This is a glossary of terms used in Genealogy. We would like to acknowledge all of those who have worked
in the compilation of these terms. The original list was obtained from a Rootsweb mail list post.
Term | Definition |
ABSTRACT
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Summary of important points of a given text, especially deeds and wills.
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ACRE
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See measurements.
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ADMINISTRATION (of estate)
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The collection, management and distribution of an estate by proper legal process.
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ADMINISTRATOR (of estate)
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Person appointed to manage or divide the estate of a deceased person.
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ADMINISTRATRIX
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A female administrator.
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AFFIDAVIT
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A statement in writing, sworn to before proper authority.
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ALIEN
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Foreigner.
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AMERICAN REVOLUTION
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U.S. war for independence from Great Britain 1775 - 1783.
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ANCESTOR
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A person from whom you are descended; a forefather.
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ANTE
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Latin prefix meaning before, such as in ante-bellum South, "The South before the war"
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APPRENTICE
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One who is bound by indentures or by legal agreement or by any means to serve another person for a certain time, with a view of
learning an art or trade.
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APPURTENANCE
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That which belongs to something else such as a building, orchard, right of way, etc.
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ARCHIVES
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Records of a government, organization, institution; the place where records are stored.
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ATTEST
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To affirm; to certify by signature or oath.
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BANNS
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Public announcement of intended marriage.
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BENEFICIARY
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One who receives benefit of trust or property.
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BEQUEATH
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To give personal property to a person in a will. Noun - bequest.
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BOND
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Written, signed, witnessed agreement requiring payment of a specified amount of money on or before a given date.
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BOUNTY LAND WARRANT
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A right to obtain land, specific number of acres of unallocated public land, granted for military service.
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CENSUS
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Official enumeration, listing or counting of citizens.
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CERTIFIED COPY
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A copy made and attested to by officers having charge of the original and authorized to give copies.
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CHAIN
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See measurements.
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CHATTEL
|
Personal property which can include animate as well as inanimate properties.
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CHRISTEN
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To receive or initiate into the visible church by baptism; to name at baptism; to give a name to.
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CIRCA
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About, near, or approximate - usually referring to a date.
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CIVIL WAR
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War between the States; war between North and South, 1861 - 1865.
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CODICIL
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Addition to a will.
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COLLATERAL ANCESTOR
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Belong to the same ancestral stock but not in direct line of descent; opposed to lineal such as aunts, uncles &
cousins.
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COMMON ANCESTOR
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Ancestor shared by any two people.
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CONFEDERATE
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Pertaining to the Southern states which seceded from the U.S. in 1860 - 1861, their government and their citizens.
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CONSANGUINITY
|
Blood relationship.
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CONSORT
|
Usually, a wife whose husband is living
|
CONVEYANCE
|
See deed.
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COUSIN
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Relative descended from a common ancestor, but not a brother or sister.
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DAUGHTER-IN-LAW
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Wife of one's son.
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DECEASED
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Dead.
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DECEDENT
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A deceased person.
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DECLARATION OF INTENTION
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First paper, sworn to and filed in court, by an alien stating that he wants to be come a citizen.
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DEED
|
A document by which title in real property is transferred from one party to another.
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DEPOSITION
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A testifying or testimony taken down in writing under oath of affirmation in reply to interrogatories, before a competent officer to
replace to oral testimony of a witness.
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DEVISE
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Gift of real property by will.
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DEVISEE
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One to whom real property (land) is given in a will.
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DEVISOR
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One who gives real property in a will.
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DISSENTER
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One who did not belong to the established church, especially the Church of England in the American colonies.
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DISTRICT LAND OFFICE PLAT BOOK
|
Books or rather maps which show the location of the land patentee.
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DISTRICT LAND OFFICE TRACT BOOK
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Books which list individual entries by range and township.
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DOUBLE DATING
|
A system of double dating used in England and America from 1582-1752 because it was not clear as to whether the year commenced
January 1 or March 25
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DOWER
|
Legal right or share which a wife acquired by marriage in the real estate of her husband, allotted to her after his death for her
lifetime.
