Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Samford Unversity IGHR Classes - Day 1 continued

More on the tax record information:
We talked about using the tax records as census substitutes.
GA probate - is Court of the ordinary
AL probate - orphans court or probate office
If census is not available, go to tax records, voter registration lists, city directories, special state censuses.

Tax list can be state or federal and are usually unindexed.
PRE1850 - use tax list to show young men coming of age, then use land records - deeds, mortgages, patents, grants
In burned courthouse counties, can probably still find tax records at state level.
They discussed several specific states and where to find records and what types of records you can find.

Other items discussed:
capitation taxes; quit rents, rent rolls, tax digest.

Before 1750/1770 cousin meant nephew.
He talked about the ages of children when they chose guardians and the difference between male and females for ages of this.

The term inmate meant someone who "comes and goes through the same door as the owner".
The term "crazy" meant sick in body.
The term "grocer" meant someone who sold liquor.
Lumber in an inventory meant odds and ends, not wooden boards as it means today.
"Trusty and loving friend" usually meant someone out of the immediate circle, who had usually married into the family.
"Casually killing his wife" meant he killed his wife by acciden.
"Natural child" in 19th century meant bastard.
"Orphan" meant a minor person due an inheritance.
He talked about the difference in DOWER and DOWERY.
He talked about the terms: Pennsylvania Dutch, Black Irish, Scots-Irish, Creole, Cajun, Hessian, Mulatto.

In the Newspaper section they discussed terms:
"ghostly father" meant pastor of a parish
He talked about Worldcat
Invalid on the Revolutionary war records meant "sick person". It did NOT mean NOT VALID.

The common practice of 2 sons with the same name.
B.C. in 1850 Wisconsin meant Bos Canada which was lower Canada.
Index to Devisees - those who received land.

That's it - next comes the courts....

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