Two cars driving on a grassy field surrounded by trees and hills.

The Nugen family history on laurel creek

Our Storied Beginning

John and Malissa Nugen and their four children, James, Lucinda, Alonzo, and Edna, are found in the 1860 Federal Census to be living on Laurel Creek, with John listed as a farm labourer.

It is believed that John is the one who built the log cabin.

The land was part of a large parcel (2,888 acres) purchased by the Cassidys on May 5, 1855. Charles B. Ellison bought 37.5 acres from the Cassidys on December 24, 1859, for $5.00. Mr. Ellison, however, is not recorded in the 1860 census alongside the Nugens, so it is believed that they did not live on the farm.

On May 16, 1870, John Dempsey bought the farm from Charles, and in 1874 John Nugen bought the farm from John Dempsey’s estate after his passing.

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a time capsule

Homemade Lye Soap

This recipe was found among papers given to Joyce McKinney Dunn by Nancy Nugen Snow and is provided for educational purposes only. Do not try this at home.

Step 1

Put 1 quart cold water and 1 can of lye into an earthenware jar or bowl. Let stand until cooled. (Takes about an hour or more.)

Step 2

Ingredients

1 c. sugar
½ c. borax
2 qts clean warm grease
1 c. ammonia
scent

Put sugar and borax into earthenware or enamel vessel (holding about a gallon). Stir well. Pour warm grease into borax mixture and stir well. Add ammonia, stir well. Now add cooled lye solution to grease mixture and add scent, if desired. Stir until mixture thickens and judge consistency. Pour into mold. Let stand overnight. This soap hardens in a few days and can be grated into soap flakes.

Notes

To wash fat, place in a large pan with about twice as much water and one sliced potato, washed but not peeled. Boil hard for about half an hour, strain into another pan. Cool, then refrigerate for 24 hours. To clean fat, hold under the cold faucet and wash off scum which forms at the bottom of the fat. Then fat is now clean and free of salt.
Should a scented soap be desired, add sassafras, wintergreen, lavender, rose or pine. The amount of scent used would depend on the degree of scent desired.