Oliver Pollock: The Man Who Created the Dollar Sign, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland
Courtesy of the Monreagh Heritage Centre
Submitted by
Jim McKane, Ontario, Canada
jamckane[at]gmail.com
This file of Oliver Pollock: The Man Who Created the Dollar Sign forms part of the vast archive of 3,000+ pages of genealogical records relating to COUNTIES TYRONE, DONEGAL, LONDONDERRY & FERMANAGH provided without charge or subscription by CoTyroneIreland Welcome to the Premier Website & Research Tool for Cos. Tyrone, Donegal, Londonderry & Fermanagh Genealogy (cotyroneireland.com) A complete list of records pertaining to Surnames & Families, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland on this website can be found at the foot of this file.
Oliver Pollock: The Man Who Created the Dollar Sign
Born in County Tyrone, Oliver Pollock emigrated to Pennsylvania, and while his name may not be widely recognised, his creation is one of the most iconic symbols in the world today – the dollar sign ($).
In 1768, after the Indian and French wars, Oliver settled in New Orleans, which was then under Spanish rule. It was here, during the American Revolution, that Pollock played a crucial role in organising and campaigning for the supply of food, clothing, military supplies, and medical provisions for the people of New Orleans. The Governor of New Orleans at the time granted Pollock free trading rights, and he made significant profits trading between Britain, Spain, and France.
In 1778, Oliver funded the campaign of George Rogers Clark, hoping for substantial returns. However, he lost his entire fortune and ended up in debtors' prison. It is believed that it was during his time in prison that Pollock invented the dollar sign as a shorthand for the Spanish peso.
An example of Oliver Pollock's handwriting in a letter to George Washington can still be seen today.
The Bank of North America (the first national bank in America) is credited with popularising the dollar sign, and in 1786, the dollar was adopted as the official currency of the United States. The dollar sign first appeared in print in 1797.
Further County Tyrone records can be viewed here:
Welcome to the Premier Website & Research Tool for Cos. Tyrone, Donegal, Londonderry & Fermanagh Genealogy
Surnames & Family Records, County Tyrone
Can’t find your ancestor?
and
CoTyroneIreland.com Every Word Search