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EMIGRANT
|
One leaving a country and moving to another.
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ENUMERATION
|
Listing or counting , such as a census.
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EPITAPH
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An inscription on or at a tomb or grave in memory of the one buried there.
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ESCHEAT
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The reversion of property to the state when there are no qualified heirs.
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ESTATE
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All property and debts belonging to a person.
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ET AL
|
Latin for "and others".
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ET UX
|
Latin for "and wife".
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ET UXOR
|
And his wife. Sometimes written simply Et Ux.
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EXECUTOR
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One appointed in a will to carry out its provisions. Female = Executrix
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FATHER-IN-LAW
|
Father of one's spouse.
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FEE
|
An estate of inheritance in land, being either fee simple or fee tail. An estate in land held of a feudal lord on condition of the
performing of certain services.
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FEE SIMPLE
|
An absolute ownership without restriction.
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FEE TAIL
|
An estate of inheritance limited to lineal descendant heirs of
a person to whom it was granted.
|
FRANKLIN, STATE OF
|
An area once known but never officially recognized
and was under consideration from 1784 - 1788 from the western part of
North Carolina.
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FRATERNITY
|
Group of men (or women) sharing a common purpose or
interest.
|
FREE HOLD
|
An estate in fee simple, in fee tail, or for life.
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FRIEND
|
Member of the Religious Society of Friends; a Quaker.
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FURLONG
|
See measurements.
|
GAZETTEER
|
A geographical dictionary; a book giving names and
descriptions of places usually in alphabetical order.
|
GENEALOGY
|
Study of family history and descent.
|
GENTLEMAN
|
A man well born.
|
GIVEN NAME
|
Name given to a person at birth or baptism, one's first and
middle names.
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GLEBE
|
Land belonging to a parish church.
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GRANTEE
|
One who buys property or receives a grant.
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GRANTOR
|
One who sells property or makes a grant.
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GREAT-AUNT
|
Sister of one's grandparent
|
GREAT-UNCLE
|
Brother of one's grandparent.
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GUARDIAN
|
Person appointed to care for and manage property of a minor
orphan or an adult incompetent of managing his own affairs.
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HALF BROTHER/HALF SISTER
|
Child by another marriage of one's mother or
father; the relationship of two people who have only one parent in
common.
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HEIRS
|
Those entitled by law or by the terms of a will to inherit
property from another.
|
HOLOGRAPHIC WILL
|
One written entirely in the testator's own
handwriting.
|
HOMESTEAD ACT
|
Law passed by Congress in 1862 allowing a head of a
family to obtain title to 160 acres of public land after clearing and
improving it for 5 years.
|
HUGUENOT
|
A French Protestant in the 16th and 17th centuries. One of the
reformed or calvinistic communion who were driven by the thousands into
exile in England, Holland, Germany and America.
|
ILLEGITIMATE
|
Born to a mother who was not married to the child's
father.
|
IMMIGRANT
|
One moving into a country from another.
|
INDENTURE
|
Today it means a contract in 2 or more copies. Originally
made in 2 parts by cutting or tearing a single sheet across the middle in
a jagged line so the two parts may later be matched.
|
INDENTURED SERVANT
|
One who bound himself into service of another person
for a specified number of years, often in return for transportation to
this country.
|
INFANT
|
Any person not of full age; a minor.
|
INSTANT
|
Of or pertaining to the current month. (Abbreviated inst.)
|
INTESTATE
|
One who dies without a will or dying without a will.
|
INVENTORY
|
An account, catalog or schedule, made by an executor or administrator of all the goods and chattels and sometimes of the real estate of a deceased person.
|
ISSUE
|
Offspring; children; lineal descendants of a common ancestor.
|
LATE
|
Recently deceased.
|
LEASE
|
An agreement which creates a landlord - tenant situation.
|
LEGACY
|
Property or money left to someone in a will
|
LEGISLATURE
|
Lawmaking branch of state or national government; elected group of lawmakers.
|
LIEN
|
A claim against property as security for payment of a debt.
|
LINEAGE
|
Ancestry; direct descent from a specific ancestor.
