Glossary

As I was transcribing some of the documents on this site, I came across a few words I didn't understand. To help myself, and maybe you as well, I've defined some of them here.

If you come across something elsewhere on this site that you don't understand, and think it may benefit others by including it here, please let me know.

Do. - This shows up in one of Humphrey's settlement documents. I asked the Fauquier County Clerk's office and was told it's an abbreviation for 'ditto'. Today we would probably use quotation marks instead. So when you see...

"To cash paid James Barnett for writing bond"

...followed by...

"To Do. pd. Richard Fisher"

...you can assume that Richard Fisher was paid in cash just as James Barnett was.

Messuage - A house and its associated garden, outbuildings, and orchard.

Monetary System of Pounds, Shillings and Pence - Here's an explanation of the monetary system used at the time of Humphrey's death in the 1790s. It's referenced pretty heavily in the three documents dealing with the inventory and settlement of his estate. The system is based on pounds, shillings and pence, with the following guidelines:

• 12 pence = 1 shilling

• 20 shillings = 1 pound

• 12.5.0 would be read as 12 pounds, 5 shillings, 0 pence

• 7/ would be read as 7 shillings

• 1/6 would be read as 1 shilling, 6 pence

Northern Neck of Virginia - The Northern Neck is a peninsula of Virginia bounded by Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers. It includes the present-day counties of King George, Lancaster, Northumberland, Richmond and Westmoreland. You'll find the Northern Neck mentioned several times in the earlier land deeds and deeds of gift. The region can be seen on a map (243 kb) that I modified slightly. (Source: University of Texas at Austin)

Peppercorn Rent - An insignificant rent used to show that a lease is granted for valuable consideration.

For example, a lease of land dated July 1732 - from John Doyle, Jr. to his grandson, Isaac Arnold, Sr. - requires "...paying the rent of one peppercorn..."

Planter - A planter is someone who settles or founds a place, especially a new colony. You'll find references to it in the older land deeds.

For example,

"...between Isaac Arnold of the parish of Hanover in King George County within the dominion of Virginia planter of the one part & Thomas Arnold, son of sd. Isaac of the aforesd. parish and county within the dominion of Virginia aforesaid planter of the other part."

Shoat - A shoat is a young hog, usually less than one year old.