Interesting about chain carriers representing the parties buying and selling. In the colonies and early states, not only were the positions of surveyor and chain carrier VERY important ones by reason of the sacrosanct nature of real estate in the view of our ancestors, but also those positions were often hired and paid for by the county or the commonwealth/colony. In fact, oaths were administered and reputations for honesty were prerequisite for those offices. The chain carrier, as might the surveyor, could easily falsify measurements to his own benefit or to that of an accomplice. Indeed, in some states, we still have an employed or even yet occasionally elected "county surveyor." The researcher may assume that an ancestor who was of one of those positions was known in the community for honesty and integrity. Paul Original Message ----- From: <Bebenjohn@aol.com> To: <VA-SOUTHSIDE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, April 23, 2001 1:57 PM Subject: Re: [VA-SOUTHSIDE-L] Surveyors | Hello all, | | I missed the message regarding the surveyor explanation, so I don't know the | direction the conversation took, but in North Carolina the chain carriers | accompanied the surveyor; one represented the purchaser; the other the | seller. This was to prevent one side from improperly adjusting the | measurement for one party or the other. | | | In a message dated 4/23/01 11:54:05 AM, Jkl4325@aol.com writes: | | << Paul, | thanks for the explanation on surveyors. Would anyone happen to know | of any lists of surveyors for Virginia and North Carolina? I have a pssoble | distant realitive, John Hilurn, who worked as a "second chain" with John and | Ruebin Procter surveying land. | thanks folks! | Jeannie | researching Hilburn/Vaughan/Simmons/Upchurch/Procter familes of 1680 to | 1769 in Virginia and North Carolina. | >> | | | ==== VA-SOUTHSIDE Mailing List ==== | USGW Archives Pension Project | http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/pensions/ | | | ============================== | Search over 1 Billion names at Ancestry.com! | http://www.ancestry.com/rd/rwlist1.asp |