TIP #557 - THOSE OBSCURE TERMS I've decided to return again to those old, obscure terms we sometimes find in our research that mean absolutely nothing to most of us now. I will attempt to not repeat those I've done in the past tips, but if one slips through … my apologies. Aac: oak, oaken Aat: a meal made from oats; used as a thickening agent. A & B: Assault and battery Ab Actis: Notary public Abade: abode Abast: bastard Abatis: Fortification made from tree branches sharpened and pointed outward Abavus: normally a great-great-grandfather Abbreviate: abstract ABC table: Banned gambling table. Abed: Sick and in bed. Aberemord: The murder was fully proved - was different from manslaughter and justifiable homicide. Abigail: Female servant Ab initio: From the beginning Abit: an obituary or burial service. Ambition: Dying Ablepsy: Refers to blindness caused mentally or physically. Able whackets: An old-time card game Ab nepos: Great-great grandson. Abortivus: Premature baby Abram: A poor man. Absence: One away from home; especially if a person is gone seven years, he is presumed dead. Absentee landlord: land or property owner who does not live at location. Abuttal: a boundary between property. Acaid: vinegar Accepted mason Freemason Accident: symptom of illness Accommodation: property given in the colonial times to a family wishing to settle in That town. Achor: Called also "scald" - disease of the scalp. Acorsy: bury Acrazed: Crazed, crazy Acre foot: the amount of water needed to cover one acre of land to a depth of one foot. Acta: official records Acto: lawsuit Actor: manager or agent, sometimes refers to a plaintiff in a case Adam: nickname for a bailiff Adam's ale: water Ad collingendum: someone appointed to keep an estate in order until an administrator is appointed. Ad damnum: monetary loss or damage asked in a law suit. The request for determining loss was an ad quad damnum; found in petition for establishing a mill site. Adderwart: also known as snakeweed - believed that when applied to a snake bite would draw out the poison. Addle-pate: foolish individual Adele: something added or annexed. Adeps: lard Ademtion: the act of removing a bequest from a will. Adjutant General: Army chief administrative officer or a high officer in the state National Guard Administrator: one responsible for collecting debts due the deceased, payment of debts, distributing monies to heirs of the deceased. Administrator's deed: at settlement of estate by administrator; this is a deed given when the deceased's land has to be sold to settle the estate and pay debts. Adult: two classifications: In civil law this is reached at age 12 for a female and 14 for a male. In common law it is 21 for both sexes; some states consider adulthood at 18. Adjust: burned, dehydrated due to a high fever. Adventurer: one who speculates or obtains his means by questionable manner. Adward: judgment, sentence or award Aetatula: youthful Affiance: engagement before marriage. Affray: public fight, disturbance of the peace. After-acquired Property: property acquired after the date on which a will was written. This caused a problem if a will had been written and this property is not shown because it was purchased later. Since the other property was already designated, this caused the will to be ignored and the deceased was considered as tying instate as far as this property is concerned. This was often avoided by the testator adding the phrase "all the rest and residue of the property." After born: a child born after the father had died or made his will. After kindred: Distant relatives. Age of contractibility: People below this age could not marry without permission of the parents. Age of discretion: Age when a person could chose his own guardian or apprentice. Age of reason: Age when a child is capable of acting in a responsible manner; sometimes as low as seven. Agenhine: if a guest stayed at someone's house longer than three days, he was often considered a part of the family. Aggrevauns: grievance Agnate: one whose relationship can be traced through the male side. Agosto: August Ague cake: swollen liver or spleen caused by ague which was malaria or fever and chills. Agynus: a single person. A & H A Co. Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company Aid-De-Camp: staff officer who delivers orders from a superior officer. Ake: an egg Aiel: grandfather or other ancestors Airline: shortest distance between two points - an old term similar to "as the crow flies." Air swellings: abdominal bloating duke to gas; known also as tympanites. Aistre: part of a house or the fireplace. Aitch: aches and pains Aits: oats Al-hay-day: November 1st - all-hallows day Alamode pot: a pot used to cook a pot roast. Alarm Act: passed in 1820, a law forcing review of those on the pension roles to see if they should continue to be on the rolls. Album: rents paid in silver coins. Aldufather: ancestor Aleccioun: election Alegar: substitute for vinegar; fermented beer or ale. Alexcion: election Alias: inserted between two surnames. As an example: a person known by his step-father's name who also is known by his father's name would put alias between the two names. Also used if individual was known by two different names. Alias dictus: means "otherwise called" when a person is known by two names. Alias subpoena: a second subpoena which the first one didn't serve its purpose or was not delivered. Alibi natua: Born elsewhere. Alienate: the transfer of property or separation of two people. To be continued: © Copyright 15 September 2005. Sandi's Puzzlers: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~gensoup/gorin/puz.html SCKY Links: http://www.public.asu.edu/~moore/Gorin.html GGP: http://ggpublishing.tripod.com/