"Stump the Yankee"

[L Verge]

Since Yankee Joe has absconded with Rick Smith's booklet, and since I'm not sure that Betty ever had this booklet, I am going to consider this a direct challenge to me to provide the information -- which came originally from the Surratt ledgers, which reside in the National Archives, as well as the Estate Papers of John H. Surratt, Sr. After his death in 1862, I can report on items that were paid for by Mary Surratt through the fall of 1864, and her move to the D.C. home.

I believe that Joe specified the period from late-1852 (when the Surratts set up home and tavern in Surrattsville) through early-1853, so here's quoting from just one merchant's tally sheet - Jackson, Brother & Co. Dealers in fine Groceries, Wines, Brandies, Teas, Fruits, Cigars, &c. 333 Pennsylvania Avenue (there are three other companies they bought from also):

1852 - Dec. 7 - 1 gr. box Segars 4 25 (14) 1 Gal Whiskey 100 1 Gl Hol. Gur 1 25 Jugs 50 7 00
1853 - Feb. 1 - 5 Gls Whiskey 3 00 5 Gls Brandy 7 50 16 lbs bro Sugar 1 00 5 lbs br Sugar 50 1/2 lb Tea 38 11.50
6 lbs Candles 84 1 72
1 bx Mustard 25 2 lbs Coffee 25 1 20
2 1/4 lbs Butter 70 1 20

I believe that Joe only asked for five items, and I have supplied ten. Other items bought over the year of 1853-54 included Port Wine, Old Rye Whiskey, one bowl, one bag of super fine flour, vinegar, molasses, cans of tobacco, soap, Butter Crackers, salt, powdered sugar, loaf sugar, ham, Demijohns, pepper, Boston crackers, almonds, bacon, bottles of Bitters, mackerel, nutmegs, cheese, rice, clover seed, saleratus, a broom -- and I could go on, but you hope I don't!

One note: Other D.C. merchants are Berry & Bowie, A. Gaddis, Jr. & Co. (near Navy Yard), and Young Simpson & Co. In 1857 through 1862, however, Surratt appears to be buying fish products locally from W. Parker Griffin (all purchases made in the months of May - guess when the shad run in Southern Maryland) -- 300 shad & a sack of salt in 1857; 251 Shad and 1471 Herrings in 1858; 5000 Herrings, 1 shad, and 2 sacks of salt in 1860; 100 shad, 6200 herring and one sack of salt and 1 and 1/2 bushels of clover seed in 1861. The last purchase is in May of 1862 with 3575 herring, 14 shad, and 110 salted shad. Mr. Surratt died in August of that year.

Just one last note before your computer blows up: Survivng records show that between 1852 and 1860, John Surratt purchased 394-1/4 gallons of various types of whiskey, 17 gallons of wine (usually Port), 28 gallons of brandy, 9 pounds of tea, 33 pounds of coffee, 109 pounds of bacon, 109 pounds of ham (remember that both bacon and ham were also produced on their farm - the above numbers reflect overages bought in stores), 41 pounds of crackers of various kinds, 124 mackerel, 776 shad (again, something that the family could have caught on their own), 17,246 herring, approximately 1000 cigars, 107 pounds of various kinds of sugar (brown sugar was the everyday sugar - white and powdered reserved for baking).

P.S. One man, David Barry, purchased 926 cigars at the tavern. Also, these records do not indicate home-grown items from the farm such as fresh vegetables, eggs, beef products, additional pork products, bread. In addition to the tavern, men could get three meals a day in the public dining room adjacent to the tavern room. Breakfast and supper were served for 37-1/2 cents, and the big meal of the day - dinner near the noon hour - cost a whopping half-dollar. Drinks in the tavern cost 6-1/4 cents regardless of what kind; quarts went for 50 cents - or 25 cents depending on quality. Special note: We have found no record that beer or ale was ever served at our bar.

Plugs of tobacco were also sold in addition to cigars, both at varying prices according to quality. Sleeping space upstairs was available for 25-cents per night. At the Surratts' livery stable across the road, horse feed ranged from 18- to 50-cents and full livery ran from 25 cents to one dollar at 25-cent increments. It cost more to house your horse here than it did to feed yourself and spend the night.

And now, blame Joseph for this loooooonnnnnggg history lesson on Surratt Tavern!