M. Flanagan:

Due to the fact that I had an ancestor who evidently was afraid he
was going to get "ripped off" due to the inflation in Virginia in
1781, I can give you the amount of inflation, at least in Loudoun
County, that was estimated in (I think it was May) 1781 when the
army came by and impressed supplies for the troups.  I have read
quite a number of these "Publick Claims," but have not seen another
case in which the depreciation was mentioned. If anyone one else
has, I would be interested in having the reference.

"Jacob Yandes for 28 days hire of a waggon & team under command of the
Marquiss de La Fayette  L 16.16 ["L" is supposed to be a lb. sign]; for
1 waggon & team of 4 horses into the Contl. service for L 30,000 as
pr.cert. Major Langhorn DQM which by the TABLE OF DEPRECIATION is
L 200; also for expenses of his waggon returning from Richmond L 200.12.

[Ref: Page 30.  Virginia Publick Claims [:] Loudoun County.  Janice
L. Abercrombie. Athens, Georgia.  n.d.]

I guess the ratio was 200:30,000 or 100:15,000 or 1:150.  Is that right?

Netti Schreiner-Yantis

-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of M.Flanagan
Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2002 7:53 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Rev. War support for soldiers' families

And £555 sure sounds like a lot of "necessaries" - unless I'm
mis-interpreting the meaning of "pounds", or Virginia was experiencing some
serious wartime inflation at this point.  Was inflation an issue in Virginia
at this time.

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