Anyone Know the History of Tobacco Cellering?

I'm from rural peoples, tobacco farmers, where the pipe smokers all bought the OTC tobaccos (Imagine having a barn full of drying tobacco and buying PA). These were poor rural farmers and middle class businessmen that I knew in the pipe world. And, the closest thing to cellaring I ever knew about (or heard about) was to buy the big tin of tobacco and poor it into the ceramic jar on the pipe stand. The general store was the tobacconist and the smoke room was a store's porch with rocking chairs and a bucket for spit.
When I hear about 50 year old Escudo, I have to wonder... was this a big city or wealth society thing? I know the bigger metropolitan areas had real tobacco stores, but how prevalent was purposefully aging tobacco? Does it go back pre-WW1 or are these cans surfacing just anomalies? Forgotten treasures that were discovered?
And if so, when did modern notions of jarring bulk and storing tins purposefully begin?
Mostly my inquiry is for curiosity. I know that in the world of pipes that I knew, pipes were tools, hand carved (whittled), used up, and tossed, or the wealthier folks bought drug store pipes. The whole world of collecting Dunhills and Petersons was probably never realized in the world that I came from, except maybe amongst the wealthiest bankers and doctors in town. So, since getting into the hobby myself, I am trying to fit what is going on with some sort of relevance of where we've been.

So, was it common for people to store tobacco to age, or would it have been an occupation for tobacco specialist/ blenders in bigger cities? And, maybe the home cellar is a recent phenomena of the modern hobbyist? Maybe sparked by a retaliation to the anti-tobacco movement?
This all just fascinates me.

Whoops, I didn't realize that you had posted, jgriff, before I posted. Yes, I forget about royalty and folks like Vanderbilts.

Ha ha, I once found an old pack of Camels in my coat pocket from the previous year. I wasn't impressed :D

Thanks for the links misterlowercase. Good stuff.

Yes, I imagine the Native Americans in what we know as the Saint James area also knew about aging, as they innovated perique before we started trading real-estate here. But, I recall people talking about storing grain alcohols and maybe I could see someone in town aging wine (maybe a special bottle or two), but it has really only been recent that I've ever heard of anyone storing tobacco at home. But, I can't see into every household, so maybe it has been going on, just not discussed much.

Also, the Native Americans who were making perique were aging it in old logs before we ever sent Columbus to sail. But, I was thinking of more recent history, like what was going on during the development of home cellars? It was touched on a bit, by the mention of royalty possibly keeping cellars (but with no evidence, like casks or the like). But, by looking at antique jars for tobacco, they seem relatively bad for long term storage, and probably all used for just holding the tobacco while dipping into it regularly.
I am curious as to whether it has been recent threats concerning taxes and prohibitions that has set off the whole concept of Mason jar cellars. Or, if there has been a quiet subculture of pipe smokers who have been keeping a cellar for centuries. And, were all of these 50 year old tins hitting the market done purposefully, or just serendipitous accidents of hide and find?
Me just puffin' and thinkin' ::