I am desperately searching for the REAL roots of my great-great-grandmother and namesake, Ann Sclater. The 1861 census says for her place of birth "Ireland" and I can't find her death cert. which I had hoped would give me more information on where in Ireland. (She married James Twatt of Rothiesholm and lived on Stronsay until she dies in 1878) HOWEVER what I did find that mystifies me is in my gg father's will, he is listed as "tacksman of Rothiesholm, island of Stronsay" What is a tacksman???? I do know the noun "tack" as in the leather straps etc that make up harnesses and bits for saddles. Please tell me if I an correct in thinking that "tack" and "tacksman" are related (but why then would his household include NINE "servants". (I would have assumed farm hands) Anne near Philadelphia about to take a walk in the not-quite noon-day sun

Anne, A tacksman rented land from the Earldom and then re-let it for as much as he could. I gather that he's unlikely to just have been tacksman of Rothiesholm, as that seems to be too small an area to have been rented on its own. It sounds as if your ancestor was a man of substance. -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Anne Slater Sent: 07 September 2007 15:50 To: [email protected] Subject: [ORCADIA] "Translation" needed I am desperately searching for the REAL roots of my great-great-grandmother and namesake, Ann Sclater. The 1861 census says for her place of birth "Ireland" and I can't find her death cert. which I had hoped would give me more information on where in Ireland. (She married James Twatt of Rothiesholm and lived on Stronsay until she dies in 1878) HOWEVER what I did find that mystifies me is in my gg father's will, he is listed as "tacksman of Rothiesholm, island of Stronsay" What is a tacksman???? I do know the noun "tack" as in the leather straps etc that make up harnesses and bits for saddles. Please tell me if I an correct in thinking that "tack" and "tacksman" are related (but why then would his household include NINE "servants". (I would have assumed farm hands) Anne near Philadelphia about to take a walk in the not-quite noon-day sun ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message