Help me Research Levi Woodbury, former Jackson/Vanburen Treasury Secretary

[AlexMerced]

YouTube - ‪Help me Research Levi Woodbury‬‎ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_IL-LdYFeI)

[AlexMerced]

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[AlexMerced]

The Main thing I'm looking for is what decisions Levi made, and who were the power bankers of the time and did any of them receive deposits from Levi when he withdrew from the BUS

[oyarde]

The Main thing I'm looking for is what decisions Levi made, and who were the power bankers of the time and did any of them receive deposits from Levi when he withdrew from the BUS

There may be a book titled "Writings of Levi Woodbury" , reprinted many times, not sure how easy it would be for you to find a copy.If you are in a large metro area, call the library.I doubt you would find it on line.Probably put together 1852 , something like that.

[oyarde]

Was Secratary of Navy under Jackson before being Secratary of Treasury under Jackson and Van Buren.Like Jackson he favored hard money over paper money.Looks like he backed the new Independant Treasury System passed by congress in 1840.He later served as a Justice and is one of a very select few who served in all three branches of govt.

[AlexMerced]

Thanks, I got all that, I got his memoirs and books, also I'm looking to find the following information for 1934-1941

Wages
Gold Price

(traditional statistics weren't really tallied back then, but I might be able to measure inflation by following the gold price though I think it was fixed for a couple of those years)

[oyarde]

You can probably find price of gold and avg. national wage on the net for that time period.One thing that helps put things in perspective that you can probably find easily as well , is avg. home and auto prices compared to avg. wage.

[oyarde]

Averages rounded ; 1934 through 1939, $35. Average rounded 1940 & 41 is $34.

[oyarde]

Looks like the avg yearly salary for 1940 was $1300.00

[AlexMerced]

thanks, can you guys point me to the sources where you found the wage number, I think I have the source for the gold price. I've seen a couple different prices, but the most due to the coinage act it was pretty stable during this time period.

[oyarde]

I think you could probably find the salary average by googling " what was average US salary for 19??" , the one problem you may run into if you start comparing it to , say 2009 or something is that many of the modern numbers may be median and not average and your older numbers will be averages.As an example the median for a year in modern times may be 27 or 30 K , but the average may be higher , like 45 - 55 K once all the wealthy are factored in.Just something to keep in mind.This is where something like home prices can give you a very good view.My Father had his house bulit in 1962 for 22,000.00 and bought his first new car in 1957 for about 3,000.00.I wish I knew what his income was those two years, I would tell you.From 1920 to 1972 gold stayed between $20 & $72.

[AlexMerced]

trust me, I've been looking I found a report of a lot of data back then, but a lot of this data they didn't really keep track of back then in a uniform manner.

I may have to compare the the 1830 to 1940 census data, but there are a lot of difference in what they ask in both.

I'd love to find banking record back then, but I'm not sure if any of the banks from bank then still exist or if their records do

[oyarde]

There is a graph from 1913 through 2006 of average income at this website, www.visualizingeconomics.com

[oyarde]

You can probably use that with the gold average by year.I think you are correct about the census data from what I recall.

[AlexMerced]

There is a graph from 1913 through 2006 of average income at this website, www.visualizingeconomics.com

That'd be great, but it doesn't quite cover the 1830's, I appreciate it though

[oyarde]

That'd be great, but it doesn't quite cover the 1830's, I appreciate it though

I will take a look tomorrow , but it is starting to appear that 1830 to 1912 or so is going to be hard to come by.

[AlexMerced]

I found some reconstruction of Labor numbers from their, trying to make head and tails of it at the moment, I just want this historical work to be as storng as some of my more recent economics and philosophical work.

I will become the next Murray Rotherbard damn it!

[Austrian Econ Disciple]

I found some reconstruction of Labor numbers from their, trying to make head and tails of it at the moment, I just want this historical work to be as storng as some of my more recent economics and philosophical work.

I will become the next Murray Rotherbard damn it!

I wish you godspeed! :p

You may have to dig into some state public libraries to find information state by state. There is a wealth of knowledge in those places that most likely hasn't been dug through in AGES. I know that is one of the first places I'll start looking through once I start up some rigorous scholastic work.

[oyarde]

i found some reconstruction of labor numbers from their, trying to make head and tails of it at the moment, i just want this historical work to be as storng as some of my more recent economics and philosophical work.

I will become the next murray rotherbard damn it!

you could use the census data if you only used the info that is the same on each one.if you use labor numbers , you may want to look at corresponding population numbers

[AlexMerced]

thanks, you guys rock, this project may take a year or two the more I start delving into it, but what I've learned so far interesting.

[oyarde]

You getting anywhere with what you were looking for ? I have not been able to find anything else to help.

[AlexMerced]

Well I found enough to get me started, I've been reading his eulogy, it's a really good read