Precarity, Prosperity, and Boston's Death Economy in the 1721 Smallpox Epidemic

Abstract Boston's 1721 smallpox epidemic impoverished many, especially those already on the margins. More surprisingly, the epidemic also was a financial boon to the hundreds employed in Boston's “death economy.” Using court records, probate records, and more, this article argues that precarity and prosperity were intertwined in early modern seaports.