I've lived in New Jersey for more than 40 years, but I'll never be a real New Jersey girl. I grew up in Pennsylvania where there was lots of snow, one traffic light in town, and 90 kids in my grade--from kindergarten through graduation. I didn't know anything about The Shore, or baked ziti, or Chanukah until I came to Jersey. But, I've come to love all of that and much more--especially the history. I now know about the Jersey Dutch, strawberry baskets, railroad suburbs, the bridge that saved a nation, and so much more. I've learned that to tell the local stories about regular people I need to read wills, estate files, census records, pension applications, letters, tombstones, newspapers, and anything else I can find. So, that's some of what I want to share with you!

Saturday, March 30, 2013

Plotting the Plat

Property descriptions don't make any sense to me, until I can see the plot drawn on paper (or the computer screen).  In this regard, it is very helpful to know how to plot the verbal descriptions in the deed.  Online there are directions at http://genealogy.about.com/od/land_records/ss/land_platting.htm .  You may find a book more useful.  I used Locating your roots : discover your ancestors using land records by Patricia Law Hatcher. It can be found in the Heritage Center of the Ridgewood, NJ, Public Library.  At genealogytools.net there is a free and very handy platting program.  It can quickly give you the shape of the property.  There is no way to control the scale, so to make comparable plats of several deeds, it's back to the paper--but at least you know what shape you are drawing!
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