THE PACKWOOD SITE: A PLOW DISTURBED HISTORIC

THE PACKWOOD SITE:
A PLOW DISTURBED HISTORIC STRUCTURE
Gary D. Ellis
Indiana Division of Historic Preservation
and Archaeology
Indianapolis, Indiana
ABSTRACT
Controlled archaeological excavation of an apparent plow
disturbed early 19th century structure in Bartholomew
County, Indiana, has produced evidence for ·siJbstantiaf _
interpretable sub-plow zone architectural a~d archaeological features. The physical integrity of sub-plow zone
deposits include the remains of refuse pits and an internally dressed limestone foundation extending 3.0-3.5 feet
(0~91-1.07 meters) below plow disturbance. The 10 by 12
foot (3.05-3.66 meters) structure was built during the
early 19th century into a sandy terrace overlooking the
White River 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) north of Azalia, Indiana. Material culture ranges from cerarritics, bottle
glass, nails, and clothing hardware (buckles, buttons,
suspender clasps) to coins and percussion ·rifle parts, all
characteristic of early- to mid-19th century residence.
Faunal remains recovered from associated contexts include abundant pig, deer, wild turkey, chicken, sheep,
fish, aquatic birds, groundhog, and muskrat and suggest
an active use of botn' ': local ··wildlife and domesticates o
as food resources.
"'
INTRODUCTION
The Packwood Site is a small, early- to mid-19th century homestead located
in Azalia, Sandcreek Township, Bartholomew County, Indiana. The site consists
of the remains of a cabin cellar and its foundation walls; a small, one-hole privy;
and one small disturbed refuse pit. Built in the Mid-Atlantic tradltion, the cabin
cellar is suggested as the first homestead of the David Newsom Family, immigrants from Wayne County, North Carolina. The site is located in Section 34 of
Sandcreek Township and is geographically situated on a long and low terrace
overlooking the floodplain of the White River (Figure 1). Soils in the township
are sandy but, nevertheless, excellent for agriculture (Anonymous 1976a). Previous to active pioneer clearing, the township was forested and contained great
diversity in exploitable fauna. These forest resources were utilized in abundance
prior to agr icul tur al stability.
The Packwood Site represents a small but significant data base consisting of
a well defined set of residence and post-residence refuse deposits. The opportunity
- 89 -
exists, therefore, to explore 19th century pioneer behavior.
but a preliminary analysis of the data .
The following is
.-->£--1--~-·i>L~lj.. ...JL...:-~
.if. .,0:; - ~
.,
"
1
'
N
I
1
T.
'
N.
PACKWOOD CABIN SITE
NORTH
FIGURE 1
PACKWOOD CABIN SITE AND LOCALE
90
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
The Packwood Site was originally purchased by William Packwood on August
23, 1920 (Anonymous n.d.). There is no evidence to suggest that William and
his wife, Elenor, ever lived on the property. In March of 1823, ownership passed
to the David Newsom family, members of a larger family which originally hailed
from Wayne County, North Carolina. The 1820 Indiana census placed the David
Newsom family in Orange County, Indiana, prior to their move to Sandcreek
Township (Heiss 1966:302).
David Newsom (1787-1854) was one of eight children of David and Sarah
Newsom of Wayne County, North Carolina. As Friends, or Quakers, they were
opposed to slavery and anxious to live ina free state (Arbuckle 1940). In 1819,
the David Newsom family moved to Sandcreek Township, settling on the property of his brother, Joel Newsom. This parcel was situated immediately south
of the Packwood tract. David and family moved into the Packwood tract in
1823. David's grandson, also named David, was born to David's son, Isaac, and
Mary Newsom on August 10, 1839, in Section 33 at the old homestead (Beers
1879:60). The Packwood cabin site lies immediately adjacent to the line between
sections 33 and 34. Despite intensive archaeological survey, no other structures
have been located within these sections. Given the Newsoms' approach to land
patrimony, it is suggested that the Packwood Site is minimally an early Newsom
homestead for either David or Joel, or the first residence of David Newsom's
son, Isaac, and his wife, Mary (ca. 1830-1860). The original David Newsom homestead, incidentally and significantly, is also known as the "Capitol of Indiana for
one night". Historical documentation suggests that during the move to the new
capitol of Indianapolis in 1824, Samuel Merritt, then State Treasurer, stopped for
the night, seeking lodging with the David Newsom family "just north of Azalia"
(Arbuckle 19'+0).
