The Cost of Living During Our Ancestors Lifetime

Before delving more into our ancestral history of the Filben line, I thought it would be interesting to find out what the cost of living was in both Massachusetts and in California starting in the early 1850's and 40 years onward.

The author Douglas A. McIntyre, wrote a very fascinating article titled, "The History of What Things Cost in America: 1776 to Today". His article originally featured in the Huff Post (aka Huffington Post) on November 19 2010, provided me with some rather interesting facts on the cost of living in America.

In the 1800's, here is what you could expect to pay for certain expenses:

A dictionary cost $0.50

A 12-volume encyclopedia cost $20

A chest of drawers cost $2

One cow cost $10

One Pound of Coffee Cost $0.25

He wrote that by 1850, "The United States’ economy was doing extremely well thanks to the success of agriculture in the South and manufacturing and commerce in the North’s.

"The nation’s population grew about five times its own size from the beginning of the century and, furthermore, labor productivity increased dramatically.

"Between 1840 and 1860, the country more than doubled its agricultural output. Its mining and manufacturing industries approximately tripled their worth over this time period."

So, by the time both Thomas and Hanora Filben had arrived in America and resided in Massachusetts, the cost of living in 1850 was as follows:

In his later years, Nathaniel listed his occupations as fisherman. His wife Annie died at age 55 on July 8, 1830. Nathaniel died at agwe 84 in 1854

By 1860, there were few labor laws in the United States at the time. In fact, the average work week was 60 hours (10 hours a day, six days a week, with Sundays off). Below is a list of occupations and approximately how much they earned:

Masons earned 22.5 cents an hour ($13.50 a week, or $700 per year)

Blacksmiths made 18 cents an hour ($10.80 a week, or $560 per year)

Machinists earned 16 cents an hour ($9.60 a week, or $500 per year)

Laborers made about 10 cents an hour ($6 a week, or $300 per year)

Privates in the Union army earned $11 a week, or $572 per year.

Firemen earned 15 cents an hour ($9.00 a week, or $468 per year)

Carpenters earned 14 cents an hour ($8.40 a week, or $436 per year)

Rice: 6 cents a pound

· Beans: 6 cents for a dry quart

· Sugar: 8 cents a pound

· Beef: 9 cents a pound

· Cheese: 10 cents a pound

· Bacon: 12 cents a pound

· Butter: 16 cents a pound

· Eggs: 20 cents a dozen

· Potatoes: 40 cents a bushel

· Coffee: $1.20 a pound (Just like in 1850 customers received coffee beans, which they then had to roast and grind themselves)

A dozen pairs of Levi Strauss blue jeans cost $13.50 (1874)
One pair of shoes cost $0.98 (1875)
One suit cost $10.00 (1875)
One opera ticket for “The Marriage of Figaro” cost $1 in 1875
A necktie “designed to supersede all other methods for fastening the bow to a turn-down collar” cost $0.10
One pound of Coffee cost $0.25

According to author, Douglas A McIntyre,

“Following the Civil War, there was an unprecedented boom in US production compared with. This growth, however, was stalled by the Panic of 1873, a major economic recession. Apart from this downturn, the country underwent rapid expansion as the population over doubled from 1860 to 1890, from 31.5 million to 76 million. Most professions required a 60 hour work week, which paid anywhere between $1.60 per day (a fireman in Massachusetts) to $4.64 per day (a glassblower in New Jersey.)"

In 1872, people could actually order things through a new catalogue called, Montgomery Ward! Below is an image of one their earliest catalogues and what you could order.

Or you could place an order through this 1870 catalogue below.

Photo to the left is not our family but represents the dress fashion of the 1860's. Soon newspaper advertisement would offer clothing for men, women and children as shown in the 1861 ad below.

Then before long, the first of grocery stores ads also began appearing in newspapers. Below are two from the San Francisco Chronicle.

Always a wonderfully fascinating search to learn and compare the cost of living for our ancestors as compared to now.

One story I have been told by mom and Aunt Shirley is that Great Grandma Nell was considered in our family one of the first true catalogue shoppers! She loved looking through catalogues and would order special stockings with Rhine Stones on the toes!

She would be amazed on how many online shopping sites there are! Of course now we all get catalogues in the mail. You put your name on one list and come Christmas time, the mail is full and over flowing of more catalogues!

Home

Subscribe

The Cost of Living During Our Ancestors Lifetime

Before delving more into our ancestral history of the Filben line, I thought it would be interesting to find out what the cost of living was in both Massachusetts and in California starting in the early 1850's and 40 years onward.

​

In the 1800's, here is what you could expect to pay for certain expenses:

​

A dictionary cost $0.50

A 12-volume encyclopedia cost $20

A chest of drawers cost $2

One cow cost $10

One Pound of Coffee Cost $0.25

​

A dozen pairs of Levi Strauss blue jeans cost $13.50 (1874)

One pair of shoes cost $0.98 (1875)

One suit cost $10.00 (1875)

One opera ticket for “The Marriage of Figaro” cost $1 in 1875

A necktie “designed to supersede all other methods for fastening the bow to a turn-down collar” cost $0.10

One pound of Coffee cost $0.25

According to author, Douglas A McIntyre,

In 1872, people could actually order things through a new catalogue called, Montgomery Ward! Below is an image of one their earliest catalogues and what you could order.

Or you could place an order through this 1870 catalogue below.

Then before long, the first of grocery stores ads also began appearing in newspapers. Below are two from the San Francisco Chronicle.