I’m studying a Chancery suit in Loudoun County, Virginia, brought in 1867 and concluded in 1895. Among the many depositions taken is one from the then County Surveyor, who was appointed to survey the lands involved in the suit. I like his second answer. This deposition was taken August 22, 1877. I have added no punctuation, nor have I omitted any.
1st Quest. By Complts atty
Are you the Surveyor appointed by the Court to locate the land in
controversy in Tebbs v. Smith –
Ans I am
2nd Quest How long have you been a practical surveyor
Ans Well sir, as an amateur surveyor since 1838 and have been
following it as a profession since 1866
Cheers,
Henry
A "practical surveyor" is a complimentary term. We would equate that to the skill level of a licensed surveyor today.
And then, purely for period flavor, there is this advice from the 1895 Second Edition of Thomas Holloway's "The Practical Surveyor":
"The essentials for a surveyor are : First, a good sound and hardy constitution - for a man who cannot walk twenty miles per day regularly, in almost any weather or temperature, will never make a good and rapid surveyor; secondly, a suitable outfit in the way of clothes, boots, & C.; and thirdly, a supply of accurate and well-made field and office instruments.
"We will now treat of the outfit for a really practical surveyor. Two entire changes of clothes and three pairs of boots are absolutely necessary. The clothes should be of a close tough cloth, so that in going through hedges, underwood, briars, furze, and simlar objects of a prickly nature, the body may be well protected. The coat should be of the old-fashioned shooting coat pattern, with large inside or hare pockets; the trousers should fit loosely on the body and closely below the knee. It is the custom of many surveyors to wear breeches and gaiters; it has, however, been discovered that they keep the calves of the legs too warm, and consequently produce a kind of lazy feeling before a man is actually tired; trousers are therefore recommended on that account. The boots should be of porpoise hide or best calf leather, well made, of good fit, free from any cloth or soft lining - which is sure to pucker in case of wet and produce soreness ; broad at the tread and toes, and stout in the sole."