A tomahawk deed was really very simple. The person claiming a portion of land, would mark off his territory by notching a tree on each corner with a tomahawk. The practice was common and accepted by everyone. Even Mason and Dixon, when marking off their famous dividing line, used the method and were stated as marking the trees "with four good notches." Sometimes the land claimer - if he knew how to write - would mark the trees with his initial. Anyone trying to "jump a claim" by changing these markings was treated very harshly, and often shot on the spot. The practice was so common - there not being a courthouse near in most areas - that when a courthouse was opened the deeds were accepted the same as a purchase agreement would have been. Gee, no closing costs... no points ... no mortage... just a few notches in a tree trunk - ah, yes, those were the good old days. Susie Koehrsen