Footnotes to Long Island History
Cash Scarce in Early
Days
November 25, 1954
by
Thomas R. Bayles
The towns
of Suffolk were settled in the following order, Southold and Southampton
in 1640, East Hampton in 1648, Shelter Island in 1652, Huntington in
1653, Smithtown in 1663, Brookhaven in 1655, and Islip in 1666.
Riverhead was a part of Southold town until 1790, and Babylon was a part
of “Huntington South” until 1872.
When the
first settlements were made on Long Island all the produce raised was
needed by the settlers, and for several years most of their trade was
among themselves. Money was very scarce in those early days, and
business was carried on by barter and exchange.
In 1658 the
town of Hempstead agreed to pay the herdsmen who watched their cattle,
12 shillings sterling a week, payable in butter, wheat, corn and oats at
prevailing prices. In 1659 the same town allowed six bushels of corn
for killing a wolf.
In 1659 the
town of East Hampton agreed to pay Thomas James, its minister, 100
pounds a year, payable in winter wheat at five shillings a bushel,
Indian corn at two shillings, six pence a bushel, tallow at six pence
per pound, green hides at three pence, dry hides at six pence, beef at
40 shillings per barrel, whale bone at eight pence a pound, and oil at
30 shillings a barrel, to be collected by the town constable or
overseers, or by men to be appointed by them.
In 1654
magistrates at East Hampton ordered that the town tax should be paid in
wheat at four shillings six pence a bushel, and Indian corn at three
shillings and six pence a bushel.
Between
1655 and 1687 the prices allowed for various kinds of produce was as
follows:
Pork, 3
pence a pound; beef, 2 pence; wheat, four shillings a bushel; rye, three
shillings six pence a bushel; corn, two shillings six pence per bushel;
oats, two shillings; butter, six pence a pound; tallow, 6 pence a pound;
hog fat, six pence a pound; board, five shillings a week; meals, six
pence a meal; lodging, two pence a night; beer, two pence per mug;
labor, two shillings six pence a day.
The
practice of paying in produce continued until about 1700, when wider
trade had rendered money plentiful, and introduced it into general
circulation.
The English
towns of Long Island were settled by companies of individuals who had
first landed in some part of New England, but had remained there but a
short time.
Many of the
first settlers were well educated and had left important connections in
England. The early records of the several towns give evidence that the
leading men had a thorough knowledge of public affairs and the laws of
England.
They left
England during the turbulent times of the reign of Charles I, and fled
from tyranny and oppression at home. They were devoted to the cause of
civil liberty and to the simplicity and purity of the Protestant
religion. They held that every man had a right to adopt the mode of
worship according to the Scriptures, and that religion was essential to
public order and social happiness. For the peaceful enjoyment of these
blessings they had forsaken the scenes of civilization, had broken the
ties that bound them to their native soil, and were anxious to
incorporate these principles in their settlements on the shores of a new
land.