Wildbird Prices Indicated at Memphis Markets in 1859-1875

For many years, the game available at markets at Memphis indicated the purchase price for several species of wild birds. The situation here is especially significant for its longevity and variety of species represented, as determined by reviewing a great number of issues of a Memphis newspaper from February 1859 to December 1875. Items found by several searches using different criteria, as well as browsing different issues denote at least 165 items to consider. Many other records could be included, but a review does present a reasonable perspective.

One of the first accounts of significance was given in the February 27, 1859 issue of the Memphis Daily Appeal. The "Produce Price Current" report had a specific category for game, including venison, bear, ducks, teal, squirrels, partridges, turkeys, prairie fowls, rabbits, wild geese and opossum.

In September 1859, the Board of Mayor and Alderman of Memphis, issued a set of regulations for the market. There were eleven sections approved to which any merchant had to adhere, which became effective on October 1st. The particular requirements indicate what was needed to properly operate this sort of a business, according to city government:

• The market was open, for example from 3 to 10 o'clock, A.M. from April 1st to October 1st, with Saturday hours of 4 to 10 P.M. The places were closed on Sunday
• How products could be sold, especially considering fresh meat sold from a wagon
• No huckster could peddle product other than at the market
• Market Masters — one for each market house — earning $600 per annum shall perform duties including collection of fees, keeping order and authority to arrest all violators of the market or other ordinances of the city, and settle all disputes
• Live chickens or other fowl could not be kept in front of shops or stores
• It shall be the duty of Market Masters to keep all hogs, cattle, dogs, goats running at large out of the markets
• Anyone found violating provisions of this ordinance shall be found guilty of a misdemeanor, and be fined not less than five nor more than fifty dollars for each offense, payable to the city treasury

The business operation was regulated, but as far as the game available, it was a situation of availability and marketing. A first market report considered was February, 1857:

¶ Ducks, mallard, $3 00 @ 3 25 per dozen

¶ Teal, $2 50 @ 3 00 per dozen

¶ Partridges, $1 50 @ 2 00 per dozen

¶ Prairie fowls, 75c per pair

¶ Wild geese, 75c

A shopper could have also gotten venison, bear, squirrel, rabbit or opossum meat for a meal or their shop.

Game items at the market in January 1867 included bear meat at 18 to 20c, apparently per pound. Then there was venison. Bird-related products included wild turkeys, ducks, prairie chickens, quails and wild geese.

Additional subsequent articles convey further information to be considered in detail for each item, based upon the overall number of market reports reviewed.

The particulars are given here based upon an interpretation of the specifics. Bird-related commodities could be interpreted as the Mallard, teal, Northern Bobwhite, Wild Turkey, Greater Prairie-Chicken and Canada Goose. A similar interpretation was done for many other other market reports. Particular attention was given to conveying prices based upon a common measure, such as the price per dozen.

The following regards are pertinent for the minimum of twelve sorts of birds which represent a period of history for the Memphis markets. When the details are combined, they indicate details for each of the bird types that could be bought at the city markets, as carefully gathered and details presented, time and time again, in the columns of the Memphis Daily Appeal.

