A great trading intercourse generally creates many causes of contention and fills our courts with a great amount of business, all of which has its bad and good effects, and while some bear the burdens of contention others receive the benefit of transacting the necessary business for adjusting matters of dispute. All the consequences resulting from such an intercourse of mankind, have a tendency to enlighten them, and, according to the old saying "It's an ill wind that blows nobody any good."
[ANTERIOR PRICES OF LIVE STOCK, GRAIN AND OTHER FARMERS' PRODUCE, WAGES, &C.]
For many years the prices of those productions, wages, &c., were about stationary. At what time or times these were established is uncertain, but I presume it must have been as early as 1740, when the same became regulated according to the discretion of the people throughout this valley or by the Esopus merchant, and continued until about the year 1790. The farmers generally paid mechanics and laborers with the produce of their farms, and the latter paid what they bought of the former in labor, and very little money was in circulation among them.
Previous to the Revolutionary War, and for a few years after it ended, the currency in circulation here was that of the Colony of New York, afterwards termed State of New York, which was calculated in pounds, shillings, pence and farthings.
| 1 pound was 20 shillings | $2.50 |
| 1 shilling was 12 pence | .12 1/2 |
| 1 penny was 4 farthings | .01 1/25 |
The grain measure was a skipple, and held 3 pecks. The cloth measure was an ell, 3/4 of a yard long.
For brevity, the prices annexed to the following articles, wages, &c., is in our present currency, and the measures are those now in use.
LIVE STOCK.