Do you ever get a tad confused in reading the old documents in trying to figure out what certain words meant? Some meanings don't change but some do. For a while I'm going to give you sort of a dictionary that you might want to print off. There will be some likely you might not run into! Most of these refer primarily to land patenting which we are covering in a separate post, but many refer to other land transactions, etc. Acre: 208.7 feet or 43,560 square feet or 160 square rods. Agent: person appointed/hired to oversee the land patent process to ensure legal procedure is followed; often given power of attorney. You might also see this in deed books or county order books where a citizen of the county appoints someone as his agent or power of attorney to go to another county/state to settle an estate of his father; to sell land where he used to live, etc. Assignee: This is often abbreviated afsee or asgn in deeds. This is the individual purchasing or acquiring all or part of a warrant or survey or land being sold from another individual. If John Smith sells land to John Doe; John Doe is the assignee. Assignment: This is the transfer of interest in land, warrants or surveys. It includes the signature of the person making the assignment, names of witnesses and the date. Assignor: This is the individual selling the land. In the example above, John Smith is the assignor. Auditor of Public Accounts: This man was the overseer of land patents in Kentucky from 1898 to 1934. Caveat: A filing that prevents a grant from being issued or land being sold until the validity of the new patent is decided by the court. CC: Chain carrier. This was a man or men who went with the surveyor to measure off the land. They carried the surveyor's chain which was laid out on the land with each link of the chain a certain distance. They were NOT prisoners in a chain gang which some think! Certificate of Settlement: This was a document allowing settlers in Kentucky Co. VA prior to 1 Jan 1778, to purchase 400 acres if they had made improvements or planted a crop on the land they intended to patent. Authorized many of the land patents in the Virginia & Old Kentucky Series. Chain: This is the chain the chair carrier used. It measured distance. May be 66 feet long (4 poles or 100 links) or 33 feet long (2 poles or 50 links). Clark's Grant: 150,000 acre land appropriation from the Virginia General Assembly to Gen. George Rogers Clark and his men for their service in the Northwestern Campaign. This land patent was located in southern Indiana. cm: An abbreviation in a survey description. This meant chainmen in the field surveying team. There were two chainmen required - one for each end of the chain. They had to be strong enough to lift and carry the heavy chain over great distances. Commissioner's Certificate: A warrant issued by the local commissioners to individuals meeting age and residency requirements. It did not convey title. Patents in the South of Green River Series are authorized by commissioners' certificates. Compass: Surveyor's instrument used to determine direction in degrees or bearing. County Court Order Patent Series: The largest patent series, still used to appropriate land under KY provisions. Surveys are authorized by warrants purchased from the county/fiscal courts. County Levy: County taxes; used to pay for internal improvements such as water wells and courthouses. Court of Appeals Deeds: These contain conveyances after patents were issued; usually involve out-of-state residents or heirs settling estates. Crier: an auctioneer at public sales or person who shouts public announcements through the town; the term was used in legislation regarding the West of Tennessee River Non-Military Patents. CS: an abbreviation used in surveys which meant Conductor of Survey. This ensures that the survey is conducted property. This individual was also shown as HK or Housekeeper. It did not mean the owner of the house on the land being surveyed. To be continued next week. Sandi Colonel Sandi Gorin President, South Central KY Historical & Genealogical Society Sandi's website: http://www.gensoup.org/gorin/index.html Sandi's puzzlers: http://www.gensoup.org/gorinpuzzles/index.php --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.com