?ÿSorry to be so late to the discussion, but I have been searching for the definition of some terms on a 19th Century survey.?ÿ Varas (vrs) is one that I was able to find.?ÿ However, there are some that I have not found:
Double L.O. 10? brs N 27oW 24 vrs?ÿ ?ÿ
My guess is that 'brs' is bearings??ÿ And 'N 27oW' means 27o?ÿ?ÿto the west from due north.?ÿ ?ÿBut the 'Double L.O. 10" ' has me stumped.?ÿ ?ÿAt another point it has:
to a stake and stone mound from which a L.O. about 22? brs N 49o W 61 varas
Again the L.O. about 22" eludes me.?ÿ Sorry about this rookie question, but Google has been unhelpful.?ÿ Thanks.
It's a witness tree L.O. is the type of tree, most likely Live Oak in this case. 22" is the diameter of the tree usually measured breast high.
To be picky, brs isn't bearings but bears. 22" pine bears north 5 varas.
?ÿAnd the calls I've gotten from GISers who can't close my legal cause ties are imbedded in the description, hehe. Makes me want to tie at least three references at each corner to help them out even more.
Wow, thanks Shawn and MightyMoe.?ÿ I would never have figured that out.?ÿ And thanks for cleaaring up brs.?ÿ?ÿ
So,?ÿ Double LO 10" is a Live Oak with a double trunk??ÿ ?ÿAnd I have also seen?ÿB J 7 in brs?ÿ.?ÿ Still stumped on B J.?ÿ
Wow, thanks Shawn and MightyMoe.?ÿ I would never have figured that out.?ÿ And thanks for cleaaring up brs.?ÿ?ÿ
So,?ÿ Double LO 10" is a Live Oak with a double trunk??ÿ ?ÿAnd I have also seen?ÿB J 7 in brs?ÿ.?ÿ Still stumped on B J.?ÿ
That stands for Black Jack Oak 7 inch bears.....
Excellent.?ÿ Thanks, Glenn.?ÿ And thanks to all!
Unless it is a Blue Jack Oak.............
There are Black, Blue and Sand Jack oaks.
Hmmm, are these written down somewhere, or is the discipline dependent upon all of you passing it down by word of mouth?
After reading the many volumes of original field notes and patent notes and abstractor's shorthand and various deeds from the late 1830s thru the 1940s and you start to see a patern.
Often the information is that there is enough to go on to have an ideal of what to look for and when at location to see what could have grown there and what would probably not have been there and what is left is what you have to go with.
The Texas General Land Office has a list of tree abbreviations that they provide to LSLS or anyone who would ask I imagine.?ÿ My copy is dated 1959 and looks like it has been photocopied a hundred times. They also have a list of tree names in spanish in case you are following Spanish or Mexican field notes. In fact, the guide has abbreviations for just about anything you can imagine as well as words that must be written in full. Here's a few tree abbreviations:
Anaqua - Ana.
Ash - Ash
Cedar - Ce.
Catalpa (or Catawba) - Cat.
Bois D'Arc - BdA. (Although I frequently see Bowdark)
Dogwood - Dwd.
Sweet Gum - S.G.
Toothache - Tch.
Black Hickory - B. Hky.
Ironwood - Iwd.
Linden - Lin.
Juniper - Jun.
Locust - Loc,
Redbud - Rdb.
Walnut - Wal.
Spanish Oak - Sp.O.
Black Oak - B.O.
Pin Oak - Pn. O.
Pecan - Pec.
Blazed - Blz.
Double - Dbl.
Fallen - Fn.
Leaning - Lng.
Marked - Mkd.
Small - Sm.
Snag - Sng.
Twin - Twn.
Well, I am very impressed with all of you.?ÿ My great-grandfather arrived in Fredericksburg in 1849 from Germany.?ÿ I have "inherited" the family archves - a generous word for 9 boxes of "family stuff."?ÿ I am in my second year of just trying to determine what I have.?ÿ All of you have been very helpful in my beginning to understand some of the land documents.?ÿ I appreciate the help all of you have provided.