STRUCTURAL CONSIDERATIONS
The cabin cellar's long axis is oriented north-south and was placed into the
highest elevation of the terrace slope. Cellar construction was accomplished by
the excavation of a hole '+.5 meters (14.76 feet) in length, 3.5 meters (11.'+8 feet)
in width, and 2.0 meters (6.56 feet) in depth into the terrace slope, thus permitting dressed limestone blocks to be laid up inside the excavation. The blocks
were dressed on the inside wall surface and undressed on the wall trench facing
side. The cellar wall blocks appear to have been pushed into the soils of the
trench walls. Spaces remaining between the outer edges of the foundation wall
and earthen trench wall were filled with refuse and limestone rubble. The overall effect was a quite durable and functional, if not aesthetically pleasing, cellar
whose internal dimensions measure '+.0 meters (13.12 feet) by 3.0 meters ('+.8'+
feet) byd.5 meters ('+.92 feet) (Figure 2).
A fireplace foundation of much lighter limestone rubble 2.0 meters (3.2 feet)
square was built onto the southwest corner of the cellar foundation (Figure 3).
This smaller foundation support sits some 30 centimeters ( 10.57 inches) below
the present surface and served as the principal support for a brick hearth and
chimney arrangement. Although direct physical evidence if lacking due to later
FIGURE 2
THE PACK WOOD CABIN
SITE, BARTHOLOMEW
COUNTY, INDIANA
a
CAB!fl FOUNDATION
b
PRIVY FOU NDATION RUBBLE
C
OI STURBEO REfUSE PIT
GRID
NORTH
1'0 ~-,:::.~
2m
l._
j
scALE
X
X
FIGURE 3
PACKWOOD CABIN SITE
AND HEARTH STRUCTURE
X
72S-li8E
GRID
....-?
0
SCALE
- 92 -
lm
~
NORTH
plow disturbance west of the cellar, it is suggested that the original floor plan
might well have had at least twice the floor area as the cellar. This would
place the fireplace in the center of the structure's south facing wall with the
west half of the house supported on brick, limestone, or log piers. ·Such cabin
designs are typical in Piedmont and coastal North Carolina. Structural considerations noted above, as well as architectural design, suggest affinities with the
Mid-Atlaniic folk house tradition (Glassie 1971:5_!+-59).
The privy was a small, 1.5 meter (4.92 feet) square structure with a locally
fired, soft brick foundation. The presence of nails (N = 50+) and wood fragments
at the privy foundation line suggests that the structure was wooden and at least
partially secured by nails. The privy containment area was no more than 40 centimeters (14.1 0 inches) deep and contained a large, lead glazed red ware crock
(20 centimeters/7.05 inches lip diameter). The privy was placed a scant 3.0 meters (9.84 feet) uphill and north of the north facing cabin/cellar foundation wall.
All other considerations aside, a privy this close and immediately uphill from
one's cabin suggest either expedient conditions must have prevailed or that the
privy was not intended for long-term use. Limited content and deposition would
argue for the latter. No alternative privy locations have been identified.
I
A single large external garbage pit was located at the northeast corner of
the foundation line. This feature contained few cultural items and was heavily
disturbed by rodent action and modern plowing.
DATA CONSIDERATIONS
The Packwood Site data sets were conveniently structured to account for
the presence of ceramics, glassware, metal, wood, leather, and bone remains
within the cellar deposits. Site data sets drawn for this paper include two contiguous units, 72S-118E and 74Sll8E, which represent 75 percent of the total
cellar deposits below plow zone. The technical breakdown by material of manufacture of the sample data sets is given in Table 1. They were further structured within South's (1977) analytical format to attempt to deal with general
behavioral questions relating to the cabin's relatively short occupation and test
for the presence of the Frontier Artifact Pattern. Of less concern with this
paper, but a continuing research objective, is an attempt to deal with questions
of Quaker lifestyle, standard of living, site-community economics, socio-cultural
identity, and others.
The data sets indicated in Table twere confined to variegated fill deposits ,,
which accumulated against the cellar walls and floor during the relatively short
occupation period. The overall deposition rather suggests a low regard for the
traditional functional use of a cellar for storage. Ashes and floor debris appear
to have been simply deposited in the cellar. Occupation fill was identified in
levels 10 through 4. The top level (level 4) contained the remains of the fireplace which evidently tumbled down into the cellar subsequent to site abandonment. The lack of any collapsed superstructure, flooring, studs, or logs would
suggest the original structure was removed prior to chimney collapse. This
seems consistent with the Newsom family obsession with moving their cabins
..,.. . 93 -
\
every few years during the 1820s and 30s (Anonymous 1976b). Levels 3 through
surface represent the later post-occupation fill deposits. Of interest here is
the presence of material culture which appears related to the earlier occupation. This is particularly evident in the presence of fragments of dishware from
different pieces of the same set.