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LINEAL
|
Consisting of or being in as direct line of ancestry or descendants; descended in a direct line.
|
LINK
|
See measurements.
|
LIS PENDENS
|
Pending court action; usually applies to land title claims.
|
LODGE
|
A chapter or meeting hall of a fraternal organization.
|
LOYALIST
|
Tory, an American colonist who supported the British side during the American Revolution.
|
MAIDEN NAME
|
A girl's last name or surname before she marries.
|
MANUSCRIPT
|
A composition written with the hand as an ancient book or an
un-printed modern book or music.
|
MARRIAGE BOND
|
A financial guarantee that no impediment to the marriage
existed, furnished by the intended bridegroom or by his friends.
|
MATERNAL
|
Related through one's mother, such as a Maternal grandmother
being the mother's mother.
|
MEASUREMENTS
|
Link: 7.92 inches
Chain:100 Links or 66 feet
Furlong: 1000 Links or 660 feet
Rod: 5 1/2 yds or 16 1/2 ft (also called a perch or pole)
Rood: From 5 1/2 yards to 8 yards, depending on locality
Acre: 43,560 square ft or 160 square rods.
|
MESSUAGE
|
A dwelling house.
|
METES & BOUNDS
|
Property described by natural boundaries, such as 3
notches in a white oak tree, etc.
|
MICROFICHE
|
Sheet of microfilm with greatly reduced images of pages of
documents.
|
MICROFILM
|
Reproduction of documents on film at reduced size.
|
MIGRANT
|
Person who moves from place to place, usually in search of work
|
MIGRATE
|
To move from one country or state or region to another. (Noun :
migration)
|
MILITIA
|
Citizens of a state who are not part of the national military
forces but who can be called into military service in an emergency; a
citizen army, apart from the regular military forces.
|
MINOR
|
One who is under legal age; not yet a legal adult.
|
MISTER
|
In early times, a title of respect given only to those who held
important civil officer or who were of gentle blood.
|
MOIETY
|
A half; an indefinite portion
|
MORTALITY
|
Death; death rate.
|
MORTALITY SCHEDULES
|
Enumeration of persons who died during the year
prior to June 1 of 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 in each state of the United
States, conducted by the bureau of census.
|
MORTGAGE
|
A conditional transfer of title to real property as security
for payment of a debt.
|
MOTHER-IN-LAW
|
Mother of one's spouse.
|
NAMESAKE
|
Person named after another person.
|
NECROLOGY
|
Listing or record of persons who have died recently
|
NEE
|
Used to identify a woman's maiden name; born with the surname of
|
NEPHEW
|
Son of one's brother or sister.
|
NIECE
|
Daughter of one's brother or sister.
|
NONCUPATIVE WILL
|
One declared or dictated by the testator, usually for
persons in last sickness, sudden illness, or military.
|
ORPHAN
|
Child whose parents are dead; sometimes, a child who has lost
one parent by death.
|
ORPHAN'S COURT
|
Orphans being recognized as wards of the states,
provisions were made for them in special courts.
|
PASSENGER LIST
|
A ships list of passengers, usually referring to those
ships arriving in the US from Europe.
|
PATENT
|
Grant of land from a government to an individual.
|
PATERNAL
|
Related to one's father. Paternal grandmother is the father's
mother.
|
PATRIOT
|
One who loves his country and supports its interests.
|
PEDIGREE
|
Family tree; ancestry.
|
PENSION
|
Money paid regularly to an individual, especially by a
government as reward for military service during wartime or upon
retirement from government service.
|
PENSIONER
|
One who receives a pension.
|
PERCH
|
See measurements.
|
POLE
|
See measurements.
|
POLL
|
List or record of persons, especially for taxing or voting.
|
POST
|
Latin prefix meaning after, as in post-war economy.
|
POSTERITY
|
Descendants; those who come after.
