"THE CAMP BLANKET” by Clark & Sons Mercantile, Inc

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"THE CAMP BLANKET” by Clark & Sons Mercantile, Inc. was the first dealer that handled period correct edibles. We started handling first the seeds and later the actual grown product. From 1972 until we sold the business, we were copied by others with no documentation of their own. If documentation was shown it was usually copied from Clark & Sons Mercantile, Inc. website. Years later a few writers would do the same, just copied with no research of their own.



Proprietor * Buck Conner

The list of reference material for the information gathered in this catalog is larger to list than the catalog itself, so we decided not to bore you with such a list. But we would like to thank some people that have given us many ideas and documented facts on foods, recipes, remedies and quotes of our forefathers.

PREFACE
We would like to take this opportunity to introduce ourselves and some of our product lines to you. You may have noticed our location is Lakewood, Colo. (Green Mountain, base of the Great Stoney Mountains, sometimes called the Rockies). Lakewood was established as a branch of the Denver Post Office in 1861, a hundred and thirty plus years ago, and the pioneer spirit is still alive and doing well in our part of the country. Clark & Sons Mercantile was established as a need developed for correct period foods and items to prepare those foods, do to the re-enactment movement now going on in North America and Europe. Our name, Clark & Sons Mercantile is as old as our friends mill and from a family as old as our country. From the six sons of John and Ann Rogers Clark, came forts they built, wars they won, new territory found, lands they mapped and not to be forgotten, the business’ started. The family name of Clark has been in American History from the beginning, “from sea to shinning sea”, treading on new ground, always involved and looking for a new venture or adventure. As participants ourselves in the various time frames, from the F & I War to the Indian Wars, we’ve seen our share of not correct merchandise in the last 35 to 40 years and will endeavor to bring documented items for several time periods. Clark & Sons, has the good fortune to be able to offer some interesting items and ye provisions, along with a few historical facts, remedies and recipes to help you relate to the comforts and many discomforts our forefathers had to deal with. This is why we offer only the best quality goods at reasonable prices, the quality and price of the product will speak for themselves. Our grain and mill products have been checked for quality of content and that all health regulations have been met with State and Federal Laws.

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The PENNSYLVANNIA GAZETTE / NUMB 2069, 2071, 2077 Augft 18,1768 through October 25, 1768, The Museum Of The Fur Trade / Quarterly Spring 1955 to Fall 1996, The Buckskin Report / Monthly February 1974 to December 1984, The Black Powder Report, American Rendezvous, The Backwoodsman, Muzzleloader, Military History, Living History, Black Powder Times, Wilderness Way, Early American Life, An Earlier Time, American Indian Art, Society Of Primitive Technology, Colonial Homes, On The Trail, The Colonial Society, Journal of the Middle Waters Frontier and many many more articles of available museum information, private collectors and collections, single publications, books and articles. This is a small list of what has been collected over 25 to 30 years of interest in this area of North American History.
The list of ladies and gentlemen that have given ideas and thoughts are as endless as the literature, with writers, editors, historians and friends such as Charles Hanson, Dick Titter, John Baird, Mark Baker, John Curry, Cathy Johnson, William Gorby, Darrel Schmid, Mike Moore, Dwain Thompson, James Rubinfine, William Eaton, P. J. Spangenberg, Dr. Jerry LaVelle, The Brotherhood of The American Mountain Men, Charlie Richie, Rick Edwards, my good friend Peter Gobel and my family for their support

Thank You All.

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Some nice remarks from various editors about us, we thank you for your kindness gentlemen. ___________________________

To read their list of goods offered, one feels as though they are standing at the counter of a pre-1840 St. Louis trading post or they are preparing to place an order to the stores of George Morgan during the 18th century. It seems that you can find any thing you might need in the way of foods and grains for your trek on the trail as well as period correct cookware, copper, tin, and iron. C&S Mercantile has given us a much needed source for authentic early American food-stuff and I encourage you to write for their list. Their prices are as fair as one could hope for.

Rick Edwards, Editor “ On The Trail ” magazine

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Experience the 18th and early 19th century camp life with authentic foods, mill products, seasonings, cooking and camp wares from one that deals in only early camp equipage.

James Rubinfine, Editor  “ An Earlier Time “ magazine.

