Thanks, Pansylea! I appreciate your help. Barb ----- Original Message ----- From: "Pansylea Willburn" <willburn@earthlink.net> To: <ARMARION-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, June 18, 2001 8:11 PM Subject: Indentures on land records > Here is a bit of information on the word indenture on land records. It has > nothing to do with indentured servants, although the word indenture in both > cases means a contract. In early, early days when court houses weren't > always handy, an indenture (look up the original meaning of the word) could > be accomplished by tearing a paper irregularly in half, showing the contract > of whatever was agreed upon. Then the two halves could, when convenient, > be put together (tears had to match) and recorded in a court. Not all > deeds that carry the word indenture were torn in half (most weren't), but > the word just means a contract, no matter what kind of document it covered. > Does anyone have any other explanation? This is the neatest site--thanks > for sharing! Pansylea > > > ============================== > Visit Ancestry.com for a FREE 14-Day Trial and enjoy access to the #1 > Source for Family History Online. Go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/subscribe/subscribetrial1y.asp?sourcecode=F11HB >