What was the cost to get a wife in Jamestown?

Answer 1

In Jamestown, Virginia, the cost to acquire a wife often involved a payment of around 120 pounds of tobacco, which was a common currency at the time. This practice was part of a broader effort to encourage settlement and family life in the early 17th century. Women were brought over from England, and their arrival was seen as essential for establishing stable households in the colony. The investment in a wife reflected the economic and social dynamics of early colonial life.