Thanks to all who answered my question about quit claim deeds. I think I understand the concept now. Now, if anyone has tried to read these old deeds, you know how difficult that can be. I've got most of the abbreviations figured out and am able to decipher most of what I have, but there are a few words I'm clueless on 1. looks like "mefsuage" (or "mefsvage") - I know that the "f" is really an "s", but can't make "messuage" mean anything. The phrase is "to one messuage or tract of land" Does this mean "measure"? 2. a funny little squiggle, like a fancy "p", that appears before syllables, like _sents, _mises, _sence, _sonally - This must be "per" or "pre" or "pro"? So that these words are "presents", "promises" (or "premises"), "presence", "personally"???? Now, wouldn't it be nice if there was an 18th century spell-check attached to my word processor?! In addition to the collateral names I mentioned yesterday, Georg Duncan was the Justice of peace, and Josh Peirce, the Recorder. Gail