Shuttered Windows-Keyed Doors

Feb 15, 2002 - © Virginia Marin

Folklore Table of Contents

South Carolina is one of several states which still carry antiquated Blue Laws on their books. Some of our Blue Laws have been relaxed or removed in their entirety, but enough of them remain to cause emotions ranging from acquiescence to indignation. It is sometimes bad enough to live under lawfully enforced Blue Laws, but can you imagine being forced to live under a set of False Blue Laws imposed by one man or by a faith to which one did not belong?

Blue Laws are laws that regulate public morality. Morality is viewed in two ways--1. Morality according to the eye of the beholder, and 2. Morality according to the teachings of various religions and holy books. They are called Blue Laws because they were written on blue paper, though there is disagreement here.

The story is told of one Reverend Samuel Peters of Connecticut who willfully, and without concern for the people, foisted upon the descendants and admirers of New England Puritans, a set of Sabbath Blue Laws known collectively as False Blue Laws.

Three of the most troubling and harsh laws read:

1. No one shall cook food, sweep the house, make beds, travel from one place to another, shave or cut their hair on the Sabbath Day.

2. No woman shall embrace or kiss her children either on the Sabbath or on a holy day.

3. No one shall ride on the Sabbath Day; or walk for pleasure or health, in his garden or elsewhere, except to and from the Sabbath Meeting, and then it should be done most reverently.

The words reflect the spirit of the old Puritan laws which were enacted not only in Connecticut, but also in Massachusetts and other New England Colonies. The Sabbath Laws migrated into the Middle and Southern Colonies where they were accepted with statehood. The Blue Laws in my state of South Carolina are a serious vestige of Reverend Samuel Peters, and others.

Around 1690, in New London, Connecticut, a fisherman, deemed as wicked, stood before a court where he was fined heavily for catching eels on a Sunday. Not only did the family go without supper that night, but they suffered from financial want due to the heavy fine; another was fined twenty shillings for sailing a boat on the Lord's Day, while yet another was harassed out of town for crossing a river.

In 1670, an espoused couple were convicted for sitting together under an apple tree on Sunday, while in Plymouth, a man was whipped without mercy for shooting a turkey on the Sabbath. Another local lady was fined and chastised for washing, wringing, and hanging out a few clothes on a Sunday, and a man placed in stocks for tending to his chickens. Out of several dozen Sunday offenses, the silliest I came across was the conviction and incarceration of a Dunstable soldier for wetting a piece of an old hat to put in his shoe!

The copyright of the article Shuttered Windows-Keyed Doors in Folklore is owned by Virginia Marin. Permission to republish Shuttered Windows-Keyed Doors in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Go To Page: 1 2 3 4

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic