Old texts often make reference to units of measurement that have long since fallen into disuse. To help researchers put these measures into context, below is a quick list of some of the more widely used in the 19th century and earlier.
Ale and Beer Measure
2 Pints make 1 quart
4 Quarts equals 1 gallon
8 Gallons equals 1 firkin of ale
9 Gallons equals 1 firkin of beer
2 Firkins 1 equals kilderkin
2 Kilderkins equals 1 barrel
3 Kilderkins equals 1 hogshead
3 Barrels equals 1 butt
Wine Measure
4 Gills make 1 pint
2 Pints equals 1 quart
4 Quarts equals 1 gallon
18 Gallons equals 1 rundlet
2 ½ Rundlets equals 1 barrel
1 ½ Barrel equals 1 tierce
1 ½ or 63 gallons, 1 hogshead
1 1/3 Hogshead equals 84 gallons or 1 puncheon
1 puncheon, or 2 hogsheads, equals 1 pipe or butt
2 Pipes equals 1 ton
Corn Measure
2 Quarts make 1 pottle
2 Pottles equals 1 gallon
2 Gallons equals 1 peck
4 Pecks, or 8 gal. equals 1 bushel
8 Bushels equals 1 quarter or vat
5 Quarters of wheat, beans, or peas equals 1 load
10 Quarters of oats equals 1 load
Dry measure
2 Pints make 1 quart
2 Quarts equals 1 pottle
2 Potties equals 1 gallon
2 Gallons equals 1 peck
4 Pecks equals 1 bushel
8 Bushels 1 quarter
5 Quarters 1 weigh or load
5 Pecks equals 1 bushel of water measure
4 Bushels make 1 coomb
10 Coombs equals 1 weigh
2 Weighs equals 1 last of corn
Coal measure
4 Pecks make 1 bushel
9 Bushels equals 1 vat or strike
36 Bushels equals 1 chaldron
21 Chaldrons equals 1 score
Square measure
144 Square inches make one square foot
9 Square feet equals 1 square yard
30 ¼ Square yards equals 1 squ. pole, perch or rod
40 Squ. poles equals 1 square rood
4 Squ. roods equals 1 square acre
640 Squ. acres equals 1 square mile
Cloth measure
2 ¼ Inches make 1 nail
4 Nails equals 1 quarter of a yard
4 Quarters equals 1 yard
5 Quarters equals 1 ell English
3 Quarters equals 1 ell Flemish
6 Quarters equals 1 ell French
Long measure
3 Inches make 1 palm
3 Palms equals 1 span
1 Span, or 12 inches equals 1 foot
1 ½ Foot equals 1 cubit
2 Cubits equals 1 yard
1 Yard and 2/3 equals 1 pace
1 Pace and 1 5th, or 6 feet equals 1 fathom
2 Fathoms and 4 equals 1 pole
16 ½ Feet, or 5 ½ yards equals 1 pole
40 Poles equals 1 furlong
8 Furlongs equals 1 mile
3 Miles equals 1 League
20 Leagues equals 1 degree
69 Miles equals 1 geo. degree
Cubic measure
1728 Cubic inches equals 1 foot
27 Cubic feet equals 1 cubic yard