# 30 And Found **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 26, 2013, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-and-found/661980 "2013-06-26T19:06:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lk1932](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/aeb1de/32.png) [@lk1932](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lk1932)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-and-found/661980/1 "2013-06-26T19:06:12Z")
In the settling of the west, cowboys were hired for monthly wages of $30 and found. What did the “found” stand for? Would that be like room and board? ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-and-found/661980/2 "2013-06-26T19:11:38Z")
Googled 30 and found. [Top hit](http://www.hennessey.lib.ok.us/chtrail.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-and-found/661980/3 "2013-06-26T19:13:10Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-and-found/661980/4 "2013-06-26T19:14:23Z")
According to [this site](http://www.thefreedictionary.com/found)it means food and lodging. See Thesaurus about half way down the page. > [@](#): > > 1. found - food and lodging provided in addition to money; “they worked for $30 and found” ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-and-found/661980/5 "2013-06-27T00:49:41Z")
I wonder what the etymology of that meaning of ‘found’ is? The dictionaries that give etymologies don’t have that meaning, and the ones that give that meaning don’t have etymologies. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-and-found/661980/6 "2013-06-27T01:06:43Z")
> [@moriah](#): > > I wonder what the etymology of that meaning of ‘found’ is? The dictionaries that give etymologies don’t have that meaning, and the ones that give that meaning don’t have etymologies. This was the best I could find. No claim to its accuracy! > **[Cowboy Bob's Questions and Answers - page 310 - How did the phrase "...and...](http://www.lemen.com/qa310.html)** > > Cowboy Bob Lemen answers visitors' horse and cowboy questions. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-and-found/661980/7 "2013-06-27T01:24:54Z")
> [@moriah](#): > > I wonder what the etymology of that meaning of ‘found’ is? The dictionaries that give etymologies don’t have that meaning, and the ones that give that meaning don’t have etymologies. The OED does not give a direct etymology, but there is a theme one may discover in the various other definitions. As a noun, found is a nautical term indicating supplies necessary for a voyage. (No indication of its source.) As a verb, one definition, refers to establishing a city or an institution “_esp._ with provisions for its perpetual maintenance.” If the notion of “provisioning” had been brought into the the nautical usage, (late 1700s), then it wound not be a great leap to use it as the word for provisions or supplies. ---
**Author:** ![manila](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@manila](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manila)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-and-found/661980/8 "2013-06-27T05:21:18Z")
Brit usage would add the word ‘all’, as in “salary 30 pounds all found” ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-and-found/661980/9 "2013-06-27T07:12:39Z")
Essentially the same usage remains in usage for Australian cowboys (known as station hands) to this day.