Here is more concerning ancestral monetary systems and tax payments, good info! Neil McDonald >The petition above this one is dated Oct. 1766 >From Chalkey: "In 1738 Act was passed for giving incouragement for the >settling the Frontiers by which the Inhabitants of Frederick and Augusta >were allowed to Pay off and discharge the Public County and Parish Levies >and all officers' fees in money for Tobacco at 3 farthings per pound. This >Act was made perpetual. In 1748, Act passed allowing every minister then, >or that should be thereafter, preferred to and Parish 16,000 pounds tobacco >and Cask. In 1752, or thereabouts, the Minister of Augusta Parish >Petitioned the Assembly setting forth the allowance made by the Act of 1738 >was too small to maintain him and Family, for till then he only received his >tobacco at 3/4d. per pound, amounting to L50 per annum, ...... Now the >Question is whether the Act made in 1738, or that made in 1748, is in Force. >And if the latter, how is the tobaccos to be levied and collected. As the >Inhabitants pays all their fees and levies in money." >We learned in Economics that if coinage or paper money is not available a >population will use any readily available but valuable commodity for barter. >Many prisons had cigarette economies. Susan in Oregon, alex@actionnet.net