Hi all...this came through the Bradley list, so thought I would pass it on to you all... ----- Original Message ----- <forwards removed> > > Subject: Interesting facts > > > Found on the Wicomico, MD GenWeb site: > > Problematic Colonial Terms: > Some of the terms we come across in wills, deeds, and other > documents > may lead us in the wrong direction unless we are aware of > how the > meanings of these terms may have been different in colonial > times. > > brother / sister - May indicate blood relations, > step-brother or > sister, church brother or sister. > > brother-in-law / sister-in-law - Any kinship through > marriage; could > be a step-child or step-parent, for instance. > > cousin - Any relative not in the immediate family. > > goodman / goodwife / "goody" - Social position one step > below the > "gentleman" or "gentlewoman". > > indentured servant - A person whose passage to America was > paid in > return for an agreement to serve for a specified number of > years. > > Jr. or Sr. - This designation did not always imply a > father-son > relationship. It was used to distinguish individuals with > identical > names. The term may be dropped if one dies. > > Mr. / Mrs. / Mistress - Titles of social position; Mrs. was > used for > both married and unmarried women. > > mother / father - Could mean in-law. > > "my now wife" or "my present wife" - This was a legal phrase > and did > not necessarily mean there was a former spouse. > > "natural son" - Usually meant not adopted; did not imply > illegitimacy. > > nephew / niece- The Latin "nepos" or "neptis" means > grandson or > granddaughter. This term may occasionally have this earlier > meaning. > > servant - One who serves; not necessarily socially inferior, > such as > an apprentice. > > > > > > ==== TNBRADLE Mailing List ==== > ~~~~~BRADLEY COUNTY, TN MAIL LIST~~~~~ > TNGENWEB BRADLEY SITE http://www.tngenweb.org/bradley > Noel Matthews - tnbradleyml@noelm.com - Keeper of the List > Cathy Hall Grand Island, NY *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* EMAIL ADDRESS: cat5hall@email.msn.com Cathy's Genealolgy http://homepages.msn.com/PicnicPL/cat5hall Bradley County TNGenWeb Page http://www.tngenweb.org/bradley TNBRADLE-Mail List TNBRADLE-L-request@rootsweb.com Polk County TNGenWeb Page http://www.tngenweb.org/polk TNPOLK Mail List TNPOLK-L-request@rootsweb.com