In Subject: [NYJEFFER-L] 1855 New York State Census Resent-Date: Tue, 19 Oct 1999 10:00:05 -0700 Resent-From: NYJEFFER-L@rootsweb.com Date: Tue, 19 Oct 1999 09:59:13 -0700 From: "Michael Jackman" <mmjackman@my-deja.com> Reply-To: NYJEFFER-L@rootsweb.com Organization: My Deja Email (http://www.my-deja.com:80) To: NYJEFFER-L@rootsweb.com Michael Jackman asked: [snipped] "1.) Under the "kind of house" columns (e.g.: stone, frame, log) I found what appeared to be "Soq." What is this?" Michael -- I believe it would be a "sod" house.... i.e., made of grass sod blocks. I was in one this summer in Heritage Park, Calgary Alberta Canada. They were very common in the early prairies (mid-late 1800s) where there was very little wood to be had to build houses. Likely quite similar to peat block houses/ shelters. The sod in the one I was in, was cut in layers about 2" deep and into strips about 18" x 30". The walls are the 18" depth. The strips were laid overlapping on top of each other just like modern brickwork. // Gord Hines (in Regina SK Canada)