I've just finished reading a remarkable book, one that I thought was out of print but which turns out to be readily available (thanks Mary Bell!) It's called "Surveyors and Statesmen: Land Measuring in Colonial Virginia", by Sarah S. Hughes. This is an extremely detailed account (lots and lots of names and dates and places) of how the technology of surveying evolved in colonial Virginia, how the surveyors became men of standing and influence, the political struggles in which they were involved, and how their jobs changed as the colony was settled. I can't even begin to describe how much I learned from it! But a warning is in order. It's written like a doctoral thesis and is packed with so much information that it's a bit like my grandmother's fudge-- so rich that a bite lasts a long time! You can order the book from the Virginia Association of Surveyors, 8752 Landmark Road, Richmond VA 23228 Voice: (804) 262-1351 | Fax: (804) 262-0511 The price is $25 plus a few dollars for shipping. Steve Broyles