TABLE 1
ARTIFACT CATEGORIES
Unit
Artifact
Category
N=
Ceramic
Brick
Glass
Metal
Wood
Leather
Bone (modified)
Shell (modified)
N=/%=
72S -118E
%=
54
5.00
200+
368
334
102
2
2
1
18.50
35 . 7 1
30.90
9.44
0.18
0.18
0.09
1,081
100 . 00%
N=
74S - 118E
%=
119
200+
248
476
100
3
7
1,153
10.32
17.35
21.51
41 . 28
8 . 67
0 . 26
0.61
100.00%
Combined
Totals
N=
%=
173
400+
634
810
202
5
9
1
2 , 234
7 . 74
17.91
28.38
36.26
9.04
0.22
0.40
0 . 05
100.00%
Ceramic Assemblage
The cellar's ceramic assemblage for the most part represents a fairly disarticulated collection of dishware types and styles from the early- to mid-19th
century. The presence of transfer printing, sponge effect, painted and underglazed painted, edged, and flow blue stylistic diversity across such a small assemblage suggests the potential for expediency in material culture acquisition
and use, both during the site occupation and in the later refuse deposition.
Table 2 provided a numeriCal 'accounting of the unit sample ceramics.
Mean Ceramic Formula Dating (South 1977) of the occupation and postoccupation deposits for each of the sample units and combined units was employed to provide some chronological perspective to the assemblage. Date
ranges and median dates were derived from South's {.ibid.:210- 212) most recent
synthesis. Unit 72S-118E dated at 1829.3 for the occupation levels and 1852.4
for the refuse levels (Tables 3 and 4). Unit 74S-118E dated at 1829.2 for the
occupation levels and 1832.25 for the refuse levels (Tables 5 and 6). Combining
the occupation and post occupation assemblages from each sample unit produced
a Mean Ceramic Formula Date of 1829.24 and 1835. 32, respectively (Tables 7
and 8).
- 94 -
TABLE 2
72S-118E/74S-118E SAMPLE UNIT CERAMICS
Ware Type
Cream ware
plain
annular
Whiteware
transfer
sponge
painted
common
flow
edged
Pearl ware
transfer
painted
annular
sponge
common
flow
edged
Redware
72S-H8E
Occu. Refuse
1
1
1
1
6
1
2
6
1
1
2
2
3
5
1
12
8
5
13
2
5
55
1
2
2
1
14
29
12
8
Stoneware
crock
stencil
common
common
gray pipe
8
1
3
7
1
43
11
- 95 -
2
1
2
17
1
6
4
2
10
2
2
2
Total
4
8
7
28
1
1
4
4
2
1
Ironstone
N=
74S-118E
Occu. Refuse
50
1
3
7
1
69
173
TABLE 3
CERAMIC FORMULA DATING OF UNIT 72S-118E, OCCUPATION LEVELS
Ware Type
(fi)
N
Date
Range
(xi)
Median
Date
(fi*xi)
Product
Cream ware
1
1790-1820
1805
1805
transfer
sponge
common
flow
edged
1
6
6
1
1
1820-1900+
1820-1840
1820-1900+
1820-1840
1820-1900+
1860
1830
1860
1830
1860
1860
10980
11160
1830
1860
Pearl ware
painted
annular
sponge
common
edged
4
4
2
1
2
1820-1840
1790-1820
1820-1840
1780-1830
1780-1830
1830
1805
1830
1805
1805
7320
7220
3660
1805
3610
Red ware
14
1790-1860
1825
25550
N=
43
E(fi*xi)/E(fi)
Formula Date
Whi:t~wq.re
I
78660
1829.3
TABLE 4
CERAMIC FORMULA DATING OF UNIT 72S-ll8E, REFUSE LEVELS
Date
Range
(xi)
Median
Date
(fi*xi)
Product
1
2
1820-1900+
1820-1840
1860
1830
1860
3660
8
1813-1900+
1857
14856
Ware Type
(fi)
N
Whiteware
transfer
painted
Ironstone
N=
20376
11
- 96 -
E(fi*xi)/E(fi)
Formula Date
1852.4
TABLE 5
CERAMIC FORMULA DATING OF UNIT 74S-118E, OCCUPATION LEVELS
(xi)
Ware Type
(fi)
N
Date
Range
Median
Date
(fi *xi)
Product
Cream ware
1
1790-1820
1805
1805
Whiteware
transfer
sponge
painted
common
2
2
3
5
1820-1900+
1820-1840
1820-1840
1820-1900+
1860
1830
1830
1860
3720
3660
5490
9300
2
1
2
1
29
1820-1840
1820-1840
1780-1830
1780- 1830
1830
1830
1805
1805
3660
1830
3610
1805
1790-1860
1825
52925
1
1
1790-1860
1820-1840
1825
1830
1825
1830
Pearl ware
painted
sponge
common
edged
Redware
Stoneware
crock,
·stencil
gray p1pe
N=
I
91460
50
~
97
E(fi*xi)/E(fi)
Formula Date
1829.2
TABLE 6
CERAMIC FORMULA DATING OF UNIT 74S-118E, REFUSE LEVELS
Date
Range
(xi)
Median
Date
(fi*xi)
Product
1
1780-1815
1797.5
1797.5
Whiteware
painted
common
2
17
