Historical tidbits from doing genealogy

[kcguy]

In the course of doing genealogical research, I’m often looking at contemporary documents.  Here are a few I found interesting, for one reason or another.

[kcguy]

I looked at a civil suit that dragged on for years in the Loudoun County, Virginia, Chancery Court.  It’s interesting to see people’s lives carry on independently of major historical events.  In this case, two injunctions were issued by the same clerk five years apart.

The first began “George the third by the grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith &c To the Sherif of Loudoun County Greeting” and ended “in the thirteenth year of our reign 1773.“

The second began “To the Sheriff of Loudoun County Greetings” and ended “In the third year of the Commonwealth.”

[kcguy]

In an entry in the Robertson County, Tennessee, Deed Book, 1844, Littleberry Wright purchased 18 acres from “Robert P Letcher Esqr, Governor of Kentucky”.  The land was described a being south of Walker’s line and north of 36°30’.

According to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kennessee), the team of Walker & Smith incorrectly surveyed the state boundary in 1779-1780.  It was correctly surveyed at 36°30’ in 1826.  According to the 1826 legal settlement, Tennessee would retain jurisdiction over any land in the disputed area, but the government of Kentucky would be the legal owner of any land not already in private hands.

[kcguy]

And I’m including the last one strictly for the language.  From the Sumner County, Tennessee, County Court Minute Book, 1826:

“On motion it is ordered that Patsey Taverer a Minor orphan be bound and apprentice to William Wright until she attains the age of twenty one years, being now only ten to learn the art & mystery of housewifery & hereupon the said Wright entered into bond interchangeably with the Chairman of this [illegible] one of a [illegible] is delivered him the other to be filed of record in this Court.”