Northern Bobwhite

02/27/1859: Partridges, $1 50 @ 2 00 per dozen

01/08/1867: Quails, $2 to 2 50

02/22/1867: Quails, 40c per dozen

12/02/1868: Quails, $2 @ 2 25

01/22/1869: Quails, $2 @ 2 25

11/07/1869: Quails, per dozen ... 2 00 @

11/07/1869: Quails, single one ... 25 @

11/28/1869: Quails, per dozen ... 2 50 @

11/28/1869: Quails, single one ... 25 @ 30

12/05/1869: Quails, $2 @ 2 50 per dozen

12/14/1869: Quails $2 @ 2 50 per dozen

01/12/1870: Quails $2.25 @ 2.50 per dozen

01/31/1870: Quails, per dozen ... 2 50 @

01/31/1870: Quails, single one ... 25 @ 30

02/21/1870: Quails, per dozen ... 2 50 @

02/21/1870: Quails, single one ... 25 @ 30

03/14/1870: Quails, single one ... 25 @ 30

03/14/1870: Quails, per dozen ... 2 00 @

12/24/1871: Quails, $3 per dozen

02/09/1873: Quails, $ 1 50

11/16/1873: Quails, $1 50 @ 1 75

11/30/1873: Quails, $1 25 @ 1 50

12/14/1873: Quails, 1 25 @ 1 50

12/22/1873: Quails, 1 25 @ 1 75

12/02/1875: Quails, per dozen, $1 75 @ 2

12/25/1875: Quails, $1 75 @ 2

Wild Turkey

01/08/1867: Wild turkeys, $1 to $1 50 each

02/22/1867: Wild turkies, each 75c to $1 00

12/02/1868: Wild turkeys, $12 @ 15

01/22/1869: Wild turkeys, $10 @ 12

11/07/1869: Wild turkeys, per dozen ... 9 00 @ 15 0

11/07/1869: Wild turkeys, single ... 1 00 @ 1 50

11/28/1869: Wild turkeys, per dozen, very scarce ... 9 00 @ 15 00

11/28/1869: Wild turkeys, single ... 1 50 @ 2 00

12/05/1869: Wild turkeys, $12 @ 15

12/14/1869: Wild turkeys $12 @ 15

01/12/1870: Wild turkeys, $9 @ 12

01/31/1870: Wild turkeys, per dozen ... 18 00 @

01/31/1870: Wild turkeys, single ... 2 00 @

02/21/1870: Wild turkeys, per dozen ... 18 00 @ 20

02/21/1870: Wild turkeys, single ... 2 25 @ 2 50

03/14/1870: Wild turkeys, single ... 2 25 @ 2 50

03/14/1870: Wild turkeys, per dozen ... $ 18 00 @ 20

12/24/1871: Wild turkeys, 25c per pound

11/16/1873: Wild turkeys, $9 @ 15

11/30/1873: Wild turkeys, $9 @ 15

12/14/1873: Wild turkeys, 9 00 @ 15

12/22/1873: Wild turkeys, 9 00 @ 15

12/02/1875: Wild turkeys, $9 @ 12

12/25/1875: Wild turkeys, $5 @ 12

In January-February 1870, these birds were the priciest of any of those considered during the period investigated.

Prairie-chickens

Most of these birds were probably the Greater Prairie-Chicken, due to the geographic location of the market. Sharp-tailed Grouse could have also been expected at some of the western markets, perhaps at St. Louis.

02/27/1859: Prairie fowls, 75c per pair

01/08/1867: Prairie chickens, $5 per dozen

02/22/1867: Prairie chickens, $2 50 per dozen

11/07/1869: Prairie chickens, per pair ... 1 50 @

11/07/1869: Prairie chickens, per dozen ... 5 00 @

11/28/1869: Prairie chickens, per dozen ... 7 00 @ 8 00

11/28/1869: Prairie chickens, per pair ... 1 50 @ 2 00

01/31/1870: Prairie chickens, very scarce, per dozen ... 13 00 @

01/31/1870: Prairie chickens, per pair ... 3 00 @

02/21/1870: Prairie chickens, very scarce, per dozen ... $12 00 @ 15

02/21/1870: Prairie chickens, per pair ... 3 00 @

03/14/1870: Prairie chickens, per pair ... 3 00 @

03/14/1870: Prairie chickens, very scarce, per dozen ... $12 00 @ 15

02/09/1873: Prairie chickens, $4 @ 4 25

11/16/1873: Prairie chickens, $4 @ 4 50

11/30/1873: Prairie chickens, $3 50 @ 4

12/14/1873: Prairie chickens, $3 50 @ 4 00

12/22/1873: Prairie chickens, 4 00 @ 4 50

12/02/1875: Prairie chickens, per dozen, $3 50 @ 4

12/25/1875: Prairie chickens, $3 @ 3 50

The highest price paid per dozen was January-February 1870, at the same time when wild turkeys also were more expensive to purchase.