1820-1840
1820-1900+
1830
1860
3660
31620
Pearl ware
painted
annular
sponge
common
edged
flow
transfer
6
4
2
10
2
2
1
1820-1840
1790-1820
1820-1840
1780-1830
1780-1830
1820-1840
1795-1840
1830
1805
1830
1805
1805
1830
1818
10980
7220
3660
18050
3610
3660
1818
Redware
12
1790-1860
1825
21900
3
7
1790-1900+
1790-1900+
1845
1845
12915
Ware Type
(fi)
N
Cream ware
annular
Stoneware
crock
common
common
N:;,
69
5535
12642.5
- 98 -
E(fi*xi)/E(fi)
Formula Date
1832.25
TABLE 7
CERAMIC FORMULA DATING OF COMBINED 72S-118E/74S-118,
OCCUPATION LEVELS
(xi)
(fi)
Ware Type
N
Date
Range
Cream ware
2
1790-1820
1805
3610
Whiteware
transfer
sponge
painted
common
flow
edged
3
8
3
11
1
1
1820-1900+
1820-1840
1820-1840
1820-1900+
1820-1840
1820-1900+
1860
1830
1830
1860
1830
1860
1464-0
5490
20460
1830
1860
Pearl ware
painted
annular
sponge
common
edged
6
4
3
3
3
1820-1840
1790-1820
1820-1840
1780-1830
1780-1830
1830
1805
1830
1805
1805
10980
7220
5490
5415
5415
43
1790-1860
1825
78475
1
1
1790-1860
1820-1840
1825
1830
1825
1830
Red ware
Stoneware
crock
stencil
gray pipe
N=
I
Median
Date
(fi*xi)
Product
93
5580
170120
- 99 -
E(fi*xi)/E(fi)
Formula Date
1829.24
TABLE 8
CERAMIC FORMULA DATING OF COMBINED 72S-118E/74S-118E,
REFUSE LEVELS
Ware Type
(fi)
N
Date
Range
(xi)
Median
Date
(fi*xi)
Product
Cream ware
annular
1
1780-1815
1797.5
1797.5
Whiteware
transfer
painted
common
1
4
18
1820-1900+
1820-1840
1820-1900+
1860
1830
1860
1860
7320
33480
Pearl ware
painted
annular
sponge
common
edged
flow
transfer
6
4
2
10
2
2
1
1820-1840
1790-1820
1820-1840
1780-1830
1780-1830
1820-1840
1795-1840
1830
1805
1830
1805
1805
1830
1818
10980
7220
3660
Redware
12
1790-1860
1825
21900
Ironstone
8
1813-1900+
1857
14856
Stoneware
crock
common
common
3
7
1790-1900+
1790-1900+
1845
1845
12915
N=
I
81
18050
3610
3660
1818
5535
148661.5
- 100 '-
E(fi*xi)/E(fi)
Formula Date
1835.32
Glassware Assemblage
Bottle and container glassware sherds occurred with fairly high frequency
(N = 254; 16.7%) in the assemblage. Despite their frequency and broad distribution through the deposits, the glassware generally represented a small number of actual vessels.
Body sherds from the hand blown brown glass bottles tended to dominate
the 72Sll8E assemblage while aqua bottle sherds were more evenly distributed
between units 72S-118E (N = 35; 13.8%) and 74S-118E (N = 37; 14.6%). Olive
and clear vessel sherds were also present in significant numbers. The olive
bottle glass was entirely dip-mold, a technological characteristic also identified
in several brown bottle sherds.
Although an adaptation of the Mean Ceramic Formula Dating has been successfully applied by the author to bottle glass from late 19th century context
(Ellis 1977), due to the small sample, no application was attempted for the
Packwood Site. However, some temporal information c an be drawn from the
assemblage based on bottle glass technology and associated date ranges.
For example, looking at the range in basal diversity across and through the
cellar deposits, one encounters empontillation (n = 4), basal push-ups with snapcasing (n = 13), as well as evidence for simple, two-piece molding (n = 1). Here,
date assignation would suggest a pre-1800 to a late mid-19th century range.
Diversity in lip forms includes non-tooled sheared and fired (n = 10), tooled propr ietory (n = 2), tooled double ring wine (n = 1), and simple tooled lips (n = 4 ).
Date range assignation here would favor an earlier 19th century context.
Non-bottle glassware was restricted to hand-blown in-mold (n = 1) drinking
glass or mug, decorative hand-blown vaseware (n = 3), chimney glass (n = 46),
mirror fragments (n = 34), and an interesting assortment of personal items including buttons, a sunglass lens, and an artificial onyx ring stone.
