Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1858-01-26
m, Pins-Trte Shillins
~ NATHANIEL nAwrnoRsE.

4
u Captain John Hull was the pint master
iof Massachusetts,, and coined Al the mon
ley that was made there. His was 4 freW
line of business, for, in the earlier day Of
the colony, the current coinage consisted
Of the gold and silver money of England,
Portugal and Spain. These COINS being
scarce, the people. were often forced to
barter their commodities instead oil SELF
ing them.
For instance. if i man wanted 10 buy a
coat, be perhaps exchanged a bear-skin
for it. II lie wished for 4 barrel Of mo-
lasses, he might purchase II with pile Of
pine boards. Musket bullets we're used
instead Of farthings. The Indians had a
sort Of money called wampum, which
was made Of clam shells. and this strange
sort Of specie was likewise taken IN pay
ment Of debts by the English settlers =.
Bank bills had never been heard Of. There
was not money enough of any kind. IN
many parts Of the country, %. pay their
ministers. SO that they had ometimes 70
take 3quintals Of fish, bushels of corn, or
cords Of wood, insteadsof SILVER pr gold.
As the people grew more numerous,
and their trade With one another iucreas-
ED, the want Of currsnt money was still
tsensibly felt. To supply the demand,
the general court passed a law for estab-
lishinga coinage 8 |shilliags, six-pences
and three-pences. Captain John Hull
was appointed to manufacture hismoney,
and was to have about one shilling out 81
every twenty, TO pay him for his trouble
Of making them. # Z
Hereupon, all the OH silver in the colo
Fny was handed over 70 Captain John Hull.
The battered silver cans and tankards, /
suppose, and silver buckles Of Worn out
eoats and silver hits Of swords that had
figured at court all such curious old ar
ticles we're doubtless thrown into the
melting pot together Bat by far the
greater. part Of the silver consisted of bull
hon from the mines lof South America,
whiohrthe English baccaniersIt (who were
little better than pirates hid taken from,
tie Spaniards and bf6us 70 MassacAu
Sets stE IA
= All this old and new SILVER being melt,
ed down and! coined, the result Was al
imraense amount Of splendid shillings5s
siix7 peaces and three. pences- Each hat
/ the date Of 1859 on the one side and tf'
figure OF pine tree on the other side
hence they were called 2ina-tree sliillinggs
and for every twenty #shillings that NJ
coined, YOU will remember Captain Johi
Hull was entitled to put one shilling i
his own pocket. 1EE
The magistrates soon began to suspec
| that the mint masterwonld have the bes
Of the bargain. They offered him "a larg
sum Of money, if he would give np Ella
goth shilling. which he was continual.
dropping into his own pocket. Bit Cap
tain Hull declared lie was perfectly salts
| fed with the shilling And well u
might be for 50 diligently did helabo
in 4 few years, his pockets. his none!
bags, and his strong box were overflow
| ING with pine tree shillings. This wa
Iprobably the ease when he came into pos
session of grandfather's chair and as b
| had worked SO hard al the mint, it wa
certainly proper that lie should have
comfortable chair TO rest himself on.
When the mint master had grown yerl
rich, d young man, Samuel Sewell b!
| name came accounting his only daughter
4 His daughter-whose name do nc
know But we will call her Betsey- Bet
sey, was fine, hearty damsel, by NJ
means so slender as some ypung ladies 9
our own days. Oa1the contrary having
always fed heartily in pumpkin pies
dough nuts, Indian buildings. and othe
Puritan dainties. She was round AMI
plump as 4 pudding, With this round
1rosy Miss Betsey, did Samuel sewell fal
lin love. AS he was a. young man 9
good character, industrious in business
and member Of the church, the min
master very readily gave his consent
| Yes You may take her : said he, i
bis rough way. ';.and will find her q heav.
burden enough" u 1 IEI #
t On the wedding day we may suppos
that honest Hull dressed himself in
plain coIored coat, All the buttons Q
which were made Of pine. tree shillings
/ The buttons of his waistcoat six -pences
and the knees Of his small clothes wer
buttoned with silyerthfee- pences, Thu
lattired, lie sat with great dignity IN hi
grandfather's chair !; and being port,
1old gentleman. he completely filed j
from elbow to elbow. On The opposite
Iside Of theroom, between her bride-m maids
sat Miss Betsey. Shewas Flushing viii
lall her might, and looked like full
bloom peony. q great red apple, Or an.
Iother round and scarlet object
There too was the bridegroom, dressed
III a fine purple coat and gold lace waist
coat, with as much fnery AZ tie Puritan
laws and customs would allow him /,
put on. His hair was eropt close 70 BIZ
head, because Governor Endicott hat
forbidden any manto wear it below th'
lears. But he was d very Personabl'
Young man; and SO thought the bride
| maids, and Miss Betsey herself. %
The mint master, also, was PLEASED
with his new SON in-law. especially as b
had said nothing At all about her portion
SO when the marriage ceremony was over
Captain Hull whispered a word g tW'
/ u - rexafll