Wild goose

Most readily the Canada Goose, though other wild geese could included could have been the Greater White-fronted Goose, an errant Snow Goose, etc.

02/27/1859: Wild geese, 75c

01/08/1867: Wild geese, $9 per dozen

02/22/1867: Wild geese, $5 per dozen

12/02/1868: Wild geese, $9 @ 11

01/22/1869: Wild geese, $9 @ 11

11/07/1869: Wild geese, single ... 75 @ 1 00

11/07/1869: Wild geese, per dozen ... 6 00 @ 9 00

11/28/1869: Wild geese, single, very scarce ... 3 00 @

12/05/1869: Wild geese, $8 @ 10

12/14/1869: Wild geese $8 @ 10

01/31/1870: Wild geese, single ... 75 @ 1 00

02/21/1870: Wild geese, single ... 75 @ 1 00

03/14/1870: Wild geese, single ... 75 @ 1 00

11/16/1873: Wild geese, $8 @ 9

11/30/1873: Wild geese, $4 @ 5

12/14/1873: Wild geese, 4 00 @ 5 00

12/22/1873: Wild geese, 4 00 @ 5 00

02/16/1875: Wild geese, $4 50

12/25/1875: Wild geese, $4 @ 6

Mallard

This prominent species was well known — as its key features were iconic — and was readily classified to a specific market item.

02/27/1859: Ducks, mallard, $3 00 @ 3 25 per dozen

11/07/1869: Mallard ducks, per pair .. 75 @ 1 00

11/07/1869: Mallard ducks, per dozen ... 3 00 @

11/28/1869: Mallard ducks, per dozen ... 3 00 @

11/28/1869: Mallard ducks, per pair ... 1 00 @

01/31/1870: Mallard ducks, per dozen, scarce ... 3 00 @

01/31/1870: Mallard ducks, per pair ... 1 00 @

02/21/1870: Mallard ducks, per pair ... 1 00 @

02/21/1870: Mallard ducks, per dozen, scarce ... 3 00 @

03/14/1870: Mallard ducks, per pair 1 00 @

03/14/1870: Mallard ducks, per dozen, scarce ... 3 00 @

11/16/1873: Mallard, $2 50

11/30/1873: Mallard, $2 25

12/14/1873: Mallard ducks, $ 2 00 @ 2 25

12/22/1873: Mallard duck, 2 00 @ 2 25

12/02/1875: Mallard ducks, per dozen, $4 @ 5

12/25/1875: Mallard ducks, $2 50 @ 3

Wood duck

Another readily identifiable species, which helps in limiting any references to this particular species.

11/07/1869: Wood ducks, per pair ... 75 @

11/07/1869: Wood ducks, per dozen ... 2 00 @

11/28/1869: Wood ducks, per dozen .. 2 00 @

11/28/1869: Wood ducks, per pair ... 75 @

01/31/1870: Wood ducks, per dozen, scarce ... 1 50 @

01/31/1870: Wood ducks, per pair ... 50 @

02/21/1870: Wood ducks, per pair ... 50 @

02/21/1870: Wood ducks, per dozen, scarce ... 1 50 @

03/14/1870: Wood ducks, per pair ... 50 @

03/14/1870: Wood ducks, per dozen, scarce ... 1 50 @

11/16/1873: Wood [duck], $2

11/30/1873: Wood [duck], $2

12/14/1873: Wood ducks, 1 50

12/22/1873: Wood ducks, 1 50

12/02/1875: Wood ducks, per dozen, $1 25

12/25/1875: Wood ducks, $1 50

Gray duck

Probably represents the Gadwall in most cases.

