Here's a cute article on the introduction of cooking stoves in a neighborhood:
Does any body know when cooking-stoves began?... The first approach that I remember, was an anciently fashioned "ten-plate," with a place to boil a tea-kettle or receive a frying-pan. The idea thus suggested was subsequently developed, till, as we enjoy our patent, premium, air-tight, or combination, which can roast, bake, boil, broil, and stew all at once, we are convinced that this is truly a progressive age, and we a progressive people, progressive alike in compromises, constitutions, and cookery.
Some of my fair readers may say, "No cook-stoves! impossible! They never could get along without them." Softly, miss, just step over and ask your grandma. She will tell you how she "baked her brains" over roaring hickory fire--how she fretted about the oak wood, which would pop, snap, and smoke, but would not burn--how she was tried in temper by green beech, or a load of crooked limbs in harvest-time, till she raised a regular domestic row--how, fastened in the left side of the ample fireplace, was a "crane," with divers hooks of varied length, upon which were hung tea-kettle, stew-kettle, and mush-pot--how bread was baked for Sundays, rollings, huskings, quiltings, weddings, and in-fairs, in the brick-oven, and on smaller occasions in the Dutch-oven; and she will also tell you, what I honestly believe, that we have no such bread in these days. She will tell how johnny-cake was baked on a board, hoe-cake on a hoe, and ash-cake in the ashes; also, what a sensation was produced when some cute Yankee brought out the polished tin reflector, which had most pleasing reflections, for they produced luscious pumpkin-pies and deliscious, [sic] creamy bircuit--[sic]such biscuit!...
But ever and anon came the ominous intimations of what could be done in the culinary department if there was only a cook-stove. The neighbors looked with suspicion and surprise upon such suggestions; they implied dissatisfaction with the lot Providence had assigned us, and then it was putting on city airs. If it came it would destroy primitive simplicity, introduce a new class of artificial wants, would bring in luxury which had already ruined quite a number of ancient notions, and might thus ultimately dissolve the Union...
The discussion lasted several months, and took a wide range, including, in addition to the political aspect, economics, hygiene, and aesthetics, and was argued objectively, subjectively, synthetically, and analytically. But there was an energy in the kitchen cabinet no opposition could subdue--it prevailed; and it was agreed that the stove should come...
The stove and its furniture were purchased, and wagoned the forty-seven miles... Its total cost was sixty-five dollars in good money, the transportation ten or fifteen more. It was a substantial stove, containing, in the matter of metal, enough for six such stoves as are cast in these degenerate days...
The capacity of the stove to prepare alimentary substance was then argued in detail. ...
That stove seemed possessed of strange intelligence. Let strangers, or especially honored guests, arrive, and bake it wouldn't. In vain did I split the wood fine, and cross the wood; in vain would I fall an ash rail and "cut up the lap," bake it would not...
Yet, with all its faults and foibles, that old stove had a mission. It is true we afterward sold it for fifteen dollars, yet it did work. It was pioneer. Others followed in swift succession. Soon one of our neighbors reported a better stove bought with twenty dollars less money... One of his neighbors bought the "newest style," with the "latest improvements," and laid out fifteen dollars less!...
Then came on thrashing-machines, false-teeth, reapers, daguerreotypes, and hooped-skirts. They came after our stove. Noble pioneer! it "headed the column on."...
But much as stoves are improved, I still think some things are not so well cooked as in the days of fireplaces and ovens. O, how often have I sighed for a good old-times, fireplace-cooked "pot-pie," such as was prepared in those days at rollings! I ne'er shall look upon the like again.... (p. 39-41, "The Pioneer Cooking Stove" T. M. Eddy, The Ladies' Repository, Vol 17 issue 1, Jan 1857, Cincinnati, Methodist Episcopal Church)
Hank Trent
hanktrent@voyager.net