Marriage license brought me to consider family life of the time period. Notable that Thomas Jefferson was the beneficiary of large inheritance from his father who died when Thomas was only 14 years old. TJ only married once (Martha Wayles Skelton).
Reviewing TJ’s Memorandum Books from 1772 (https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/02-01-02-0006)
At first this appears to be only legal notes organized by date, for reference. Not too difficult to ascertain the abbreviations. (Maybe I should learn legal shorthand?) Later though, he was making notes on items of productivity around his properties. Noted how efficient a one-wheeled wheel barrel was verse a two-wheeled version, capacity, etc. Hence, the evidence of record keeping for the sake of making better decisions.
Reading money ledgers, in the 1800’s money was recorded like this 10/9/3 , meaning 10 pounds, 9 shillings, and 3 pence. I’m assuming where just two numbers appeared, like 2/5 , that this was 2 shillings and 5 pence. (https://plainsightproject.org/early-double-entry-accounting)
How was British currency rendered before 1971?
- One pound was divided into 20 shillings.
- One shilling was divided into 12 pennies.
- One penny was divided into two halfpennies, or four farthings.
So one pound would be the equivalent of 240 pennies.