Herald - Lantern - Dispatch IB June '86 19

r— Jersey Cape Historically VK | By John Merrill |

The possession of wampum was considered a mark of social standing among the Indians of New Jersey (and the Colonies in general). Its value was so well known that early settlers used wampum in dealings between themsefvet as well as with the Indians. Farmers who made wampum could get cash for their efforts and products could be purchased, as well as debts paid, in wampum. ALTHOUGH ALL warn pum was valuable, "black"

wampum — made from the blue sections of clam shells — was worth about twice as much as "white" wampum and most histories of New Jersey record the dealers of wampum as being only from the northern section of the state. We rarely read of the making of wampum that came from within the county. Wampum were beads manufactured by the Indians or the settlers to be used as a medium of exchange, monetary source, or decoration for clothing. IN 17ft, Jacob Spicer advertised for the manufacture of wampum within the county, offering Five pounds for the person that produced the most wampum. Spicer's idea was to "...design to give due encouragement to the people's industry. ..indeed a clam shell formed in wampum..." Spicer knew of 60 or 70 wampum factories in Albany at this time and his idea was 19 years ahead of the Campbell's of Park Ridge, Bergen County. He planned to supply the general need for this particular form of barter item by using the labor within the county. SPICER SUCCEEDED in getting a quantity of wampum produced by the local inhabitants. He told Mr. Enos Schillinks that he would accept wampum as payment for debt but, "It must be small, round and

smooth with square ends, not broken. The black (blue) must be clear black and without white spots or threads , which lessens the value and renders it unsalable for it can't be too black, and it must be strung 100 on a string, with a little tuft of red at the ends when tied together. " ACCORDING TO Cape May County's first historian. Dr. Beesley, "...it is rare to see a piece (of shell) larger than a shilling, and those, mostly white parts of the shell, the black having been selected for wampum". Wampum was recognized, therefore, in the history of our county as an alternative monetary source. It was more valuable than silver, for Jacob Spicer said that if a bag of silver and a bag of wampum of the same size and filled to the same capacity were to be weighed, the wampum would be heavier. WHEN TRADING, therefore, Spicer would make a substantial profit. As a medium of exchange it was good when bartering for manufactured goods, and the supply of shells necessary to make wampum was endless. The enterprise lasted as long as money was in short supply. Today there remains one remnant of the use of wampum as money, that is the term "clam" when using a slang expression for a dollar.

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