|
POWER OF ATTORNEY
|
When a person in unable to act for himself, he
appoints another to act in his behalf.
|
PRE
|
Latin prefix meaning before, as in pre-war military build-up.
|
PRE-EMOTION RIGHTS
|
Right given by the federal government to citizens to
buy a quarter section of land or less.
|
PROBATE
|
Having to do with wills and the administration of estates.
|
PROGENITOR
|
A direct ancestor.
|
PROGENY
|
Descendants of a common ancestor; issue.
|
PROVED WILL
|
A will established as genuine by probate court.
|
PROVOST
|
A person appointed to superintend, or preside over something.
|
PROXIMO
|
In the following month, in the month after the present one.
|
PUBLIC DOMAIN
|
Land owned by the government.
|
QUAKER
|
Member of the Religious Society of Friends.
|
QUITCLAIM
|
A deed conveying the interest of the party at that time.
|
RECTOR
|
A clergyman; the ruler or governor of a country.
|
RELICT
|
Widow; surviving spouse when one has died, husband or wife.
|
REPUBLIC
|
Government in which supreme authority lies with the people or
their elected representatives.
|
REVOLUTIONARY WAR
|
U.S. war for independence from Great Britain 1775 -
1783.
|
ROD
|
See measurements.
|
ROOD
|
See measurements.
|
SHAKER
|
Member of a religious group formed in 1747 which practiced
communal living and celibacy.
|
SIBLING
|
Person having one or both parents in common with another; a
brother or sister.
|
SIC
|
Latin meaning thus; copied exactly as the original reads. Often
suggests a mistake or surprise in the original.
|
SON-IN-LAW
|
Husband of one's daughter.
|
SPINSTER
|
A woman still unmarried; or one who spins.
|
SPONSOR
|
A bondsman; surety.
|
SPOUSE
|
Husband or wife.
|
STATUTE
|
Law.
|
STEP-BROTHER / STEP-SISTER
|
Child of one's step-father or step-mother.
|
STEP-CHILD
|
Child of one's husband or wife from a previous marriage.
|
STEP-FATHER
|
Husband of one's mother by a later marriage.
|
STEP-MOTHER
|
Wife of one's father by a later marriage.
|
SURNAME
|
Family name or last name.
|
TERRITORY
|
Area of land owned by the united States, not a state, but
having its own legislature and governor.
|
TESTAMENTARY
|
Pertaining to a will.
|
TESTATE
|
A person who dies leaving a valid will.
|
TESTATOR
|
A person who makes a valid will before his death.
|
TITHABLE
|
Taxable.
|
TITHE
|
Formerly, money due as a tax for support of the clergy or church.
|
TORY
|
Loyalist; one who supported the British side in the American
Revolution.
|
TOWNSHIP
|
A division of U.S. public land that contained 36 sections, or
36 square miles. Also a subdivision of the county in many Northeastern
and Midwestern states of the U.S.
|
TRADITION
|
The handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs,
genealogies, etc. from generation to generation, especially by word of
mouth.
|
TRANSCRIBE
|
To make a copy in writing.
|
ULTIMO
|
In the month before this one.
|
UNION
|
The United States; also the North during the Civil War, the
states which did not secede.
|
VERBATIM
|
Word for word; in the same words, verbally.
|
VITAL RECORDS
|
Records of birth, death, marriage or divorce.
|
VITAL STATISTICS
|
Data dealing with birth, death, marriage or divorce.
|
WAR BETWEEN THE STATES
|
U.S. Civil War, 1861-1865.
|
WARD
|
Chiefly the division of a city for election purposes.
|
WILL
|
Document declaring how a person wants his property divided after
his death.
|
WITNESS
|
One who is present at a transaction, such as a sale of land or
signing of a will, who can testify or affirm that it actually took place.
|
WPA HISTORICAL RECORDS SURVEY
|
A program undertaken by the US Government
1935-1936 in which inventories were compiled of historical material.
|
YEOMAN
|
A servant, an attendant or subordinate official in a royal
household; a subordinate of a sheriff; an independent farmer.
|