Rod Davis, Thank you for your reply on plotting land grants. My ancestor's 1729 land grant does have half degrees and since using a compass, they referenced magnetic North as opposed to true North. But even still, when using the land description of John Mercer's from 1741, my drawing worked out perfectly. I hope to get a later owner's land description and plot it in hopes of getting the property outline. A Col. George West was a subsequent owner from the 1750's I think it was till the l780's I think it was,so perhaps I could obtain that description and plot it. How does one go about ordering the early plot map from Loudoun County that Ms. Marty Hiatt mentions? Thanks, James A. Holifield Pensacola,FL ----- Original Message ----- From: <valoudou-request@rootsweb.com> To: <valoudou@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008 2:50 PM Subject: VALOUDOU Digest, Vol 3, Issue 15 > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Land Plats in Loudoun (Marty Hiatt) > 2. Re: Plotting 18th century Land Grants (Joe) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2008 14:55:11 -0500 > From: "Marty Hiatt" <martyhiatt@wildblue.net> > Subject: [VALOUDOU] Land Plats in Loudoun > To: <valoudou@rootsweb.com> > Message-ID: <003601c861ef$7a8e4000$6501a8c0@MAH> > Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; > reply-type=original > > Last year the county office of Mapping & Geographic Information produced a > 4 > color map showing the outlines of all original grants within the > boundaries > of Loudoun Co. Along with the map, there is a 10 page list of ownership > records. It is organized basically in chronological order, with book:page, > owner, year granted, acres, notes, and GIS acres. > > If you order this map from Loudoun County, ($10) be certain to ask for the > copy with roads and rivers. The first edition did not have these, so is > basically useless. The outlines were provided by Wynne Saffer. He asked > the > mapping staff to reproduce the plats as an overlay on a modern map. They > did > not do that. Just a few of the major roads are printed, and 3-4 streams, > for > orientation. > > > Ms. Marty Hiatt, CG > Certified Genealogist and CG are proprietary service marks of the Board > for > Certification of Genealogists? used by the Board to identify its program > of > genealogical competency and evaluation and used under license to the > Board's > associates. > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <valoudou-request@rootsweb.com> > To: <valoudou@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008 12:34 PM > Subject: VALOUDOU Digest, Vol 3, Issue 14 > > >> >> >> Today's Topics: >> >> 1. Re: Thomas Beavers d 1770 in Loudoun County, VA (Scott, Brenda) >> 2. Francis/Johnston (Betty) >> 3. Re: Francis/Johnston (Pat Duncan) >> 4. Plotting 18th century Land Grants (J. A. Holifield) >> 5. Re: Plotting 18th century Land Grants (Ron Davis) >> >> >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >> Message: 1 >> Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2008 07:02:12 -0500 >> From: "Scott, Brenda" <Brenda.Scott@mncppc-mc.org> >> Subject: Re: [VALOUDOU] Thomas Beavers d 1770 in Loudoun County, VA >> To: <valoudou@rootsweb.com> >> Message-ID: >> <63175144B1563946A7CC1F9DED84413A01012AF3@mcp-mail.mncppc.lcl> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >> >> Is this Thomas Beavers related to Polly Beavers who married a Smallwood? >> >> Thanks for any input. >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: valoudou-bounces@rootsweb.com >> [mailto:valoudou-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Gary W Watson >> Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2008 6:35 PM >> To: valoudou-l@rootsweb.com >> Subject: [VALOUDOU] Thomas Beavers d 1770 in Loudoun County, VA >> >> Does anyone have a complete transcript of his Thomas Beavers will dated >> 1770 that they would be willing to share? >> >> >> >> ________________________________________________________________________ >> ____________ >> Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. >> http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs >> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> The First Sunday in each month will set aside for a "Brick Wall" Roll >> Call. Please always put the surname you seek in the subject and tell us >> something about your Brick Wall person. >> To contact Listowner: >> Rena Worthen doreatr@rbnet.com >> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> Search this list's archived messages! >> http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl >> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> VALOUDOU-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> >> >> >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> Message: 2 >> Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2008 09:29:37 -0500 >> From: "Betty" <brfrain@comcast.net> >> Subject: [VALOUDOU] Francis/Johnston >> To: <valoudou@rootsweb.com> >> Message-ID: <001f01c861ba$36509080$6500a8c0@BETTY> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" >> >> Sorry, I meant for this to go to the list too. I find the Johnston's hard >> to trace as you have to look at all the Johnson's also. If this helps >> someone, it is certainly worth the time it takes to type it. >> >> Betty >> >> Tosca, >> >> Don't worry about me being away. I have my computer and most of my >> information has been entered. I have to admit, what I have entered in the >> last five years or so is much better documented than what I entered >> earlier. If you want a print-out of the Francis line I will be happy to >> send it to you. >> >> Evergreen Mill Road still exists in Loudoun County. It leaves Rt 15 west >> of Leesburg and runs through an area that was originally Elgin land among >> others. My grandmother grew up on the east side of the road, across from >> where the Shumates lived and also across from what was then Sycolin >> school. The school is no longer there. The Johnstons did live in this >> area. I will have to check as to where. This family is definitely from >> Loudoun County, VA. >> >> About the Johnston's: >> >> James Johnston (1779-1853), b. Loudoun Co, VA, m. Mary [?]. James d. 19 >> Aug 1853 in Bloomfield, Loudoun Co and was buried in the Old Bethesda >> Methodist Cemetery near Unison, Loudoun County. Their children: >> >> Sarah b. 24 Sep 1779-d. 9 Dec 1928, m. William H. Gill c.27 Nov >> 1854(This was the date their license was issued.) I have 2 sons, 1 >> daughter >> >> John b. c. 1832 -Shown as 18 on the 1850 census. I have no further >> record of this child. >> >> James W. b. c.1833, m. Maria Clayton Francis. I do not have a date for >> his marriage or death. Their children: >> Anna Lillian b. 1 Jan 1865, all I have is 'died young' >> >> Marie Francis b. 8 Jul 1871-d. 10 Feb 1941, m. Dr. James Tasker >> Jones. (I only have one marriage for both of them) Their children: >> Irma Rowena Jones - That's all I have >> Mary Elaine Jones - That's all I have. >> Egbert Johnston Jones b. 16 Feb 1904-d. 5 Aug 1913 of >> appendicitis. Buried Union Cemetery, Leesburg. >> >> Annie Ethel b. 8 Jun 1875 >> James W. Johnston Jr - I have no date for his birth-d. 4 Oct 1935 >> m. Mamie Eastwood That's all I have. >> >> Mary Rosalie - I have no date for her birth >> Thomas Montalie - I have no date for his birth, m. Pauline Fogg. >> They had a son Leo. That's all I have. >> >> John Roland - I have no date for his birth, m. Agnes Crawford >> Gale. >> Three sons Gale, Roland, and Thomas William. That's all I have. >> >> Mary C. b. c.1834-d. 1838 >> >> James appears on the 1850 census in Loudoun County. >> >> Now about the Francis family: >> >> Maria Clayton Francis b. c. 1835, was the daughter of John >> Francis(1800-1859) and Alfrena Maddux(1804-1842) She is my 2nd cousin 3 >> times removed. Thank you TMG. >> >> John Francis was the son of William Enoch Francis mentioned in an earlier >> email, and Ann Dulin. He is my 1st cousin 4 times removed. >> >> My eyes are going cross-eyed and my husband is complaining. I am going to >> bed. I will get back to this tomorrow. >> >> Betty >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: Tosca >> To: betty ; P. Duncan >> Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2008 10:28 PM >> Subject: Re: [VALOUDOU] Francis and my query re Stohr >> >> >> Dear Betty, and Pat, >> I worked diligently on my Enoch Francis data...and got so bleary-eyed I >> needed to get away from it for a while. I'll try to review what I have >> and send it to you. I quite possibly would like your file that you >> offered in your first posting back to me, but will wait - you need to >> enjoy your time in SC without worrying about me. And you probably have >> it >> at home anyway. >> And Pat, as ever, you are so helpful as well...I dont think Stoll would >> be right - I've seen Stoehr, Staehr, Stair, etc...but maybe time will >> tell. >> In genie friendship... >> Tosca >> >> ps: Re: Evergreen Mills, I had emailed that question hoping that Patti >> woul learn something. She came right back to me and said I made a good >> point, again said something about Evergreen Mills, but still didn't say >> it >> was in Loudoun. She still didn't give any dates. >> (There is also an Evergreen Mills in Oklahoma.) >> >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Betty" <brfrain@comcast.net> >> To: <valoudou@rootsweb.com> >> Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2008 9:28 PM >> Subject: Re: [VALOUDOU] Francis >> >> >> > Tosca, >> > >> > Evergreen Mills is in Loudoun County, VA, south of Leesburg. >> > >> > Betty >> > ----- Original Message ----- >> > From: "Tosca" <tkwhsimms@hovac.com> >> > To: <valoudou@rootsweb.com> >> > Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2008 5:37 PM >> > Subject: Re: [VALOUDOU] Francis >> > >> > >> > | Patti, >> > | A time frame and the location of Evergreen Mills would help >> determine >> if >> > | your family came from VA. >> > | Tosca >> > | >> > | ----- Original Message ----- >> > | From: <PattiB9460@aol.com> >> > | To: <valoudou@rootsweb.com> >> > | Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2008 4:34 PM >> > | Subject: Re: [VALOUDOU] Francis >> > | >> > | >> > | > My g-grandfather's second wife was Minnie Francis Johnston, of >> Evergreen >> > | > Mills. She was the daughter of James Johnston and Mariah (I >> believe) >> > | > Francis. >> > | > I do not know much about this family. Did they come from >> Virginia? >> > | > Patti >> > | > >> > | > >> > | > ************** >> > | > Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape. >> > | > >> > | > >> http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489 >> > | > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> > | > The First Sunday in each month will set aside for a "Brick Wall" >> Roll >> > | > Call. Please always put the surname you seek in the subject and >> tell us >> > | > something about your Brick Wall person. >> > | > To contact Listowner: >> > | > Rena Worthen doreatr@rbnet.com >> > | > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> > | > Search this list's archived messages! >> > | > http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl >> > | > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> > | > ------------------------------- >> > | > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> > | > VALOUDOU-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without >> the >> > | > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> > | > >> > | >> > | >> > | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> > | The First Sunday in each month will set aside for a "Brick Wall" >> Roll >> > Call. Please always put the surname you seek in the subject and tell >> us >> > something about your Brick Wall person. >> > | To contact Listowner: >> > | Rena Worthen doreatr@rbnet.com >> > | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> > | Search this list's archived messages! >> > | http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl >> > | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> > | ------------------------------- >> > | To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> > VALOUDOU-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >> quotes >> > in the subject and the body of the message >> > >> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> > The First Sunday in each month will set aside for a "Brick Wall" Roll >> Call. Please always put the surname you seek in the subject and tell us >> something about your Brick Wall person. >> > To contact Listowner: >> > Rena Worthen doreatr@rbnet.com >> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> > Search this list's archived messages! >> > http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl >> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> > ------------------------------- >> > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> VALOUDOU-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> > >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> Message: 3 >> Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2008 07:43:30 -0700 >> From: "Pat Duncan" <GenNutLdn@msn.com> >> Subject: Re: [VALOUDOU] Francis/Johnston >> To: <valoudou@rootsweb.com> >> Message-ID: <BAY116-DAV8FF3CAEDE416B32292945A0340@phx.gbl> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" >> >> If someone else is working on this Francis/Johnston line, I have >> additional >> information which I sent directly to Patti that I can share. That >> information includes the item below from a soon to be published series on >> The Times newspapers in Loudoun from the later 1800's. >> >> Thursday, 20 June 1901 Vol. XLVI, No. 2 >> Marriage is announced of Miss Minnie Francis Johnston and Dr. James T. >> Jones, to take place Thursday, June 13, at 922 New York Ave., Washington >> DC. >> Will make their home at Ashburn. >> >> Pat Duncan >> GenNutLdn@msn.com >> >> >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Betty" <brfrain@comcast.net> >> To: <valoudou@rootsweb.com> >> Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008 7:29 AM >> Subject: [VALOUDOU] Francis/Johnston >> >> >>> Sorry, I meant for this to go to the list too. I find the Johnston's >>> hard >>> to trace as you have to look at all the Johnson's also. If this helps >>> someone, it is certainly worth the time it takes to type it. >>> >>> Betty >>> >>> Tosca, >>> >>> Don't worry about me being away. I have my computer and most of my >>> information has been entered. I have to admit, what I have entered in >>> the >>> last five years or so is much better documented than what I entered >>> earlier. If you want a print-out of the Francis line I will be happy to >>> send it to you. >>> >>> Evergreen Mill Road still exists in Loudoun County. It leaves Rt 15 west >>> of Leesburg and runs through an area that was originally Elgin land >>> among >>> others. My grandmother grew up on the east side of the road, across from >>> where the Shumates lived and also across from what was then Sycolin >>> school. The school is no longer there. The Johnstons did live in this >>> area. I will have to check as to where. This family is definitely from >>> Loudoun County, VA. >>> >>> About the Johnston's: >>> >>> James Johnston (1779-1853), b. Loudoun Co, VA, m. Mary [?]. James d. 19 >>> Aug 1853 in Bloomfield, Loudoun Co and was buried in the Old >>> Bethesda >>> Methodist Cemetery near Unison, Loudoun County. Their children: >>> >>> Sarah b. 24 Sep 1779-d. 9 Dec 1928, m. William H. Gill c.27 Nov 1854 >>> (This was the date their license was issued.) I have 2 sons, 1 >>> daughter >>> >>> John b. c. 1832 -Shown as 18 on the 1850 census. I have no further >>> record of this child. >>> >>> James W. b. c.1833, m. Maria Clayton Francis. I do not have a date >>> for >>> his marriage or death. Their children: >>> Anna Lillian b. 1 Jan 1865, all I have is 'died young' >>> >>> Marie Francis b. 8 Jul 1871-d. 10 Feb 1941, m. Dr. James Tasker >>> Jones. (I only have one marriage for both of them) Their children: >>> Irma Rowena Jones - That's all I have >>> Mary Elaine Jones - That's all I have. >>> Egbert Johnston Jones b. 16 Feb 1904-d. 5 Aug 1913 of >>> appendicitis. Buried Union Cemetery, Leesburg. >>> >>> Annie Ethel b. 8 Jun 1875 >>> James W. Johnston Jr - I have no date for his birth-d. 4 Oct >>> 1935 >>> m. Mamie Eastwood That's all I have. >>> >>> Mary Rosalie - I have no date for her birth >>> Thomas Montalie - I have no date for his birth, m. Pauline Fogg. >>> They had a son Leo. That's all I have. >>> >>> John Roland - I have no date for his birth, m. Agnes Crawford >>> Gale. Three sons Gale, Roland, and Thomas William. That's all I have. >>> >>> Mary C. b. c.1834-d. 1838 >>> >>> James appears on the 1850 census in Loudoun County. >>> >>> Now about the Francis family: >>> >>> Maria Clayton Francis b. c. 1835, was the daughter of John >>> Francis(1800-1859) and Alfrena Maddux(1804-1842) She is my 2nd cousin 3 >>> times removed. Thank you TMG. >>> >>> John Francis was the son of William Enoch Francis mentioned in an >>> earlier >>> email, and Ann Dulin. He is my 1st cousin 4 times removed. >>> >>> My eyes are going cross-eyed and my husband is complaining. I am going >>> to >>> bed. I will get back to this tomorrow. >>> >>> Betty >> >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> Message: 4 >> Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2008 10:12:35 -0600 >> From: "J. A. Holifield" <light_n_me@bellsouth.net> >> Subject: [VALOUDOU] Plotting 18th century Land Grants >> To: "Loudoun Roots Web" <VALOUDOU@rootsweb.com> >> Message-ID: <002801c861c8$987c1000$6401a8c0@jim> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" >> >> To all fellow researchers, >> I thought I'd share what I've learned about how to interpret and plot >> ancestor's land from the >> descriptions in land grants, and if I am incorrect in my methods, please >> correct me. >> After getting a scanned copy of my ancestor Valentine Holyfield's >> original land grant from March 1729 of the Virginia's Northern Necks, I >> became interested if it was possible to plot the >> boundaries of his 342 acres to scale and perhaps find where the original >> land boundaries are >> today, since discovering it's location 5.5 miles south of Leesburg,VA. >> After studying a copy of >> a book on early 18th century surveying & plotting, I came up with my best >> guesstimate of how >> to interpret the compass angle if you will of a given line or boundary of >> a property discription >> and it's length. So what I found if I am correct, and I tested my >> findings on a record of a land >> survey of a John Mercer who has drawn to scale his property in