Window (flat) glass fragments occurred in high frequency in both sample
units (N = 294; 19.3%). The window glass was uniformly aqua colored and varied from 1 to 3 millimeters in thickness across the assemblage. Further analysis of the window glass is anticipated relative t_o,verifying Ball's (1983) employment of the formula dating process.
Metal Assemblage
The metal assemblage was quite extensive though functionally it leaned
toward architectural and hardware items. Architectural items consisted, primarily, of square cut nails, a number of which were bent or otherwise distorted,
presumably from being pulled. There was little evide.nce for burning or h~at
treatment of any kind. The later refuse levels contamed several crude w1re
nails. All of the remaining nails were square cut and quite crude.
Hardware items included hand tool fragments, screws, nuts, and bolts,
latches, and other building hardware items as well as pieces of drawn wire.
- 101
~
In addition, a number of agriculturally related items were recovered, such as
bridles and bits, and buggy or wagon parts. Other metal items included buttons, pins, and a Jew's harp. The metal buttons ranged from military to decorative. The former, while interesting to find on a site occupied by a Quaker
family, nonetheless date prior to the Civil War. Straight pins with both solder
drop and machine pressed heads were identified. These pins were quite long
(2.5-3.0 centimeters/0.98-1.18 inches) , when compared to modern straight pins.
Leather, Wood, and Bone Assemblage
Several shoe fragments were identified which resembled a man's boot. The
soles were secured by hundreds of small flat tacks rather than hand or machine
sewing.
Hand made wood and bone composite dominoes were also present at the site.
Carved out of hardwood and stained black with a vegetable dye, these dominoes
had bone inserts dividing the dot frames on each side of the piece.
Four and five hole bone buttons (N = 6) were prevalent at the site. At
least two of tpe buttons were modified from four to five holes and several appear to have been used after breakage.
Faunal Assemblage
The faunal assemblage taken from the Packwood Site includ.ed a fairly diverse range of both domesticated and wild fauna (Richards 198'4). A total of
33 species were identified from the cellar deposits and builde.r's trench (Table 9).
Local fishes, and domestic poultry and livestock were prevalent. Saw cuts and
knife scorings for the most part indicate that the faunal remains represented
the "garbage" from food items.
The early occupants of the cabin/cellar used a fairly wide variety of domesticated animals including cattle (Bos taurus), goat/sheep (Capra/Ovis sp.),
chickens {Gallus gallus), and domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Although breeding populations are evident, the site's early occupants tended to
select younger animals in culling for food. Towards the end of the occupation
period, selectionfavors older, more mature animals for slaughter. The postoccupation refuse remains suggest a continuation of this trend with a decrease
in the consumption of pigs ($us scrofa). Patterning in faunal remains presents
the opportunity to study the dynamics of the pioneer subsistence base and possible relationships with the natural environment. The Packwood pattern may
very well have resulted from several factors: selective waste disposal; a changing subsistence base, that is, a movement toward resource stabilization through
the increased use of crops as a dietary staple; or, the by-product of scavenger
actions on the kitchen/slaughter waste prior · and subsequent to disposal in the
cellar.
For the most part, the goat/sheep (Capra/Ov is sp.) and cattle (Bos taurus)
remains are represented by limb bones, while pig (Sus scrofa) remains include
both cranial and post-cranial bones. While scavenger action on the part of dogs,
- 102
~
TABLE 9
LIST OF VERTEBRATES, PACKWOOD SITE, BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY, INDIANA
Minimum Number
of Individuals
Species
Fishes
Cyprinidae, undetermined minnow species
Carpiodes sp., Carpsucker
Minytrema melanops, Spotted sucker
Moxostomasp., Redhorse
Hypentelium nigricans, Hog sucker
Ictal urus punctatus, Channel catfish
Ictal urus sp., Bullhead?
Micropterus sp., Bass
Lepomis sp., "sunfish"
Amboplites rupestris, Rock bass
Pomoxis sp., Crappie
6
1
3
2
4
1
2
1
Amphibians
Bufo sp., T dad
2
Reptiles
Turtle cf. Chel ydra serpent ina, Snapping turtle
Turtle cf. Tr ionyx sp., Softshell
1
1
Birds
Anser sp., Domestic goose
Anas sp., Domestic duck
Duck sp., medium..:sized (\vild)
Colinus virginianus, Bobwhite
Meleagris gallopavo, Turkey
Gall us gall us, Domestic chicken
Ectopistes migratorius, Passenger pigeon
Bird sp., small (wild)
Mammals
Scalopus aquaticus, Eastern mole
Sylvilagus floridanus, Eastern cottontail
Rabbit cf. Oryctolagus cuniculus, Domestic rabbit
Sciurus carolinensis, Gray squirrel
Sciurus niger, Fox squirrel
Sciurus sp.
