groups that can be found here are the English, Swedes, Dutch, Germans, Scots-Irish and French. The accompanying faiths included the presence of Quakers, Mennonites, Lutherans, Dutch Calvinists, and Presbyterians so it was nearly impossible to determine a dominant religion. Yes, I know what you are all wondering, did I meet Benjamin Franklin and get his autograph? Well the answer to this is no. Unfortunately, during our trip Mr. Franklin had urgent business in another colony, but I won’t give up just yet.

During our trip, I was able to secretly visit a tavern and completely enjoyed myself. It felt nice to be in the company of multiple social classes and have free discussions about many topics. The taverns can be considered as a symbol of democracy. The colonies are slowly becoming more and more independent from mother England.

[breadbasketcolonist]

Vacation Time

Today, my family and I are finally leaving for the colony of Pennsylvania. I know it will be a long and dangerous journey, but we’ll make it. Roads do connect the major cities to one another and our stagecoach will have to adjust to the dirt pathways. It is summer time, so there will be clouds of dust and heat waves which we will have to bear. I have heard from many colleagues that on our journey we may encounter tree-strewn roads, rickety bridges, carriage overturns, and runaway horses. My horses are pure bred so I believe they won’t cause us any unnecessary troubles.

We will only be traveling by horse drawn carriage some of the way, while the rest will depend on the navigable waterways. Populations are always large around sources of water, and rivers are no exception. The weather conditions are normally pleasant this time of year, so our boat ride should be a great experience for us all. I’m hoping to stop by a tavern or two and enjoy playing some pool with fellow travelers. Addison isn’t very fond of those types of places, so I’ll just have to find the right time to sneak out (shhhh, its our little secret).

[breadbasketcolonist]

New Favorite Book!

Poor Richard’s Almanack was published in 1732 by Benjamin Franklin and became a very popular piece of literature in the colonies. This publication is known for its themes of thrift, industry, and common sense.

I was finally able to get my hands on a copy of the 1733 edition of Poor Richard’s Almanack and I could not be happier! As you all know, I am the biggest book enthusiast in all of New York and I’m always open to new reading suggestions. I had heard about Benjamin Franklin’s latest work, but didn’t think it was worth all the fuss until I actually read it myself. The witty advice stored in this Almanack is something that I will never forget and will constantly use in my daily life. I cannot wait until the new editions are published in the oncoming years! Benjamin Franklin truly is an intelligent man who deserves the world’s recognition. I’ve come to the decision that he is now my favorite author and will read his works to my children as bedtime stories. Not only is he a well-known writer, Mr. Franklin is also a first-rank scientist. I think it may be time to go on a little trip to Pennsylvania...

[breadbasketcolonist]

Grain, grain, and more grain

The Remington farm covers approximately 125 acres of land, which includes a house, barnyard, and fields. I recently decided to build new flour mills where wheat is ground into flour and then shipped to England.

As I have mentioned before, my family’s farm is able to grow a wide range of crops such as corn, barley, wheat, oats, and rye. I try to help out as much as possible because I have to show Stan the ropes of taking care of a farm, since he will someday inherit it all. My son and I plant and harvest the crops, while Addison does the housework. She has been teaching Mary how to clean and sew. My little girl is growing up so fast :(. After a long day of work, my wonderful wife always has a delicious meal prepared for me. My favorite is beef stew made from our very own livestock, we raise the best cattle in town!

Our rich and fertile land is very prosperous this season, so I think it’s time to hire more help. We aren’t very big on black slavery in New York, but I do have a few indentured servants. I respect the hired help for all the work that they do for me and believe they should be treated well. A part of me will be sad when their service time is up because they’ve grown to be a part of the family. I guess it's almost time for the chicks to leave the nest. 

[breadbasketcolonist]

Who am I?

Hello, my name is Bartholomew Remington and I am a 30 year old farmer in the colony of New York. I am the esteemed son of Eugene and Bertha Remington. How did I come to be a wealthy farmer you ask? Well you see, my father came to the colonies many years ago and decided to start a farm because the climate and soil of the middle colonies is just absolutely perfect for farming! Our land is able to grow an abundance of different crops and provide for many animals which allowed us to sell the extra grain and livestock in the cities.Selling goods in the markets brought in the dough (if you know what I mean $$).

I have a gorgeous wife named Addison who has blessed me with two little bundles of joy, Stan and Mary. My son is only 11 years old, but he is already so intelligent and responsible, just like me :). And little Mary will grow up to be a great house-wife, extremely kind and considerate. My hobbies include farming (of course) and reading. My study has multiple shelves, each filled with rows of books. Sometimes I think I love my novels more than my own wife (don’t tell Addison I said that or I’ll have to sleep on the couch). Be sure to follow my account and check in on my posts daily!!