cathy: Yes you are correct......ownership and taxes.......branding is/was one way of doing it but in the very early days of New England, there was a common way of "branding" before branding iron was thought of........do you know how they did it ? anyone else know ? The reason for the "marks" was because the early towns of New England had "common lands" which was situtated [usually] in the center of town where all the cattle, sheep, and swine were allowed to graze together and records of these marks were kept by the town clerks. Cynthia Moderator of : Ct-River-Valley-L@rootsweb.com VTWindso-L@rootsweb.com CTHartfo-L@rootsweb.com ---- Original Message ----- From: CAPouls <japouls@prodigy.net> > I believe the cattle ear marks had to do with distinguishing 'ownership' as well > as taxation and all cattle ear marks had to be recorded on the town records. I > believe these were done with branding. > > Cathy > > Cynthia wrote: > > > Barb: > > Thanks for the encouraging message ! > > You mentioned "ear marks"......yes.....I remember when I first came > > across those odd sounding words and it was in Massachusetts in very early > > records of what is now Hampden County (once part of Hampshire Co until 1812) > > and have seen them in Vt, NH, and Maine records. > > > > Ok List.....Barb got this one going........start brainstorming..... > > 1. what are ear marks ? > > 2. what about "cattle marks" .? > > Cynthia > > Moderator of : > > Ct-River-Valley-L@rootsweb.com VTWindso-L@rootsweb.com > > CTHartfo-L@rootsweb.com > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: <Mrharveyfo@aol.com> > > To: <cyndylou3@earthlink.net> > > Subject: Re: [CTHARTFO] Re: [CRV] What is an assay master/and Other Things > > > I consider everything such as this a learning experience. I never will > > > forget the first time I ran into "ear marks" listings in the Vermont Town > > > Records!! I'm a born and raised Westerner....what did I know abt ear > > marks!! > > > So, by digging around in the microfilms of Vermont, I learned a "lesson." > > > > > > There is nothing like learning these little side lights...I think it > > brings > > > us closer to our ancestors...just as when we read a really personalized, > > > spiritual sounding Will that was made up by an ancestor. > > > > > > Thanks to all who joggles the dusty brain!! > > > Barb B. > > ==== CT-RIVER-VALLEY Mailing List ====