Ondatra zibethicus, Muskrat
Rattus norvegicus, Norway rat
Rattus sp., Old World rat sp.
Procyon lotor, Raccoon
Sus scrofa , Domestic pig
Odocoileus virginianus, White-tailed deer
Capra/Ovis sp., domestic Goat/Sheep
Bos taurus , Domestic cow
1
3
1
1
2
20
1
2
2
+
+
+
+
1
+
+
2
9
1
2
2
+
+
Unidentified
85+
N=
+ Present in numbers, MNI not computed
~ •. ""'
-----------------
1
2
1
103 -
opossums, and racoons must be considered, the absence of visible impacts to the
surviving recovered assemblage from chewing or gnawing is significant. Bone
preservation is generally good and sufficient to conclude that cultural rather
than natural factors must be considered in accounting for the structure of the
faunal assemblage.
Wild fauna include white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), cottontail
rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus), turkey (Meleagris gallopavo), goose (Asner
sp.), passenger pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius), both fox squirrel (Sciurus
niger) and gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), local fishes, and may well include pigs (Sus scrota). Historical accounts indicate that it was fortuitous
that such animal life was present in abundance since they and, particularly,
feral pigs (Sus scrota) provided the principal means of flesh subsistence to the
early Sandcreek Township pioneers (Anonymous 1976b:lJ.8). While use of the
white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) appears to be more important during the early occupation period, deer remains do show up in the later fill deposits. The Newsoms are reported to have raised Poland hogs for both food
and income. Analysis of the pig remains will continue to determine changes in
domesticity and temporal/physical adaptations within the assemblage. The fish
were represented by suckers (Hypentelium nigricans, Minytrema melanops,
Carpoides sp.), catfish (Ictal urus puncta tus, Ictal urus sp.), panfish (Lepomis
sp., Ambopli.tes rupestris), and gamefish (Micropterus sp., Pomoxis sp.). Interestingly, suckers (Hypentelium nigr icans, .. Minytrema rrielanops, Carpoides
sp.) were located in the builder's trench debris, suggesting an immediate utilization of the White River slough and overflow areas just north of the site. This
area floods seasonally and fish frequently become entrapped in the sloughs.
BEHAVIORAL CONSIDERATIONS
A consideration of South's (1977) pattern recognition process in light of the
Pcickwood Site data sets would suggest that the site more closely resembles the
Frontier Artifact Pattern (Tables 10-12). Briefly stated, Frontier Artifact Pattern sites will exhibit a higher percentage of architecture related artifacts than
kitchen related artifacts. Behavioral implications of the pattern have been suggested to range from "short occupation periods" to "a decrease in kitchen group
artifacts ••. resulting from the remoteness of the frontier from the sources of
supply" (South 1977:14-6).
What are the implications for behavior? The Packwood Site was briefly
occupied as evidenced by the nature of the deposits and material culture preseflt, the Frontier Artifact Pattern notwithstanding. However, this is, in itself,
insufficient to account for site behavior and certainly inadequate to explain such
an assemblage. All data classes considered, the earliest occupants at the Packwood Site got by as simple subsistence level farmers who supplemented their
initial domesticated food base with ample locally available natural -resources.
The purposeful selection and butchering of wild fauna as well as immature domesticated food animals in the lower occupation levels may underscore the desire to survive within an immature agricultural economy. · Ordinarily, such food
selection practices can severely impact a breeding population if sufficient controls are not in place governing the rate or degree of animal culling through the
- 104- -
TABLE 10
PATTERN RECOGNITION IN THE OCCUPATION LEVELS
Pattern Recognition
Artifact Group/Class
72S-118E
%
N
74S-118E
%
N
Adjusted Site
N
%
Kitchen
ceramics
metal
glassware
43
11.00
50
26.60
61
104
15.20
26.20
20
73
10.6'0
38.80
93
.3
81
177
15.80
0.5 0
13.80
30.10
94
16
157
267
23.50
4.00
39.30
66.80
46
2
40
88
24.50
1.00
21.30
46.80
140
18
197
23.80
3.10
33.50
355
60.40
21
5.20
5
3
8
2.60
1.60
4.20
1
-1
0.53
0.53
2
1
2
3
0.34
0.53
0.85
0.34
N
Architecture
window glass
hardware
nails
=
N:::
Furniture
mirrors
lamp parts
N
=
2T
5.20
Arms
N =
Clothing
shoe parts
glass buttons
2
shell buttons
bone buttons
metal buttons
apparel items/hardware_!
