PADELAWA-L Archives

From:
Subject: Re: leverman
Date: Thu, 22 Feb 2001 18:09:00 EST

Dear Helen:

I have seen the term "leverman" used in upstate New York as well as in
northern New England. (My mother's family were involved with the timber
business for 7 generations.) It is a synonym for "peevie man." A peevie is a
long, heavy pole with a moveable hook attached to its side, used for moving
heavy logs and prying loose jammed timber.

Loggers generally worked from the late fall (after harvest) until early
spring, cutting timber and rolling or dragging the logs to a holding pond
made by putting a dam or boom across the headwaters of a major stream. When
the snows melted and the spring rains raised the water level, the logs were
released to flood downriver to the saw mills. The peevie was a lever used to
maneuver logs and break up the jams made when the timber piled up on natural
obstacles in the river bed.

A leverman was greatly respected, as his job required bravery, physical
dexterity, courage for climbing on and standing on unstable jams which could
suddenly shift and kill, and a thorough understanding of the mechanical
forces needed to break up jams without endangering people or causing further
jams downstream. Not surprisingly, these levermen or peevie men were the
skilled, experienced workmen, at the top of the lumberjacks for pay and
prestige. When I was young, I was privileged enough to see two old-timers at
work on a jam and it was impressive!

Perhaps your "leverman" was one of these. Worth a thought.

Thy friend, Nancy Webster

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