One thing that may be worth having as a regular feature are examples of the sort of handwriting that a land surveyor needs to know how to read. Here are a few from the file I have open at the moment, all ca. 1880:
W.S. Lempert
Milton Faver
S.A. Thompson
That is very beautiful handwriting but also very hard to read. I find that sort of stuff fascinating and intriguing. I can see why it would be a great idea to make this a regular feature here. 🙂
Challenging, isn't it? Beautiful, yet sometimes incomprehensible. It helps to have a full message so that you can compare certain 'scribbles' in various places such that you can eventually determine what that scribble actually represents.
19th-century handwriting> East Coast (Early 18th Century)
Here's an example of an early document that is very important in an upcoming trial.
1713 Road dedication.
The scrivener has beautiful and easy to read writing, later registry documents are not nearly as legible as this fine document...
I have found that if I take a document, write it out, letter by letter, rather than just trying to read it, I can often translate it, then read my translation very easily.
19th-century handwriting (transcription)
W.S. Lempert
I, W.S. Lempert County Surveyor of
Presidio Co, do hereby certify that I
have examined the foregoing plat and field
notes, that I find them correct, and that
they are recorded in my office, in Book A,
pages 106 & 107
W.S. Lempert
C.S.P.C.
Milton Faver
and the duplicate November 19th 1873, I
respectfully request that you survey or
have surveyed for me a piece of ground
about 5-1/2 miles nearly N.E. of the
Astronomical point at this place. The
piece of ground is known here by the
name of "El Chupadero". Forward
field notes and certificate to G[enera]l Land
Office at once in registered letter so
I can apply for patent.
Yours Truly
Milton Faver
for Rich. C. Daly
S.A. Thompson
Beginning at a rock mound 3 feet high cap rock mk'd M. Co. the S.E. corner of league survey No. 2 made for Mitchell County for the N.E. corner of this survey from whence a round hill brs. N 79-1/2°E, abt 1 mile & Yellow bluff brs S44-1/4°W - Thence South at 1400 vs. passing S.W. corner of Survey No. 22 & N.W. corner of Survey No. 23 in block 313, 4508 vs to a stake in the N line of Survey No. 639 made by virtue of certificate No. 2335 G.C.& S.F. Ry. Co. for a corner of this survey, - Thence S60°W, 192 vs to a rock mound 3 feet high the W. corner of said survey No. 639 for a corner of this survey from wh. a willow 10 in. in Dia. at spring brs N72°E, 68 vs - Th. S30°E, 332 vs to stake & md in S.W. line of Sur. No. 639 for a corner of this survey - Thence South 205 vs. to a rock mound on top of a ledge of rock for the S.E. corner of this survey - Th. West 5000 vs to a rk. md. for the S.W. corner - Thence North 5000 vs. to a stk. & md. for the N.W. corner of this survey, Thence East 5000 varas to the place of beginning.
19th-century handwriting> East Coast (Early 18th Century)
"Page 152nd
And that where, as it is impossible that we ye Commetty Should Sartainly know, where to a point all ways needfull:
We do therefore Leave as a point & Alow that all needfull old and former ways that Lead to mills and markets be left open: as that Every person Shell have a way through gates and bars to him or their Lotts where in may be Conveant.
Signed this 18th Day of May 1713
By ye Commetty"
I didn't think you needed translation!
19th-century handwriting (transcription)
Kent-
By tilting the lettering along its axis I find it easier to decipher.
YOS
Physical Lexographer Ad Astra
> By tilting the lettering along its axis I find it easier to decipher.
Well, it so happens that I spent a few hours at the General Land Office (that's THE General Land Office, not to be confused with the US General Land Office) this afternoon and one of the questions that I put to the staff in the research room of archives and records division was whether they found it becoming increasingly common that the people showing up to examine the old files were unable to read cursive handwriting. The answer I got was that it was a definite trend that had begun more than a decade ago.
The Texas Constitution provides that the General Land Office is to employ a Spanish language translator to make the contents of the old documents written in Spanish intelligible to people who only speak English. In the future, there may well be a need for an English translator who can perform the same function for old documents written in English.
