> If I came across your deed around here I would have no question about the bearings being in degrees and minutes, not seconds. I would figure they were using a staff compass reading to the nearest 1/4 degree, and the 53°23' bearing was an average of readings forward and back on the same line, say N 53°30'E looking forward and S 53°15'W looking back after they moved ahead, likewise the 42°52' might have been 42°45' forward and 43°00' back, averaged.
Considering the relatively short lengths of the lines, it does seem more likely that they were intervisible and that bearings could be measured from tree to tree directly, both backward and forward.
I agree that the differences of nominally 0-07-30 from some bearing with an integral multiple of 15 in the minutes fraction, differences rounded in one instance to 0-07-00 and in the next to 0-08-00, are more simply explained as the means of back and forward bearings differing by 0-15-00.
Old Deed Closes Good Enough In My Book
As far as an 1825 deed goes I can live with the closure I got, 1/843.
I read the deed as follows;
1/ S 83°45' E 58 Poles 7.5 Links
2/ N 53°23' E 34 Poles 16 Links
3/ N 42°52' E 17 Poles 9 Links
4/ S 88° E 20 Poles 2 Links
5/ S 08° E 24 Poles
6/ S 31° E 16 Poles 11.5 Links
7/ N 68° E 30 Poles 6.5 Links
8/ S 84° E 46 Poles 14 Links
9/ N 43° E 90 Poles 8.5 Links
10/ N 42°30' W 38 Poles 7.5 Links
11/ S 77°25' W 105.5 Poles
12/ N 08°30' E 25 Poles 9 Links
13/ N 57°15' E 4 Poles 17 Links
14/ N 09°40' W 66 Poles
15/ S 86°20' W 69 Poles 22.5 Links
16/ S 03° W 47 Poles 2.5 Links (I used 3° not 3', probably somewhere in between)
2°03' gives very good angular closure. If data is missing make an assumption and prove it right or wrong.
17/ S 62° W 20 Poles 15 Links
18/ S 24° W 107 Poles 10 Links
Area 148.65 acres = 148 acres 2 roods 24 perches
Closure error N 68° E 16.1' or 1 Pole
Plot it and go to the field or overlay an orthophoto.
Paul in PA
Old Deed Closes Good Enough In My Book
Thanks, Paul. I think, though, that in the sixth course, your number of links should be 4 1/2; compare the 14 in the 8th course. I'm pretty sure that the 16th course uses 3°. But proof is not within my reach here.
Cheers,
Henry
Old Deed Closes Good Enough In My Book
I'd agree with Paul
I haven't run a close, but the difference between seconds versus minutes should (I imagine) show an interesting comparison.
My initial thoughts were that given the year of scribing this I would doubt it would show seconds as a unit of angle/ bearing.
I'd suggest a lack of understanding of angular units on behalf of the author of that deed.
I'd also suggest lines shown with only degrees and seconds seems a bit dubious as one would expect minutes should also be involved in the mix.
I've seen some pretty weird early deeds here and nothing really surprises me when one peruses them. Amuse yes, surprise no.
Thankfully we don't have to contend with deeds anymore, but do very occasionally visit them to check old plans.
Rereading 4 1/2 Links Is It
One has to get very familiar with the hand. Still a 1 Pole error and very findable on the ground.
Paul in PA