N =
4
Personal
rings/ jewelry
N =
Pipes
N =
Activities
1
recreation
2
toys
school equipment
1
agriculture
4
N =
400
Adjusted Site N*/% =
0.50
1.00
26
3
29
1
-1
5
2.60
5
0.25
0.25
1
2
0.53
2
1.00
3
1.00
Tl
5.90
15
0.25
0.50
0.25
1
2
7
1.0!0
100.00% 188
2.10
5
1.60
3
3. 7 0
lT
100.. 009iS . 588
12
47
59
Wood/Brick Deletions
to arrive at Adjusted N 105
562
N =
150
385
300
947
Unidentified Fragments
4
3
*All percentages based on the Adjusted Site N.
""· 105 -
4.40
0.50
4.90
0.17
0.17
0.50
0.50
2.50
0.17
0.34
0.85
o. 50
1. 90
100.00%
TABLE 11
PATTERN RECOGNITION IN THE REFUSE LEVELS
Pattern Recognition
Artifact Group/Class
72S-118E
N
%
Kitchen
ceramics
metal
glassware
11
14
95
N
=
Architecture
window glass
hardware
nails
80
18
107
N
Furniture
mirrors
lamp parts
N
Arms
120
=
=
=
205
74S-118E
N
%
3.00
3.90
26.30
33.20
68
11
78
157
11.40
2.00
13.50
26.90
22.20
5.00
7'+
'+9
29.60
56.80
352
12.80
8.50
39.70
61.00
229
Adjusted Site
N
%
79
25
173
277
15'+
67
336
16.'+0
7.20
35.80
557
59.'+0
'+
1. 10
'+
0.70
8
0.85
20
5.50
2ii
'+.00
'+.70
1. '+0
'+3
6.60
23
27
8
51
'+.60
5.45
0.85
1.40
8
N
Clothing
2
shoe parts
1
glass buttons
1
shell buttons
bone buttons
1
metal buttons
apparel items/hardware_3_
8
N =
Personal
rings/ jewelry
N =
Pipes
N =
Activities
1
recreation
1
toys
school equipment
2
agriculture
4
N =
361
Adjusted Site N*/%=
8
0.55
1
2
0.17
1
11
8
23
0.17
2.00
2
0.28
0.28
0.28
0.83
2. 20
2
2
2
0.28
0.28
0.55
1. 11
100.00%
5
6
576
8
0.85
l.ltO
3
3
1
1
12
11
'+. LO
3T
0.32
0.32
0.11
0.11
1.30
1.20
3.40
0.34
0.34
0.34
0.34
2
-2
2
2
0.21
0.21
0.21
0.21
0. 17
1
1
0.11
0. 11
7
0.75
0.3'+
0.87
1.04
100.00%
9
937
10
'+0
50
Wood/Brick Deletions to
150
arrive at adjusted N
521
N =
150
766
300
1287
Unidentified Fragments
*All percentages based on the Adjusted Site N.
- 106 -
~-- -- --~--
8.40
2.70
18.50
29.60
0.97
100.00%
TABLE 12
PATTERN RECOGNITION AT THE PACKWOOD SITE
Pattern Recognition
Artifact Group/Class
Kitchen
ceramics
metal
glassware
72S-118E
N
%
74S-118E
N
%
N =
54
14
156
224
7.10
1.80
20.50
29.50
119
12
98
229
N =
174
31
264
469
22.90
4. 10
34.70
61.70
120
51
269
440
25
20
3.30
2.60
9
26
43
5.90
35
Architecture
window glass
hardware
nails
Furniture
mirrors
lamp parts
N =
Arms
9
I N=
Clothing
shoe parts
2
glass buttons
3
shell buttons
1
bone buttons
metal buttons
2
apparel items/hardware_5
N =
13
Personal
rings/ jewelry
N =
Pipes
N =
Activities
recreation
2
toys
3
school equipment
1
agriculture
2
8
N =
Adjusted Site N*/%=
259
9
0.26
0.39
0.13
0.26
0.66
1. 70
0.26
0.39
0.13
0.26
1.00
100.00%
Adjusted Site
%
N
15.50
1.60
12.80
29.90
173
26
254
453
11.30
1. 70
16.60
29.60
15.60
6.60
294
82
19.30
5.40
35.00
57.20
533
35.00
59.70
1.20
3.40
4.60
1.20
1.20
34
46
80
9
3
3
0.39
0.39
6
12
11
35
0.79
1.60
1.40
4.60
2
2
2
-2
0. 26
0.26
0.26
0.26
0.13
909
9
5
6
1
6
14
16
48
2
2
2
2
3
3
0.53
5
13
1.30
2.00
767
roo~oo%
12
23
1526
4
10
22
87
109
Wood/Brick Delection to
300
arrive at Adjusted N
1081
N =
300
1154
2235
Unidentified Fragments
2.20
3.00
5.20
0.59
0.59
0.33
0.39
0.07
0.39
0.92
1. 00
3.10
0.13
0.13
0.13
0.13
0.19
0.19
0.33
0.79
1.50
100.00%
600
* All percentages based on the Adjusted Site N.
