I have been questioned about my multipliers in light of the CPI
indexes of the govt. that appear online.  Those CPI numbers simply do
not work in measuring the money and lives of our poor ancestors (and
85% were poor).  Remember, we had almost no middle class; only
laborers and small tradesmen and artificers, and the CPI reflects the
economic increases of the society as a whole, including the VERY
wealthy and the upper class.

I have no interest in debating or being critical of those published
numbers, and so have set forth verbatim the expenses and notations of
my quite average G-Gfather who was of ordinary means and lived in
mid-Southern Ohio in the midst of FINE farm land.  He made these
entries in his DayBook for the years 1849-1852.

A casual glance at the following will reveal that my average
multiplier of 45 for that period comes FAR closer to our experience
than do any CPI numbers I have ever read/seen.  Try for yourselves;
multiply these prices times 45 and see how close we come to the prices
today.  That, as opposed to the silly number 10 set forth by the CPI
indexes for 1850.    Paul

$20.00 for a "colt"
50 cents for a "daybook" (bound notebook 100 pg.; VERY expensive!)
$1.00 for  leather for a pr. of shoes, $1.00 to have those made
37.5 cents for a tin bucket
$1.121/2 for a leather vest
$5.00 for an "overcoat"
$1.00 for 2 shirts
$1.00 for 2 prs. trousers
$1.50 per student (two 66 day terms) = 2.75 cents ea. per day
62.5 cents a day for raking and binding
50 cents a day for hoeing corn
50 cents a day for reaping and the same for raking
50 cents a day for hauling grain (teamster)
$1.00 per day for threshing
(The above rates equal 4 to 6 cents per hour for such farm work)
$1.00 per week "and washing done" @ 4-5 cents per item
$3.00 for obstetrics
1 cent per bd foot for 375 linear ft. lumber (1"x1')
$1.25 for having a horse shod
$1.25 for a front "quarter of beef"
35 cents for 10 lbs "beef"
39 cents a lb. for 5 lbs tallow
17 cents for 10 lbs lard
80 cents for 10 lbs sausage
1 cent per lb. for 14 lbs spare ribs
66 cents for 14.25 lbs. ham
62.5 cents for 5 lbs butter
$1.00 for a bu. dried apples    1.00
10 cents per gallon for 5 gal. Vinegar
$1.19 for 28 lbs of pork (
$1.00 for a bu of potatoes   1.00
$1.00 for having a pair of pants made
$1.50 for having a linen coat made
$1.99 for 2 prs of drawers
23/4 per lb. for 42 lbs. flour
$3.00 for house call at night, $1.00 daytime
$1.50 room and board for one week
$3.00 for wood and candles for 3 months for a boarder
3-5 cents per item of clothes laundered

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