50 Poor Man’s Paradise (1698)
And now for their Lots and Lands in City and Country in their great Advancement since they were first laid out, which was within the compass of about Twelve Years, that which might have been bought for Fifteen or Eighteen Shillings is now sold for Fourscore Pounds in ready Silver. And some other Lots that might have been then Purchased for Three Pounds, within the space of Two Years were sold for a Hundred Pounds apiece.
Now the true Reason why this Fruitful Country and Flourishing City advance so considerably in the Purchase of Lands, both in the one and the other, is their great and extended Traffic and Commerce both by Sea and Land. Viz. to New-York, New-England, Virginia, Mary-Land, Carolina, Jamaica, Barbados, Nevis, Monserat, Antgego, St. Cristophers, Bermudas, New-Found-Land, Maderas, Saltetudeous, and Old-England besides several other places. Their Merchandise chiefly consists in Horses, Pipe-Staves, Pork and Beef Salted and Barreled up, Breads and Flour, all sorts of Grain, Peas, Beans, Skins, Furs, Tobacco, or Pot-Ashes, Wax, &c. which are Bartered for Rum, Sugar, Molasses, Silver, Negroes, Salt, Wine, Linen, Household-Goods, &c.
However, there still remain lots of Land both in the aforesaid City and Country that any may Purchase almost as cheap as they could at the first laying out or Parceling of either City or Country. The Country at the first laying out was void of Inhabitants (except the Heathens or very few Christians not worth naming) and not many People caring to abandon a quiet and easy (at least tolerable) Life in their Native Country (usually the most agreeable to all Mankind) to seek out a new, hazardous, and careful one in a Foreign Wilderness or Dessert Country wholly destitute of Christian Inhabitants. And even to arrive at which they must pass over a vast Ocean, exposed to some dangers and not a few Inconveniences. But now all those Cares, Fears, and Hazards are vanished. For the Country is pretty well Peopled and very much Improved. And will be more every Day, now the Dove is returned with the Olive-branch of Peace in her Mouth.
The Present Encouragements are very great and inviting for Poor People (both Men and Women) of all kinds can here get three times the Wages for their labor they can in England or Wales. I shall instance [give examples] in a few which may serve. The first was a Black-Smith (my next Neighbor) who himself and one Negro man he had got Fifty Shillings in one Day by working up a Hundred Pound Weight of Iron, which at Six Pence per Pound (and that is the common price in that Country) amounts to that Sum. Felt-Makers will have for their Hats Seven Shillings apiece, such as may be bought in England for Two Shillings apiece. Yet they buy their Wool commonly for Twelve or Fifteen Pence per Pound. And as to the Glaziers, they will have Five Pence a Quarry for their glass. The Rule for the Coopers I have almost forgot but this I can affirm of some who went from Bristol (as their Neighbors report) that could hardly get their livelihoods there are now reckoned in Pennsylvania, by a modest Computation, to be worth some Hundreds, (if not thousands) of Pounds.
Of Lawyers and Physicians I shall say nothing because this Country is very Peaceable and Healthy. Long may it so continue and never have occasion for the Tongue of the one nor the Pen of the other, both equally destructive to Men’s Estates and Lives. Besides forsooth they, Hang-Man like, have a License to Murder and make Mischief. Laboring-Men have commonly here between 14 and 15 Pounds a Year and their Meat, Drink, Washing and Lodging. And by the Day their Wages is generally between Eighteen Pence and Half a Crown, and Diet also. But in Harvest they have usually between Three and Four Shilling each Day, and Diet. The Maid Servants’ Wages is commonly betwixt Six and Ten Pounds per Annum with very good Accommodation. And for the Women who get their Livelihood by their own Industry, their Labor is very dear.
Corn and Flesh and what else serves Man for Drink, Food and Raiment is much cheaper here than in England or elsewhere. But the chief reason why Wages of Servants of all sorts is much higher here than there arises from the great Fertility and Produce of the Place. Besides, if these large Stipends were refused them, they would quickly set up for themselves. For they can have Provision very cheap and Land for a very small matter or next to nothing in comparison of the Purchase of Lands in England. And the Farmers there can better afford to give great Wages than the Farmers in England can, for several Reasons very obvious.
As First, their land costs them (as I said but just now) little or nothing in comparison, of which the Farmers commonly will get twice the increase of Corn for every Bushel they sow, than the Farmers in England can from the richest Land they have. In the Second place, they have constantly good price for their Corn by reason of the great and quick vent into Barbados and other Islands. Through which means Silver is become more plentiful here than in England, considering the Number of People. And that causes a quick Trade for both Corn and Cattle. For a Brother of mine (to my own particular knowledge) sold within the compass of one Week about One Hundred and Twenty fat Beasts, most of them good handsome large Oxen.
Thirdly, They pay no Tithes and their Taxes are inconsiderable. The Place is free for all Persuasions, in a Sober and Civil way. For the Church of England and the Quakers bear equal Share in the Government. They live Friendly and Well together. There is no Persecution for Religion, nor ever like to be. ‘Tis this that knocks all Commerce on the Head, together with high Imposts, strict Laws, and cramping Orders. Before I end this Paragraph, I shall add another Reason why Women’s Wages are so exorbitant: they are not yet very numerous. Which makes them stand upon high Terms for their several Services, in Sempstering [Seamstresses], Washing, Spinning, Knitting, Serving, and in all the other parts of their employments. For they have for Spinning either Worsted [wool] or Linen, Two Shillings a Pound and commonly for Knitting a very Course pair of Yarn Stockings, they have half a Crown a pair. Moreover they are usually Married before they are Twenty Years of Age and when once in that Noose, are for the most part a little uneasy and make their Husbands so too, till they procure them a Maid Servant to bear the burden of the Work as also in some measure to wait on them too.
Reader, what I have here written is not a Fiction, Flam, Whim, or any sinister Design either to Impose upon the Ignorant or Credulous, or to curry Favor with the Rich and Mighty. But in mere Pity and pure Compassion to the Numbers of Poor Laboring Men, Women, and Children in England, half starved, visible in their meagre looks, that are continually wandering up and down looking for Employment without finding any. Who here need not lie idle a moment nor want due Encouragement or Reward for their Work, much less Vagabond or Drone it about. Here are no Beggars to be seen (it is a Shame and Disgrace to the State that there are so many in England) nor indeed have any here the least Occasion or Temptation to take up that Scandalous Lazy Life.
What I have delivered concerning this Province is indisputably true. I was an Eye-Witness to it all, for I went in the first Ship that was bound from England for that Country since it received the Name of Pennsylvania, which was in the Year 1681. The Ship’s Name was the John and Sarah of London, Henry Smith Commander. I have declined giving any Account of several things which I have only heard others speak of, because I did not see them myself. For I never held that way infallible, to make Reports from Hearsay. I saw the first Cellar when it was digging for the use of our Governor Will Penn.
Source: “Pennsylvania, the Poor Man’s Paradise” (1698), by Gabriel Thomas, in An Historical and Geographical Account of the Province and Country of Pensilvania, etc. (London, 1698). 23-45. https://archive.org/details/toldcontemporari02hartrich/page/64/mode/2up