- 107 -
- - - - - - - - - - - - ---
- --
-
--------------
employment of alternative subsistence strategies. The shift in the ratio of immature to mature domesticates later in the occupation and in the post-residence
deposits, and the decline in the use of wild fauna at the same schedule, would
suggest that sufficient controls were in place and that alternative subsistence
strategies were in operation. In this case, historically, the Newsom family
achieved some degree of notoriety in the raising of hogs in the 184-0s and 50s,
as well as development of acreage for cropping.
The historical data available for the Newsom family, then, does not suggest
a group of poverty-level dirt farmers, but, to the contrary, paints a picture of
hardworking and God-fearing people devoted to family, farm, and community.
Nothing in the archaeological record necessarily argues against this. However,
the data does suggest that initial material culture acquisition and disposal may
have been biased toward expediency. Looking at the ceramiCS ' alone, one is
likely to find quite a diversity in vessel types and styles, representing more or
less a collage of early 19th century wares. Considering economic values (Miller
1980) and availability of wares, one might wonder if the presence of diversity
is not so much a question of availability, but whether other socio-cultural values
are in place which reject the acquisition of material goods. As Quakers, the
Newsoms may, be treating material culture within a larger cultural pattern which
manifests itself, at least in an early to mid-19th century rural context, as a
lower economic or sociar scale assemblage. Indeed, one aspect of the continuing
research at the Packwood Site and Sandcreek Township is the identification of
the Friends Society in the archaeological record. This, I feel, is testable at
other sites in the township.
Another concern about the assemblage and its diversity, given its rather
small size, is the potential that we are looking at a new household of a young
married couple, who have recently traveled some 600 miles (960 kilometers)
from North Carolina. In this context, one wonders just what are our archaeological expectations of newlywed, pioneer deposits?
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
The Packwood Site is tentatively identified with the David Newsom family,
a young Quaker family from North Carolina. The homestead has produced discrete cabin/cellar residence and post residence strata containing material culture and faunal remains which provide a glimpse of pioneer life in early 19th
century Indiana. Provisionally, the Packwood Site falls within South's (1977)
Frontier Artifact Pattern. The cabin/cellar remains share structural and design similarities with Mid-Atlantic building traditions. Material culture is limited
but highly variable stylistically, suggesting possibilities for economic expediency
on the part of the site occupants or socio-cultural and religious values which
governed the degree and need for material culture acquisition, or both. Here,
additional factors such as distance from points of sale and distribution of material goods, the short-term or limited occupation of the homestead site, as well
as the economic position of the newlywed Newsoms should continue to be given
consideration in understanding and explaining both site behavior and the relationship this site plays in the early 19th century development of Indiana.
- 108 -
REFERENCES CITED
Anonymous
1974
Atlas and Plat Book of Bartholomew County, Indiana.
Illinois.
1976a Soil Survey of Bartholomew County, Indiana.
tion Service, Purdue University Extension.
Rockford,
USDA Soil Conserva-
1976b 1888 History of Bartholomew County. Bicentennial Edition, 1976.
Published by the Bartholomew County Historical Society, Columbus,
Indiana.
n.d.
U. S. Government Land Sales Records for Indiana, Louisville, Ken-,
tucky. : Microf icJie , on file, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis,
Indiana.
Arbuckle, May Adams
1940
History of Sandcreek Township, Bartholomew County, Indiana. Ms.
on, file, Bartholomew County Historical Society Museum, Columbus,
Indiana.
Ball, Donald B.
1983 Approaches Toward the Dating of 19th Century Ohio Valley Flat
Glass. Proceedings of the Symposium on Ohio Valley Urban and
Historic Archaeology 1:129-137.
Beers, J. H.
1879 Atlas of Bartholomew County, Indiana.
Chicago, Illinois.
Ellis, Gary D.
8-Hi-426: A Late 19th Century Historical Site in the Ybor City
1977
Historic District of Tampa, Florida. Ms. on file, Department of
Anthropology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida.
Glassie, Henry
1971
Pattern in the Material Folk Culture of the Eastern United States.
University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia.
Heiss, Willard
1820 Federal Census for Indiana. Genealogy Section, Indiana
1966
Historical Society ,Indianapolis, Indiana.
Miller,, George
1980
Classification and Economic Scaling of 19th Century Ceramics.
Historical Archaeology 14:1-41.
- 109 -
Richards, Ronald L.
1984
Preliminary Report on the Vertebrate Remains of the Packwood
Site, Bartholomew County, Indiana. Ms. on file, Natural History
Department, Indiana State Museum, Indianapolis, Indiana.
South, Stanley
1977
Method and Theory in Historical Archeology.
New York.
' <·
- 110 -
Academic Press,