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Looking at what is offered by Clark & Sons Mercantile, really opens the re-enactors eyes to what a variety of items were available for different time periods. What we liked, is they deal as stated, “camp life equipage”, foods, mill items and camp supplies of early North America. What a great find for the serious historical interpreter.

William Eaton, Field Editor  “ The Colonial Society “ magazine

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I have dealt with The Camp Blanket several times, ordering a variety of period-correct foodstuffs. His catalog is a treat, for he spices up the lists of grains, teas, coffee, sugars and cookware with quotes from original documents that put the food he offers into a particular time and place. When I review his catalog, I can imagine what the shelves and barrels of George Morgan’s Kaskaskia store might have displayed during a typical day in 1768.

Mark Baker, A Pilgrim’s Journey  “ Muzzleloader “ magazine

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A wealth of information of some of the more common foods grown or foraged, along with recipes, remedies and quotes from the French and Indian War to the end of the Fur Trade.

Veron L. Bigsby, Along the Way  “The Collector’s Guide” magazine

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Clark & Sons Mercantile has been around only a few years, but the experience level goes back to the mid 1950’s for the owner, with several other related supply business in the 1750 to 1850 time frame, a great find for the history buff’s. I’ve known Buck since the mid 1970’s and dealt with him many times, a real gentlemen.

P. L. Spangenberg, Editor  “ Blackpowder Annual “ Peterson Publishing

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Authenticity is what Clark & Sons is all about. The Camp Blanket is a little hard to explain because they aren’t only in the business of selling, it is also a how a how-to of what was eaten in yesteryear, how to prepare it and little known facts about what foods were popular in those days. One thing is certain, if you want period food, tin and copperware, toiletries, blankets, grains, teas, sweets and fire building, smoking, sewing , books and writing supplies, then it behooves you to get their list and catalog.

Charlie Richie, Editor  “Backwoodsman” magazine

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Documented Facts Pertaining To Periods & Availability Of Foods.
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This is just a sampling of how we ran our correct period food business in the 80's & 90's. Originally called "Buckhorn Rendezvous" - later becoming "Clark & Sons Mercantile, Inc." when moving to the Internet.

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“Food” grain and mill products are correct for the time period shown on each item. We have saved you the time in researching of proper grains and mill items for the various time periods, with furnished history and its origin, even to proper usage’s. Coffee and Teas have been researched back to French, German and English sources, to try and be correct as possible for your needs. Some of our grain products may be in short supply at different times of the year, we do not stock a large amount, keeping a fresh inventory to fill your needs. Our other products are always in supply, unless our supplier is short, but only a few days at the most. We have tried to stay with our theme of correct foods, grains and mill items. Because of the demand, we’ve added cooking and camp life equipage to round out a need of today's re-enactors.
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GRAIN - MILL ITEMS - SEASONINGS

Our grains, seeds, milled products and seasonings are organically grown in the original colonies from which they were planted, when arriving from other lands. As is the mill’s location, built before the American Revolution, she sat idle from 1875 until 1955, when that generation wanted non-chemically grown or processed foods. Thanks to these non-conformists, the mill lives again with her water powered system in full swing.

You will note; that these products are coded for their popularity or availability for a specified time frame in our catalog and on our price sheet.

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FOOD SAFETY All our tin items are 100% food safe for all foods.

NOTE: Brass and copper items that are not lined with tin are safe for NON-ACID foods only. These items must be well cleaned after each use, and food must not be allowed to remain in them for long periods of time. (This may cause a chemical reaction and create a poison!) Never cook in any vessel that has turned green! (This is verdigris, and is a poison!)

* Our Brass or copper vessels which are tin-lined are 100% food safe for all foods. Our suppliers, carry this warning for your safety. All carried “brass and copper cookware” is tin-lined for your safety at Clark & Sons Mercantile.

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When reading our catalog, if you find a spelling error, just think of Mark Twain’s statement; “ its a damn poor mind that can think of only one way to spell a word.” another one of his statements was; “never tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.”

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HISTORICAL REMARKS OF EDIBLES

Interesting comments made by others that have traveled this land and what they had to say of some “things’ ate”.

“MEAT’S MEAT”

Who said; “meat’s meat”, many people in the “know” claim that Bridger made the statement on a return trip from the shining mountains. You may be surprised to know that was a very common term made by many, famous and not-so-famous starving men....

