Population aJid GRowtit. 17 



The value of the property in the county two hundred years ago in- 

 cluded, of course, the worth of all the acreage of to-day. The price of the 

 land was then low; but for many reasons the price of horses, cattle, sheep 

 and other useful animals was high. The assessed value at that time was 

 less than two hundred thousand dollars. It was nearly an hundred dol- 

 lars for each inhabitant; but who knows how many persons there are in 

 the county now who have each more than the value of the whole county 



There is no doubt that the true value of the propert}- in the county 

 now is not less than $500 to each inhabitant, even deeming the present 

 population to be sixty thousand. It is safe to say, that the population has 

 grown thirty fold in the two centuries, and the wealth five times thirty 

 fold. The assessment made by the several towns this year amounts to 

 $14,567,521. The equalized valuation for the present year is $15,654,564. 

 13ut this sum doubtless needs to be doubled to approximate the true value. 

 It may therefore be deemed that while the population has increased thirty 

 fold, the wealth has increased one hundred and fifty fold in the last two 

 centuries. 



It is not so easy to measure the progress in the comfort of the people. 

 It is difficult even to understand the rudeness of that age. 



Their lowly dwellings contained tables, chairs, desks, drawers, chests, 

 bedsteads, beds, bedding, shovels, tongs, andirons, trammels, pothooks, 

 pots, pans, knives, wooden ware, pewter ware, especially plates and spoons; 

 sometimes a little earthenware, and perhaps a few pieces of silverware, as 

 a tankard or a cup. Nearly every man had a gun, and a few had swords 

 and books. But stoves, tin ware, plated ware of every kind, china, porce- 

 lain, queens ware, and all kitids of fine pottery were almost or altogether 

 unknown among them. They used no table cloths, and the first genera- 

 tion, at least, no table forks. Their log cabins or low houses were covered 

 with roofs of grass or straw. These abodes were furnished in the plainest and 

 cheapest manner. The wills and inventories of that date show the prop- 

 erty of the people and their style of living. They had land, houses, barns, 

 fences, horses, cattle, sheep, swine and fowls. I'hey used a few rude uten- 

 sils to cultivate the soil — carts, ploughs, harrows, hoes, forks, rakes, 

 scythes, sickles, axes. A few mechanics and artisans had the tools of their 

 respective trades— carpenters, blacksmiths, weavers, shoemakers. The peo- 

 ple generally wrought directly upon the land or the water. They had no 

 carpets. Few had any pictures, clocks, watches, musical instruments, or 

 works of art of any kind to adorn their homes. Some had candlesticks — 

 very few, lamps. There were simple ihiplements for the manufacture of 

 flax and wool into cloth, and the families generally had scissors and 

 needles to make and mend the homely garments which they wore. 



Almost no articles of food, nor even condiments, were brought from be- 

 yond the county— no coffee nor tea, little sugar. They had little more 

 fruit than a scanty supply of wild berries. The mortar and pestle were 

 in daily use to prepare their grain for cooking. They had no fine flour. 