11/07/1869: Gray ducks, per pair ... 75 @

11/07/1869: Gray ducks, per dozen ... 2 00 @

11/28/1869: Gray ducks, per pair .. 75 @

11/28/1869: Gray ducks, per dozen ... 2 00 @

01/31/1870: Gray ducks, per pair ... 75 @

01/31/1870: Gray ducks, per dozen, scarce ... 2 00 @

02/21/1870: Gray ducks, per pair ... 75 @

02/21/1870: Gray ducks, per dozen, scarce ... 2 00 @

03/14/1870: Gray ducks, per pair ... 75 @

03/14/1870: Gray ducks, per dozen, scarce ... 2 00 @

11/16/1873: Gray [duck], $2

12/14/1873: Gray ducks, 1 25 @ 2 00

12/22/1873: Gray ducks, 1 25 @ 2 00

12/02/1875: Gray ducks, per dozen, $2

12/25/1875: Gray ducks, $1 50

Teal

It would have been helpful for the reports to have indicated whether it was a Blue-winged Teal or a Green-winged Teal, as any reference was undoubtedly either of these two species.

02/27/1859: Teal, $2 50 @ 3 00 per dozen

11/07/1869: Teal ducks, per pair ... 75 @

11/07/1869: Teal ducks, per dozen ... 2 00 @

11/28/1869: Teal ducks, per pair ... 75 @

11/28/1869: Teal ducks, per dozen ... 2 00 @

01/31/1870: Teal ducks, per pair ... 50 @

01/31/1870: Teal ducks, per dozen ... 1 50 @

02/21/1870: Teal ducks, per pair ... 50 @

02/21/1870: Teal ducks, per dozen ... 1 50 @

03/14/1870: Teal ducks, per pair ... 50 @

03/14/1870: Teal ducks, per dozen ... 1 50 @

11/16/1873: Teal, $2

12/02/1875: Teal ducks, per dozen, $1 25

12/25/1875: Teal, $1

There were numerous listings for "wild duck" but those are not given here as the quote could apply to a myriad of species that shootists would take to sell.

Passenger Pigeon

11/16/1873: Wild pigeons, 40 @ 50 c

11/30/1873: Wild pigeons, 25 @ 40 c; pigeons very plentiful

12/14/1873: Pigeons, 25 @ 40

12/22/1873: Pigeons, 25 @ 40

It isn't possible to derive any trend because of the few price quotes. Considering the massive numbers of wild pigeons taken according during these decades, according to numerous reports, it is surprising there is such a dearth of price quotes. If there were more sources available, the history of this species as conveyed by market reports would be a fascinating topic among the many others known for this prominent species which is now extinct.

American Woodcock

03/14/1870: Woodcock, per dozen ... $4 00 @ 5 00

Snipe

Possibly the Wilson's Snipe, although the term as it was used during the decades of this era, could have easily been applied to a great variety of shorebirds.

03/14/1870: Snipe, per dozen ... $2 50 @

Though most of the market reports were a terse summary giving the basics of a product and its price, on occasion there were additional details which present tidbits interesting to the perspective for a particular date.

Game. - Wild meats of all kinds are getting out of season, and prices are very weak." — February 22, 1867

Game - Market quiet — January 22, 1869

"The display of game was better yesterday evening than on any previous occasion this fall. The meats of Victor Fuchs, on Jefferson street, near Second, J.D. Edwards on Second street, and Edwards Branch (Chas. N. Martin's place) on Jefferson street, were splendidly stocked with almost everything in the game line." — November 28, 1869

"Game and Poultry - The market is moderately well supplied." — December 14, 1869

"For some reason not explained or known to us, there has for three days been a dearth of game in the market. While we quote the following, we can only say the prices are merely nominal" — January 31, 1870

"There is a scarcity of game in the market, owing to the proximity of Christmas." — December 1871

Further details will be worth considering, because the facts were published in the Memphis newspaper — or elsewhere - at one time or another during some week, during the month and in a particular year.

As additional information becomes readily available for researching, there could be a much more comprehensive perspective established. As text recognition improves, it will also be easier to find items of interest using text search options. The future for investigating this one topic, as well as others associated with historic ornithology, will only get better!

For further reading, refer to: The market assistant, containing a brief description of every article of human food sold in the public markets of the cities of New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and Brooklyn; including the various domestic and wild animals, poultry, game, fish, vegetables, fruits &c., &c. with many curious incidents and anecdotes published by Thomas F. De Voe in 1867.