Much of the pioneer furniture was home-made, in spells of leisure on rainy days and in winter, or by a neighboring carpenter. The woods most in use were birch, cherry, black walnut, basswood and maple. Black walnut was very popular until the latter half of the eighteenth century, when it was superseded by mahogany in the houses of fashionable society. Patrick Campbell says: "Maple and black clouded birch of New Brunswick and black walnut of Upper Canada are equal for household furnishing and furniture to any in the world. In the Governor's house, the Judge's house, and others, I have see most beautiful specimens. Yet so prevalent is custom and the desire of emulation the bane of society, that many gentlemen, who cannot well afford it, have mahogany furniture in abundance, and despise what can be got at their door."
Quoted from:
The PICTURE GALLERY of CANADIAN HISTORY
Vol. 2 1763 to 1830. Text on Page 125, Illustration on page 90.
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