The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Today it is hard to imagine a wilderness in Henderson County and the prices of goods and services then seem a pittance compared to what is charged today.
Money was worth more and highly scarce on the frontier. In the early years of state settlement counties were allowed to impose license tax on practically every form of business.
After the organization of Warren County (which included present day Henderson County), that power was exercised by the County Commissioners' Court. In 1831 William Cousland paid $2.50 to keep an inn at Yellow Bands (Oquawka). The rates which he was allowed to charge his guests were fixed as follows:
Keeping horse, per night.............$0.25
Single feed for horse.........$0.12
Each meal of victuals..................$0.25
Lodging, per bed, per night $0.12
Each half pint brandy..................$0.25
Each pint of whiskey..........$0.12
Each half pint of rum, gin or wine..........$0.18
(Less quantity of liquor charge as same price as half pint)
1911 History of Henderson County
(Values in 2005 would be for $2.50=$43.26; for .25=$4.33 and 12 =$2.16)