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George F. Ruxton wrote “meat’s meat, is a common saying in the mountains”, and “from buffalo down to rattle- snake, including quadruped that runs, every fowl that flies and every reptile that creeps, nothing comes amiss to the mountaineer.

Moses Schallenberger was snowbound in the Sierra Mountains in 1844, he wrote after trapping a coyote. “I soon had his hide off and his flesh roasted in a dutch oven. I ate this meat but it was horrible. I next tried boiling him, but it did not improve the flavor. I cooked him in every possible manner of my imagination, spurred by hunger could suggest, but could not be eaten without revolting my stomach.” On another occasion he wrote of catching two foxes, roasted one and found “the meat, though entirely devoid of fat, was delicious.”

Lewis & Clark remarked “on October 2, 1805, nothing except a small prairie wolf killed that day” they did not comment as to the flavor. Merriweather Lewis’s journal entry of June 3, 1806 states “our party from necessity having been obliged to subsist some length of time on dog have now become extremely fond of their flesh; it is worthy of remark that while we lived principally on the flesh of this animal we were much more healthy and more fleshy than we had been since we left buffalo country....”

Charles Larpenteaur wrote of nothing but dog to eat, which the squaws cooked. Some of the group cried out “Mad Dog! Mad Dog! sure enough, he did look like a mad dog; his head sticking partly out of the kettle, with his fine ivories, growling as it were, and the scum was frothing about his teeth....”

James Clyman while camped on the Sweetwater River in 1825 became separated from his companions, he wrote “after having killed two badgers, I skinned and roasted them, making a suitable meal with parched corn...”

Thomas Becknell while on the Santa Fe Trail in 1821 wrote “I killed one small prairie dog, roasted it, but found it strong and unpalatable...”

John R. Bell, on the Arkansas River in 1820, complained that “Our hunters came in having killed a skunk, which we must keep for our dinner tomorrow.” The next day “boiled the skunk, which tasted skunkish enough...” Joe Meek had similar remarks for eating polecats...”

Osborn Russell reported that “beaver feeding on wild parsnips were poisonous and those that ate of the meat, within a few hours became sick at the stomach and the whole system became cramped...”

Rev. Samuel Parker said “that while flesh of the beaver was usable, the fore part is of a land animal while the hind part is of the taste of fish like...”

Joseph R. Walker and his party considered all eggs edible regardless of their age or condition, embryos well developed, and small birds only a few days old, would be cut into small pieces and used in soup or stews. The same group had a feast with Indians on the Sierra Nevada range to find that “pounded fish was really not fish but worms, which suddenly was rejected by our stomachs when found out...”

Buck G. Connor’s journal stated that “ants and snakes when cleaned and roasted were eaten with flour cakes for evening meals while in the employment of the Mexican Army....” and “was probably one of the better meals available at the time” a reporter for the hometown newspaper, the Phila. Evening News wrote.

Joe Meek wrote of the Indians of the Great Salt Lake area pulverized grasshoppers which they mixed with a jam of service-berries and dried in the sun to form a “fruitcake”. “Fried grasshoppers, caterpillars, wood-boring beetles, termites and spider bodies were disguised in stews..” “Rattlesnake was occasionally eaten by these people as a special treat..” Nuts; hazel, walnut, pinion and acorn were favorites of these travelers.

William Ashley’s journal of May 28, 1824 records that “during the last two days we have lived on fish we caught with hooks and lines...” Hooks and lines were often mentioned on lists of supplies by traders.

John C. Fremont, Benjamin Kern and Jed Smith have written of eating “mule meat, making minced boiled mule meat pies for New Year’s treat... and mentioned that the pies were very good...”

These early travelers made good use of any provisions available showing great resource- fullness for the situation and location they were put into.
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If your going to do something whether it's a business or just traveling in the woods, spend some time, do your research and do it correctly.

I was thinking about another venture with an old friend "Uffda". A period business of those special small items found in one's day pouch or hunting bag. We used to have a few special small items that were handy to use while sitting around an encampment. Uffda says "Not Interested at this time". I will start looking at what we have for a source of the product needed, once a connection is made and those items are available, we will be listing them with a brief description and a few pictures of each item.

If you have a need for a small special item let us know, PM me and I'll see if we can fill your needs.

Thank you for your time, we get back here once we have some wares to list.


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