Worcester County MDGenWeb Interesting Miscellaneous Research Information

Here's where I'm going to stick the miscellaneous stuff that won't fit anywhere else, like interesting factoids, tips on exploring your roots in this area, important announcements, and anything else I feel like putting up. Got an idea for something that should go here? Let me know!

UNUSUAL / UNEXPECTED PRONUNCIATIONS
PLACE NAMES THAT HAVE CHANGED
PARISH BOUNDARIES OF OLD SOMERSET COUNTY
SOMERSET LAND AND PROBATE RECORD NUMBERING
OLD NAMING CUSTOMS
PROBLEMATIC COLONIAL TERMS
SURVEYOR'S TERMS
SURVEYOR'S MEASUREMENTS

Unusual / Unexpected Pronunciations:
I have learned that many of the place names and family names are pronounced much differently that I had been pronouncing them for years. Here are the ones I've gathered:

Beauchamp

Surname, pronounced as Beech'-um, not as Bow'-shahmp.

Bowden

Surname, pronounced as Bow'-in or Bow'n (the "ow" to rhyme with "snow", not "cow"). The "d" is usually not pronounced. Occasionally, though, heard as Bow'-din (again, though, with the "ow" to rhyme with "snow", not "cow").

Bozman

Surname, pronounced as Bahz'-man, not as Boze'-man.

Manokin

Place name, pronounced as Muh-no'-kin, not as Man'-i-kin.

Mattapony

Place name, pronouced as Mat-uh-puh-nye', not as Mat'-a-poh-nee.

Monie

Place name, pronounced as Muh-nye', not as Moan'-ee.

Sayers

Surname, pronounced as Seers (or "Sears", like the store), not as Say'-ers.

Wetipquin

Place name, pronounced as Wee-tip'-kin or as Wee-tip'-kwin (depending on who you ask).

Wicomico

Place name, pronounced as Wye-cahm'-ih-co, not as Wih-co'-mih-co or (God forbid) Wee'-co-mee'-co.

Winder

Surname, pronounced as Winn'-der (as in, " 'Deed, he done thrown her out'n the winder"), not as Wine'-der.

Worcester

Place name, pronounced as Wooss'-ter (the "oo" to rhyme with "book", not "boot"), not as War'-chess-ter.

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Some Eastern Shore Place Names That Have Changed:
(Thanks to Becky Miller for adding to this list)

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Olde Somerset County's Parishes
Old Somerset County (which includes today's Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties in Maryland, along with a portion of Sussex County in Delaware), was divided into four Parishes in the Anglican Church (Episcopalian). Each Parish was comprised of two Hundreds, which were early geographical boundaries.

• SOMERSET PARISH: Manokin Hundred and Monie Hundred
• COVENTRY PARISH: Pocomoke Hundred and Annemessex Hundred
• STEPNEY PARISH: Wicomico Hundred and Nanticoke Hundred
• SNOW HILL PARISH: Bogettenorton Hundred and Mattapony Hundred

If you are unfamiliar with the boundaries of Olde Somerset's Hundreds, check out the Eastern Shore Maps page on the Shari Handley's Eastern Shore Maryland Genealogy Project web site. About half-way down the page, you'll see a clickable link with the words "Somerset Hundreds". Clicking on this link will show you a map outlining the geographic boundaries of all eight Olde Somerset County Hundreds.

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Land and Probate Record Numbering
Land and probate records in Somerset and Wicomico Counties seem to have an odd numbering scheme, consisting of Libers numbered with a letter or series of letters. The earliest land records start with Liber B Number 1, and go on to CD, IK, IKL, EI, L1, L2, etc. Then, the records started being numbered with the initials of the clerk in office at the time. For instance, Liber LW indicates that it was recorded during Levin Woolford's term as clerk. Probate records are also numbered according to the initials of the clerk, such as EB - Esme Bayley.

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Naming Customs:
Since many on the Eastern Shore come from Scotch or Scotch/Irish ancestry, this tidbit of information from "In Search of Scottish Ancestry" by Hamilton Edwards may be helpful:

• The eldest son was named after the paternal grandfather.
  
• The second son was named after the maternal grandfather.
  
• The third son after the father.
  
• The eldest daughter after the maternal grandmother.
  
• The second daughter after the paternal grandmother.
  
• The third daughter after the mother.
  

In addition, I've also seen further information on naming practices:

• The fourth son was named after the father's eldest brother.
  
• The fourth daughter was named after the mother's eldest sister.
  

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Problematic Colonial Terms:
Some of the terms we come across in wills, deeds, and other documents may lead us in the wrong direction unless we are aware of how the meanings of these terms may have been different in colonial times.

brother / sister

May indicate blood relations, step-brother or sister, church brother or sister.

brother-in-law / sister-in-law

Any kinship through marriage; could be a step-child or step-parent, for instance.

cousin

Any relative not in the immediate family.

goodman / goodwife / "goody"

Social position one step below the "gentleman" or "gentlewoman".

indentured servant

A person whose passage to America was paid in return for an agreement to serve for a specified number of years.

Jr. or Sr.

This designation did not always imply a father-son relationship. It was used to distinguish individuals with identical names. The term may be dropped if one dies.

Mr. / Mrs. / Mistress

Titles of social position; Mrs. was used for both married and unmarried women.

mother / father

Could mean in-law.

"my now wife" or "my present wife"

This was a legal phrase and did not necessarily mean there was a former spouse.

"natural son"

Usually meant not adopted; did not imply illegitimacy.

nephew / niece

The Latin "nepos" or "neptis" means grandson or granddaughter. This term may occasionally have this earlier meaning.

servant

One who serves; not necessarily socially inferior, such as an apprentice.

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Surveyors Terms:

METES AND BOUNDS

The precisely described boundary lines of a parcel of land (course and distance).

PATENT

Document issued by the government granting right of title of public land to an individual.

WARRANT

Assignment of land to an individual. Authorization to survey and patent the land.

DEED

Document under seal which, when delivered, transfers a present interest in property to another.

GRANTOR

Person selling land.

GRANTEE

Person buying or receiving land.

COURSE

A line or bound described in a survey, running in a given distance and direction.

COURSE REVERSED

To follow a line or course in a survey in the opposite direction that it was first described, but with the same distance (usually the line of an adjoining survey).

HOME LINE

The last line or course called in a survey. The line that returns to the beginning, or first boundary (right line to the beginning).

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Surveyors Measurements:
1 Perch, Pole or Rod = 16½ feet or 5½ yards
(Perch, pole and rod are the same measurement)
1 Chain = 4 Rods or 66 feet
80 Chains = 1 Mile
1 Acre = 10 Square Chains
40 Rods = 1/8th of a Statute Mile or 1 Furlong
640 Acres = 1 Square Mile
1 Chain = 100 Links of 7.92 Inches
16 Square Rods = 1 Square Chain
10 Square Chains = 1 Acre
1 Acre = 160 Square Rods
1 Acre = A square parcel of land measuring 208.7 feet x 208.7 feet

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Saturday, 26-Aug-2023 23:30:34 EDT