Was Dudley W. Stewart rich?

Inflation, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.




Was Dudley Wheeler Stewart wealthy enough to pay the $300 fee to not serve in the Civil War?


According to the 1862 Tax Assessment List [Ancestry.com. U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008. District 3 Annual Lists, NARA Series M758, Roll 14],  Dudley's income as a "retail dealer" was evaluated and  his tax owed was $10. 

In 1866, he had income and owed a pocket watch. So, during the Civil War, Dudley was clearly working in the general store and not serving in the fight. This is what I knew until I located his draft registration in June of 1863.


He must have done well during the War, as by 1870 his income in the Federal census was listed as: value of real estate $4500, with a $6500 value of personal estate. 

As you can see by the result of the Inflation Calculator, for "translating this into today's terms", Dudley was a wealthy man. At least this explains what his house looked like and the fact that I own furniture that once must have been in his possession.