Bennett Family of Bedford & Somerset Counties, Pennsylvania |
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On this page you will find some helpful descriptions & definitions of various terms, words, occupations etc.. Land Terminology Application: An oral or written request to purchase land. Sent to the Secretary of Land Office along with partial or full payment for the tract. Once this application was received and approved, the Land Office then completed a Warrant. Warrant: Order to survey the land. The Warrant restated the information on the Application and was then sent to the Surveyor General. The original Warrant was filed in the Surveyor General's office then sent to the Deputy Surveyor. Return of Survey: A internal document restating the warrant & survey. The Return Survey also carries the date it was prepared and usually the amount paid. Survey: A measurement or marking of the land. The Deputy Surveyor made a drawing of the land listing the measurements and named other lands adjoining it. This map was then sent back to the Surveyor General. Patent: A deed passing all rights to the land and to the individual owner. The original patent was made and bound in a Patent Book.
Land Measurements 1 Chain = 66 ft. 10 Chains = 660 ft. 1 Furlong = 1/8 mile 1 Rod, Pole or Perch = 161/2 ft. 1 Rail = about 10 ft.
Call Name or "Rufnamen" Commonly found in German & Dutch households. The male name Johan or John as well as the female name Anna or Maria were often used before the "Rufnamen" which was the name by which a child would be called. Anna Maria would be called Maria or Mary, Anna Barbara would be called Barbara. When a child had two longer names, such as Elizabeth Catherina, the middle name was generally used.
A.K.A. (also known as) Researchers are often baffled by finding names for the same person written in different ways, on census records, marriage records, birth records etc. Pet or Nicknames were often used. Here are a few examples:
German Words & Translations
Occupations
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