Goethe zu Pferde
Not only did the military depend on good horsemanship, but also at this time horses were part of daily life and riding skills were highly prized and admired.
Samuel Meeker came to Philadelphia from a well known & well-to-do family in the Westfields of New Jersey, and it can be certain he grew up with horses, and later activities provide the evidence that he was an excellent and energetic rider himself. Looking back at his family history, tax tables show that Samuel’s father, also named Samuel (he can be differentiated by the ‘Captain’ before his name, as he had been actively involved in the local militia) was relatively wealthy. Ownership of horses was reason for taxes to be levied.
Taxation from the Rateables in the Township of Elizabeth of Westfield Ward in County of Essex in the State of New Jersey show the residents "...shall be assessed, levied and raised on the several inhabitants of this state, their lands, and tenements, goods and chattles..."
Ownership of horses was noted more than once in these tax tables (I also show other items of interest which are assessed).
1. Acres of Land
....
15. Single men w/ horse ("every single man, whether he lives with his parents or otherwise, who keeps a horse...")
19. R Chairs, kittereens & Sulkies (R Chair - Riding Chair; kittereen - "A two wheeled one-horse carriage with a moveable top" [Webster's Unabridged])
......
4 comments:
I wonder if when you started this blog, you thought you'd be going here.
If they didn't pay their taxes on there horses, did they have repo ment taking them away?
The Centaur tax!
is your rowboat packed and ready to go?
more later
rain soaked Kary
xxx
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