Peter V. Bergstrom, PhD
PC Services Consultant & Web Designer
336-286-8654
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Dr. Hardin:
You're so right that the answer is far from simple.
When I was working on my dissertation on the Virginia economy 1700-1775, I
did quite a bit of research into this subject -- including reworking the
math on many accounts from both Virginia and England to see what the weights
really were.
In general (but I won't swear to no exceptions being found) a CWT of tobacco
in Virginia means 100 pounds, and a ton of 20 CWT in Virginia was 2000
pounds. However, once that tobacco got to England or Scotland, it would be
measured in terms of CWT which were reckoned at 112 pounds and tons of 2240
pounds.
One saving grace is that while in Virginia prices were usually quoted as so
much per Cwt -- as in 8/6 per Cwt -- which would be 8 shillings, 4 pence or
100 pence/100 pounds or 1d per pound. In England it would just be quoted as
1d per pound.
I have read most of the annual levies of the tidewater counties and parish
vestries and I'm very confident that references to tobacco prices therein
will, when quoted by the Cwt mean a rate per 100 pounds.
If you look at my book _Markets and Merchants_ (New York, 1985) you fill
find a whole chapter on the marketing practices of 18th C Virginia. Russell
Menard and John McCusker have also done extensive work on tobacco prices for
both Virginia and Maryland. Lorena Walsh also has information on farm
prices versus market prices in her work on plantation management.
I hope this helps.
Peter V. Bergstrom, PhD
Independent Historian
Computer & Historical Consultant
336-286-8654
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-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Dr. David S. Hardin
Sent: Saturday, August 21, 2004 12:55 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Hundredweight
A simple question that probably doesn't have a simple answer: when records
in seventeenth and early eighteenth-century Virginia - especially
pertaining to tobacco - use the term "hundredweight" or "Cwt," were they
considering that 100 or 112 pounds? Obviously this is important to
deriving an accurate price series. Unfortunately, in Essex County records,
I have yet to find a document that would reveal what standard they were
using (by that I mean references to pounds and cwt of tobacco with
corresponding prices in the same entry). I know Avoirdupois units were
pretty much the standard after the Revolution, but have never known when
that standard originated and when it started to come into use. If anyone
has a reference for legislation regarding the hundredweight standard in
colonial Virginia or has an example where the standard is revealed, I would
appreciate it. I suppose while I'm at it: were they using the short (2,000
lb) or long (2,240 lb) ton?
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