I received a message wondering what the value would be if those items listed as Sally Fenlason's 1844 inheritance were inherited today as antiques. This got my curiousity aroused so I did a bit of research on the subject. I don't know enough about antiques to comment on the value of the items in the inventory as antiques. By just converting the 1844 dollars into 1999 dollars, she still wouldn't have been very well off. First, though, please remember that I only transcribed the tape as I heard it. There may be mistakes simply because I mis-heard a word. Also, using my computer I added up the value of the items in 1844, and the person doing the arithmetic in 1844 didn't add as well as my computer does. My computer said that the total in 1844 was 36 dollars and 79 and one half cents instead of 45 dollars and nine and a half cents. I used the Inflation Calculator at <http://www.westegg.com/inflation/> and converted $36.795 for a total value in 1999 dollars of $639.24. Even converting $45.095, it's only $783.43. Still not a lot of money to take care of several kids. One thing I noticed in doing this figuring - the only tools listed are a loom and small wheel (I assume a small spinning wheel). There's no live stock, no farm tools (plow, etc.) no carpenter's or other craftsman's tools. From what I've read, spinning and weaving were usually part of the housewife's job of caring for the family. Other inventories I've seen from back then usually list a pig or a cow and farm or tradesman tools. Anybody got any ideas about this? Alta