At my first sale in Missouri, May, 1883, fifty-three head made an average of $185 each, and this was the most profitable sale I ever made. May, 1884, one hundred head made an average of $135 each. May, 1885, sixty head made an average of $260. 1886, sixty head made an average of $165; and at my last sale, Oct., 1887, sixty head averaged $70 per head.
I gave a partial list of the public sale of Cannon Hearne (my father), 1839, and, by way of contrast, make a note of some items of my own public sales in after years, showing the prices at different periods:
PUBLIC SALE AT RESIDENCE, FAYETTE COUNTY, KY.
Aug. 31, 1864.
Four barrels of salt (7 bushels) at.................each, $ 6.90
One hundred bushels of Irish potatoes at..........per bu. .90
Farm bell................................................ 35.00
One spring mattress...................................... 22.00
Sixty hogs, mixed lot, average weight 100 lbs...per head, 10.00
Short-horn milch cow, plainly bred....................... 125.00
" " " " " ....................... 100.00
" " " " " ....................... 137.00
" " " " " ....................... 191.00
Yearling bull, " " ....................... 76.00
" " " " ....................... 40.00
" " " " ....................... 39.00
" " " " ....................... 49.00
Cattle Scales............................................ 100.00
One hundred head Cotswold sheep, prices ranging from $14.00 to
$50.00 each. Among them was a two-year-old black buck,
weighing 315 pounds, that had taken the premium over the
white ones at all the surrounding fairs. This breed of black
sheep had grown in favor with the farmers, the wool being
used for goods to clothe the negroes chiefly; but after the
negroes were freed, the use for it so dwindled down that the
black sheep have disappeared.
One roan work mare....................................... $124.00
And mule colt at her side................................ 79.00
One black mare........................................... 165.00
Mule colt................................................ 60.00
Bay mare................................................. 111.00
Thanks to Catherine Bradford for transcribing this page.
Copyright (c) 1999, 2007 Brian Cragun.