Southern >> Virginia from 1741, >> and my drawing matched perfectly with his recoreded drawing. So, first I >> discovered that >> when a given line or boundary of a property discription says basically >> from point (A) start at >> a scrubby oak and thence North 37 degrees,West; 112 poles to (B)......; >> you interpret first >> the compass heading or angle of the line from point (A) to point (B) by >> calculating North (as >> 360 degrees since you are then to plot an angle or heading towards the >> west direction on >> the compass), then 37 degrees-West means you take 360 degrees and >> subtract >> 37 degrees >> since you are heading towards West which is a heading less than the >> numerical number for >> North,360 degrees,and when you subtract 37degrees from 360 degrees, you >> come up with >> 323 degrees as the actual compass heading or angle for the property >> boundary that runs from >> point (A) to point (B). Now you need to know how far point (B) is from >> point (A) in order to plot >> it accurately. The term "poles" in the 18th century was 16.5 feet in >> length. You can research >> how a pole distance was determined and set as a standard youself. So to >> calculate the distance >> of the property line from point (A) to point (B), you simply multiply the >> number of poles by >> 16.5 feet; so in the above example you have stated a distance of 112 >> poles. 112 poles mul- >> tiplied by 16.5 feet equalls 1,848 feet. So you draw the first property >> boundary line from point >> (A) to point (B) at an angle of 323 degrees and a distance to scale of >> 1,848 feet and simply >> repeat these calculations for the remaining sides of the property >> discription till you get back to >> the beginning which is point (A) and you will have a drawing to scale of >> your ancestor's land >> from the 18th century. >> What is ironic for me is when I first plotted John Mercer's land based >> on his discription and >> it matched his drawing to scale in his notes, I then plotted my >> ancestor's >> property from 1729 >> and it did not work out. Seems that when my ancestor's 1729 property was >> recorded, it was >> recorded wrong. The last side of my ancestor's property heads south >> instead of north and is >> way too short to arrive back at the beginning of point (A). >> So any comments would be welcomed and.......by the way, the last time >> I >> requested infor- >> mation, someone was nice enough to send it to me, but I had trouble with >> my computer and >> didn't get to thank who ever it was......too long ago now. So I >> appreciate who ever sent me >> info when I requested it! >> >> Blessings, >> James A. Holifield >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> Message: 5 >> Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2008 09:33:56 -0800 >> From: Ron Davis <i-d-c@alumni.calpoly.edu> >> Subject: Re: [VALOUDOU] Plotting 18th century Land Grants >> To: valoudou@rootsweb.com >> Message-ID: <479E1203.D23E6747@alumni.calpoly.edu> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; x-mac-type="54455854"; >> x-mac-creator="4D4F5353" >> >> James, >> >> Basically you are correct, and I too have found errors in the >> descriptions. What you have to remember is that the old surveys were in >> whole degrees and they are probably magnetic North rather >> than true North. I do not remember exactly what my surveying instructor >> taught as a way to "close" when the starting and ending points are off a >> few feet or a few degrees so I fudge each a >> little until they "close". I cheat and use my CAD program. Sometimes I am >> able to match my drawing to an area on a satellite photo so that I can >> see >> exactly where the property was. >> >> Ron Davis >> Woodland, CA >> >> >> >> "J. A. Holifield" wrote: >> >>> To all fellow researchers, >>> I thought I'd share what I've learned about how to interpret and >>> plot >>> ancestor's land from the >>> descriptions in land grants, and if I am incorrect in my methods, please >>> correct me. >>> After getting a scanned copy of my ancestor Valentine Holyfield's >>> original land grant from March 1729 of the Virginia's Northern Necks, I >>> became interested if it was possible to plot the >>> boundaries of his 342 acres to scale and perhaps find where the original >>> land boundaries are >>> today, since discovering it's location 5.5 miles south of Leesburg,VA. >>> After studying a copy of >>> a book on early 18th century surveying & plotting, I came up with my >>> best >>> guesstimate of how >>> to interpret the compass angle if you will of a given line or boundary >>> of >>> a property discription >>> and it's length. So what I found if I am correct, and I tested my >>> findings on a record of a land >>> survey of a John Mercer who has drawn to scale his property in Southern >>> Virginia from 1741, >>> and my drawing matched perfectly with his recoreded drawing. So, first >>> I >>> discovered that >>> when a given line or boundary of a property discription says basically >>> from point (A) start at >>> a scrubby oak and thence North 37 degrees,West; 112 poles to (B)......; >>> you interpret first >>> the compass heading or angle of the line from point (A) to point (B) by >>> calculating North (as >>> 360 degrees since you are then to plot an angle or heading towards the >>> west direction on >>> the compass), then 37 degrees-West means you take 360 degrees and >>> subtract 37 degrees >>> since you are heading towards West which is a heading less than the >>> numerical number for >>> North,360 degrees,and when you subtract 37degrees from 360 degrees, you >>> come up with >>> 323 degrees as the actual compass heading or angle for the property >>> boundary that runs from >>> point (A) to point (B). Now you need to know how far point (B) is from >>> point (A) in order to plot >>> it accurately. The term "poles" in the 18th century was 16.5 feet in >>> length. You can research >>> how a pole distance was determined and set as a standard youself. So to >>> calculate the distance >>> of the property line from point (A) to point (B), you simply multiply >>> the >>> number of poles by >>> 16.5 feet; so in the above example you have stated a distance of 112 >>> poles. 112 poles mul- >>> tiplied by 16.5 feet equalls 1,848 feet. So you draw the first property >>> boundary line from point >>> (A) to point (B) at an angle of 323 degrees and a distance to scale of >>> 1,848 feet and simply >>> repeat these calculations for the remaining sides of the property >>> discription till you get back to >>> the beginning which is point (A) and you will have a drawing to scale of >>> your ancestor's land >>> from the 18th century. >>> What is ironic for me is when I first plotted John Mercer's land >>> based on his discription and >>> it matched his drawing to scale in his notes, I then plotted my >>> ancestor's property from 1729 >>> and it did not work out. Seems that when my ancestor's 1729 property >>> was >>> recorded, it was >>> recorded wrong. The last side of my ancestor's property heads south >>> instead of north and is >>> way too short to arrive back at the beginning of point (A). >>> So any comments would be welcomed and.......by the way, the last >>> time >>> I requested infor- >>> mation, someone was nice enough to send it to me, but I had trouble with >>> my computer and >>> didn't get to thank who ever it was......too long ago now. So I >>> appreciate who ever sent me >>> info when I requested it! >>> >>> Blessings, >>> James A. Holifield >> >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> To contact the VALOUDOU list administrator, send an email to >> VALOUDOU-admin@rootsweb.com. >> >> To post a message to the VALOUDOU mailing list, send an email to >> VALOUDOU@rootsweb.com. >> >> __________________________________________________________ >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> VALOUDOU-request@rootsweb.com >> with the word "unsubscribe" without the quotes in the subject and the >> body >> of the >> email with no additional text. >> >> >> End of VALOUDOU Digest, Vol 3, Issue 14 >> *************************************** >> > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2008 15:48:51 -0500 > From: "Joe" <joe0888@comcast.net> > Subject: Re: [VALOUDOU] Plotting 18th century Land Grants > To: <i-d-c@alumni.calpoly.edu>, <valoudou@rootsweb.com> > Message-ID: <01f301c861ef$30db3710$0200a8c0@Delia> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > I think you are both correct - and a little 'fudging' is necessary. > Sometimes the surveying was done by pacing (or counting the number of > steps from one point to the other) and therefore the distance measuments > usually had a significant error. The use of "poles" greatly improved the > accuracy of distance measurements but the pole was not always critically > placed - and counting errors did occur. The more accurate surveys were > performed by "professional" surveyors with "chain carriers" (the chain had > a known length) and were stretched taut and straight. Of course, all > surveys required some arithmetic (adding, multiplying, etc) and that also > introduced a chance for error. Today, with lasers and electronic "doppler > effect" calculations, the distance is accurate within a micrometer. > > And remember, in the 18th century, the compass was read by the eye of a > man... > > C'ya, > Joe > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Ron Davis > To: valoudou@rootsweb.com > Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008 12:33 PM > Subject: Re: [VALOUDOU] Plotting 18th century Land Grants > > > James, > > Basically you are correct, and I too have found errors in the > descriptions. What you have to remember is that the old surveys were in > whole degrees and they are probably magnetic North rather > than true North. I do not remember exactly what my surveying instructor > taught as a way to "close" when the starting and ending points are off a > few feet or a few degrees so I fudge each a > little until they "close". I cheat and use my CAD program. Sometimes I am > able to match my drawing to an area on a satellite photo so that I can see > exactly where the property was. > > Ron Davis > Woodland, CA > > > > "J. A. Holifield" wrote: > >> To all fellow researchers, >> I thought I'd share what I've learned about how to interpret and plot >> ancestor's land from the >> descriptions in land grants, and if I am incorrect in my methods, please >> correct me. >> After getting a scanned copy of my ancestor Valentine Holyfield's >> original land grant from March 1729 of the Virginia's Northern Necks, I >> became interested if it was possible to plot the >> boundaries of his 342 acres to scale and perhaps find where the original >> land boundaries are >> today, since discovering it's location 5.5 miles south of Leesburg,VA. >> After studying a copy of >> a book on early 18th century surveying & plotting, I came up with my best >> guesstimate of how >> to interpret the compass angle if you will of a given line or boundary of >> a property discription >> and it's length. So what I found if I am correct, and I tested my >> findings on a record of a land >> survey of a John Mercer who has drawn to scale his property in Southern >> Virginia from 1741, >> and my drawing matched perfectly with his recoreded drawing. So, first I >> discovered that >> when a given line or boundary of a property discription says basically >> from point (A) start at >> a scrubby oak and thence North 37 degrees,West; 112 poles to (B)......; >> you interpret first >> the compass heading or angle of the line from point (A) to point (B) by >> calculating North (as >> 360 degrees since you are then to plot an angle or heading towards the >> west direction on >> the compass), then 37 degrees-West means you take 360 degrees and >> subtract 37 degrees >> since you are heading towards West which is a heading less than the >> numerical number for >> North,360 degrees,and when you subtract 37degrees from 360 degrees, you >> come up with >> 323 degrees as the actual compass heading or angle for the property >> boundary that runs from >> point (A) to point (B). Now you need to know how far point (B) is from >> point (A) in order to plot >> it accurately. The term "poles" in the 18th century was 16.5 feet in >> length. You can research >> how a pole distance was determined and set as a standard youself. So to >> calculate the distance >> of the property line from point (A) to point (B), you simply multiply the >> number of poles by >> 16.5 feet; so in the above example you have stated a distance of 112 >> poles. 112 poles mul- >> tiplied by 16.5 feet equalls 1,848 feet. So you draw the first property >> boundary line from point >> (A) to point (B) at an angle of 323 degrees and a distance to scale of >> 1,848 feet and simply >> repeat these calculations for the remaining sides of the property >> discription till you get back to >> the beginning which is point (A) and you will have a drawing to scale of >> your ancestor's land >> from the 18th century. >> What is ironic for me is when I first plotted John Mercer's land >> based on his discription and >> it matched his drawing to scale in his notes, I then plotted my >> ancestor's property from 1729 >> and it did not work out. Seems that when my ancestor's 1729 property was >> recorded, it was >> recorded wrong. The last side of my ancestor's property heads south >> instead of north and is >> way too short to arrive back at the beginning of point (A). >> So any comments would be welcomed and.......by the way, the last time >> I requested infor- >> mation, someone was nice enough to send it to me, but I had trouble with >> my computer and >> didn't get to thank who ever it was......too long ago now. So I >> appreciate who ever sent me >> info when I requested it! >> >> Blessings, >> James A. Holifield > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > The First Sunday in each month will set aside for a "Brick Wall" Roll > Call. 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