Words I’ve learned from reading old deeds.
I find a lot of archaic words in old deeds use to describe original monuments that are no longer there.
Popple
A poplar tree with an origin in Middle English, but the term may still be used today.
Chaise House
Used to describe a carriage house, from the French meaning chair.
Hackmatack
A deciduous conifer tamarack or larch tree, from the Abenaki Algonquin.
Lockspit
That's a good one. I had to look it up.
"Thence with the 5th line of 'such and such a deed' adjusted for 3 degrees of retrograde variation.
Ha ha. That is way too complicated for me. Why not just subtract?
Popple is still commonly used in Maine. I can recall hearing someone say poplar and instantly knowing they were an out-of-stater.
Cucumber Tree = Magnolia acuminata
Zin Apple = crab apple or uncultivated/wild apple tree
Keep these coming! I love this stuff!
Yeoman.
Thank you Peter. We see yeoman (farmer) a lot. Also cordwainer (shoe maker), but blacksmith was still a blacksmith back then.
Thank you Murphy! I'll be sure to use popple if I am in Maine to remain incognito.
