William Mack Lee
He stayed with General Lee throughout the war and until the day Lee died in 1870. Mack said of General Lee after his death "I was raised by one of the greatest men in the world. There was never one born of a woman greater than General Robert E. Lee, according to my judgment. All of his servants were set free ten years before the war, but all remained on the plantation until after the surrender."
General Lee left Mack $360 in his will, which Mack used to go to school and started 14 churches. He became an ordained Missionary Baptist minister in Washington, DC
Amazing, I have never heard this part of history.
ReplyDeleteHave you heard the story of Jim Limber Davis?
Deletehttp://freenorthcarolina.blogspot.com/2014/05/remembering-jefferson-davis-true.html
I wonder how $300 would be in modern dollars.
ReplyDelete$360=
DeleteIn 2014, the relative value of $360.00 from 1870 ranges from $6,080.00 to $799,000.00.
A simple Purchasing Power Calculator would say the relative value is $6,740.00. This answer is obtained by multiplying $360 by the percentage increase in the CPI from 1870 to 2014.
This may not be the best answer.
The best measure of the relative value over time depends on if you are interested in comparing the cost or value of a Commodity , Income or Wealth , or a Project . For more discussion on how to pick the best measure, read the essay "Explaining the Measures of Worth."
If you want to compare the value of a $360.00 Commodity in 1870 there are three choices. In 2014 the relative:
real price of that commodity is $6,740.00
labor value of that commodity is $46,700.00 (using the unskilled wage) or $93,700.00 (using production worker compensation)
income value of that commodity is $100,000.00
If you want to compare the value of a $360.00 Income or Wealth , in 1870 there are four choices. In 2014 the relative:
historic standard of living value of that income or wealth is $6,740.00
labor earnings of that commodity is $46,700.00 (using the unskilled wage) or $93,700.00 (using production worker compensation)
economic status value of that income or wealth is $100,000.00
economic power value of that income or wealth is $799,000.00
If you want to compare the value of a $360.00 Project in 1870 there are four choices. In 2014 the relative:
historic opportunity cost of that project is $6,080.00
labor cost of that project is $46,700.00 (using the unskilled wage) or $93,700.00 (using production worker compensation)
economy cost of that project is $799,000.00