FOOD IN SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY TIDEWATER VIRGINIA

https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/bitstream/handle/10919/26153/LD5655.V856_1982.S772.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

FOOD IN SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY TIDEWATER VIRGINIA:
A METHOD FOR STUDYING HISTORICAL CUISINES
by
Maryellen Spencer
Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
in
Human Nutrition and Foods
My sincere thanks to Spence over at the Minuteman Forum for this link.


If you have trouble loading this link, keep trying. I had to go away & leave it for a while, when I tried later it loaded just fine. This is a PDF, so you can download a copy if you wish.

Keith.

1733 Hudson Bay Trade Goods.

In 1733 at the Albany Post, the Hudson’s Bay Company sold goods at the following rates:  

Item	#MB		Item	#MB
¾ pound coloured beads	1		1 file	1
1 brass kettle	1		20 gunflints	1
1 pound lead	1		1 gun [probably a musket]	10-12
1 ½ pounds gunpowder	1		1 pistol	4
2 pounds sugar	1		1 gun-worm	1
2 pounds “Brazil” tobacco	1		1 pair yarn gloves	1
1 ½ pounds leaf tobacco	1		2 goggles	1
1 ½ pounds roll tobacco	1		1 handkerchief	1
1 pound thread	1		1 hat	1
1 ½ ounce vermillion	1		2 hatchets	1
1 gallon brandy	1		8 hawk bells	1
2 yards broad cloth	1		2 ice chisels	1
1 blanket	1		8 knives	1
12 awls	1		2 looking glasses	1
12 dozen buttons	1		12 needles	1
1 pair breeches	1		2 net lines	1
2 combs	1		2 powderhorns	1
2 red feathers	1		6 plain rings	1
20 fish hooks	1		3 stone rings	1
4 fire steels	1		2 scrapers	1
2 sword blades	1		1 pair stockings	1 ¼
4 spoons	1		2 sashes	1
2 shirts	1		6 thimbles	1
1 pair shoes	1		2 tobacco boxes	1

The Hudson's Bay Company eventually introduced coins to facilitate the fur trade. The coins were minted of brass or copper and were issued in units of Made Beaver. The coins were paid to the Indian hunter for the furs he brought in.  The coins could then be spent like cash inside the Hudson's Bay Company store.

In 1821 Nicholas Garry of the Hudson’s Bay Company writes about his trade in the Hudson Bay drainage basin and stated:      

1 hatchet = 2 beaver

 1 trade gun=11 beaver

 1 3-gallon kettle=6 beaver

Beaver at this time were worth about $6 and a small axe could be purchased in Montreal for 50 cents or less. 

http://www.mman.us/tradegoods.htm 

Order from Sir William Johnson 1756-1757.

A Specification of the Quality and Quantity of Goods
necessary to be sent from London for the Northern
Indian department.

20, pcs. of blue narrow Cord Strowds
10, ditto. of Black ditto.
5, ditto. of Aurora, or Crimson ditto.
5, ditto. of common Red ditto.
200, Rolls of different Colours Gartering
200, ps. Gimps Suitable to the Strouds
300, Blankets made to sample every Way
300, ditto. Large enough for Women
400, ditto. for men something Larger,
6, pcs. of deep purple Ratteen
6, pcs. of White or uncolour’d d”.
6, ds. of Walsh Cottons
200, Mens Ruffled Shirts Buttons
200, ditto. plain
100, ditto. Smaller size and plain
100, ditto. for little Boys
20, Hanks of light Colour’d Thread
6, pcs. of Yellow half thicks
4, ditto. of Blue d”.
30, pcs. Strip’d Callimincoes, lively Colours
20, pcs. of Callicoes also Lively Colours
20, pcs. embors’d Serges ditto.
10, pcs. of Yard wide Checks Red Stripes
40. pcs. of single Ribbands Viz’. 10. deep Red, 10. deep blue, 10. deep Green, & 10. Yellow,
30, doz”. of Womens Yarn Hose Clock’. & diff’. Colours.
20, d°. of Boys ditto & ditto.
20, d°. of Childrens ditto & ditto.
20, d°. Smallest Childrens Hose.
10, d°. of Womens Scarlet blue and Green Worsted Hose with Clocks,
100, Castor Hatts laced with a broad cheap Lace
50, ditto. with a better Lace
2, doz”. of small Jacks or Colours
100, Coats of blue Cloath Red Cuffs &c. Laced
100, Cheap Green Waste Coats with white Mett’. Buttons
400, Neat Fowling pieces Barrels 4 Feet Long Substantíal Stocks to have some distinguishing mark on the Barrel and Lock of each, about 2 0 / price,
400, ditto. a better kind distinguish’d as above.
200, ditto. 3 Feet Barrell for Boys. ditto. Wilson Maker
100, pcs. of middling Pistols with Ramrods
1000, Indian Cuthashes strong & of the Cymiter kind
500, Pipe Hatchets neat & Strong without Handles
50, doz. of Long Fish Knives with Box Handles and Sharp points
50, ditto. of Buckhorn Clasp Knives
20, doz. of Penknives Sorted
20, doz. of Womens Siczars,
20, Gro: of Indian Awl Blades,
50, B of Brass wire Sorted,
50, Brass Gorgets Gilt, with the Kings Arms
150, Hair Cocades,
50, Gro. of the smallest brass dutch Jews Harps
50, doz. Buckling Combs,
10, M of Needles Sorted
30, Gro. of Hawks Bells different Sizes
4, ditto. of Common Razors,
20, doz. of Looking Glasses at 8/
20, ditto. of ditto at 10/
100, Gro: of Bristol pipes
50, 11 of small white Beeds
500, Common Steel Tongs for Striking Fire
4, •M'”. of Good Gun powder, half in whole, & half in 1/2 Barrells
8, Tons of Leaden Barrs of 1-1/2 lbs Each
2, M of Goose Shott
2. ditto. of duck Shott
10, -M. of Good Flints
500, lbs. of VermiIIion in Casks well packd
20, 1bs of Verdegreace in Lump
100, doz. of Bullet Molds for the before Mention’d Arms,

Source: Sir William Johnson Papers, Volume II page 898-899

1757ad.

Costings For Emigrants 1630-

I know that I am more than a bit obsessive when it comes to wilderness survival, survival foods and the tools and equipment one needs to carry for long term survival, but I find the survival of those early settles a facinating topic. As I am also a historical trekker it is very important to me to get it right. As I get older, it becomes even more important to learn the best compromise between maximum self-reliance and minimum weight.
Now I know that the above list is not what anyone would carry on their backs, nor is it a list for poor middling sort of people. But I do find this list interesting just the same.
Right now there are a lot of would be 18th century woodsmen & woods-women trying to put their gear together and wondering what is the best stuff to buy. And your problem is exactly the same problem these Pilgrims, the emigrants had 300 years ago. With such limited funds, what is the best things to purchase?
The only way you can work this out is by putting yourself in these early emigrants shoes. You in reality are about to go historical trekking in the country you live in, but you are going to have to make believe that you are travelling thousands of miles across the ocean to a new land to start a new life.
What are your priorities? Food? Security & protection? Planting a crop? Building a shelter? All these are important, but you have to figure out which is most important and what you actually NEED to start this new life.
Are there things you can make given a few simple tools? Yes of course there are. Give me a couple of different sized augers and a tomahawk and I can make a wheelbarrow and a shelter. A saw would be useful IF I can afford one, but I can  manage without. This is the way you have to think it through, and this is what I will try to focus on in following posts.
Why not start your own list and see what you come up with.