Merestone

I interviewed years ago with a company in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware named Merestone Consultants.

n. "stone serving as a landmark," Old English mÌ?rstan "boundary stone," from mÌ?re "boundary, object indicating a boundary," from Proto-Germanic *mairjo- (cf. Middle Dutch mere "boundary mark, stake," Old Norse -mÌ?ri "boundary, border-land"), related to Latin murus "wall" (see mural ). Hence also meresman "man appointed to find boundaries" (of a parish, etc.).

JPH, post: 361121, member: 6636 wrote: I don't know how I've been surveying for over 20 years, and just saw this word in a description for the first time.

I've never come across that word before. Of course, there are no stones of any kind in descriptions in this part of the world.

thats cool. always something new to learn:)

I know. I can't believe that I'd never seen in mentioned before now.

Put a space in, and it's just a mere stone.

Somebody here should maintain a list of words that surveyors have run across that required investigation as to their meaning.

They consist mainly of "leaverite" a word I made up for the benefit of my children. It's just another rock, leaverite where you found it.

vern, post: 361648, member: 3436 wrote: They consist mainly of "leaverite" a word I made up for the benefit of my children. It's just another rock, leaverite where you found it.

Sorry Vern, that word has been used by gold prospectors for many years.
Example:
Rookie prospector - "Could you look at this rock and tell me if it is gold?"
Experienced gold digger - "Oh yes., that's a fine specimen of Leaverite."
Rookie - "What is Leaverite?"
Gold Digger - "Leave it right where you found it."

Amazing how many people fall for it.

One time I had just gotten back from an exhausting hiking trip with my cousins. When I set my pack down on the truck tailgate, it made a weird noise...Looked inside and found out my cousin had loaded it with Leaverite about 5 miles back. No wonder it felt so heavy! Ripped holes in my pack too.

Leaverite is very common in the mountains around my area - I find some every time I go prospecting.

imaudigger, post: 361659, member: 7286 wrote: Sorry Vern, that word has been used by gold prospectors for many years.
Example:
...

I really did think I made that word up when my kids were little. I should have known it was too clever to have been overlooked in history.

Merestones are very common in the New Haven, CT area. Now I wish I had a picture to show y'all.

My understanding is that a merestone is simply a rock being used for a monument and nothing special like iron or other special substance not readily available. Most of the time is is shaped, squared, chiseled with markings or other to make it different from other rocks.
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