28 November 2016

Metes, Bounds, and Meanders, Oh My

Deed from James C Vandever to I Z Shelton, 1888, White County, TN

mete
noun
a limit or boundary

I recently located several deeds involving Isaac and Amanda Shelton from White County, Tennessee. The property descriptions are classic metes and bounds surveys, using such terminology as "Beginning at a Rock" and referring to poles, links, and compass directions. Understanding the descriptions is a nice challenge in paleography, deciphering the clerk's handwriting, and basic geometry. I look forward to platting out the deeds and attempting to locate them on a modern map.

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