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Genealogy
Term
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Meaning
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Abatement
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the
difference between the amount of the estate of an heir is to receive
as specified in a will and the amount actually received, due to
property devaluation between the time the will was made and when
the death occurred; the entry of a stranger into the estate after
the death of the possessor but before the heir or devisee can take
control
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Abeyance
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the condition of an estate which either has been claimed but not
taken possession of, or which is liable to be claimed by someone
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Ab Initio
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[Latin] "from the beginning"; used in reference to situations regarding
the validity of a deed, marriage, estate, etc.
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Ab Intestate
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[Latin] the condition of inheriting from one who died without making
a will
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Abstract
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A summary of a particular record or document; usually contains only
the most important information from the original document; may be
used instead of original documents in genealogical research
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Abut
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to adjoing or border such as in land, estates, or farms
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Abbutal
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a boundary where one's land joins or meets another's land
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Accretion
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the right of inheritance by survival
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Accomodation
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land alloted to families in a town or settlement
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Accomodation Note
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a statement, draft, or paper drawn for the purpose of obtaining
credit with no consideration
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Admeasure
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to give each heir or claimant his or her rightful share of an estate,
dower, or property
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Admeasurement
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the adjustment or apportionment of the shares of an estate, dower,
pasture held in common, inheritance, etc.
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Admeasurement of Dower
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the readjustment of a dower when an heir becomes of age because
a parent or guardian was receiving an unfair share to support the
child
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Administration
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the management or settling of the estate of a person who died without
a will, of a person whose estate is being handled by an executor
under a will, or of a minor or mentally incompetent person
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Administration Bond
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a specified amount of money, usually twie the estimated value of
the estate, posted by the person chosen by the court to act as administrator
of an estate which insures that the administrator will fulfill his
obligations satisfactorily according to law
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Administration Cum Testamento Annexo
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see Administration with will annexed
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Administration De Bonis Non
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administration of a deceased person's property that was not completely
distributed by the first administrator
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Administration De Bonis Non Cum Testamento Annexo
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administration granted by the court when part of the estate is still
unadministered because of the death of the executor
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Administration Pendite Lite
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administration of an estate carried out while a suit is pending
concerning the validity of the will
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Administration with will annexed
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[also administration cum testamento annexo] administration granted
by the court in instances where the person who makes a will has
neglected to name an executor, or where the executor is unable or
refuses to act
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Administrator
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a person appointed by the court to administer the estate of an incompetent
person or an intestate who differs from an executor in that he is
court appointed whereas the executor is appointed by the deceased
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Administratix
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Female Administrator
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Admitted Freeman
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See Indentured Servant
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Adoption
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To take into one's family through legal means and raise as one's
own child
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Adoption by Baptism
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a spiritual affinity contracted between godfathers and godchildren
in the baptism ceremony, and entitled the godchild to a share of
the godfather's estate
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Adoption by Matrimony
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the act of taking the children of a spouse's former marriage as
one's own upon marriage
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Adoption by Testament
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to appoint a perion heir if he follows the stipulations in the will
to take the name, arms, etc. of the adopter
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Advancement
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a gift given to a child by a living parent in anticipation of an
inheritance
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Adventurer
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one who purchased shares in the Virginia Land Company at 12 pounds,
10 shillings each, and received 100 acres in Virginia
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Adverse Possession
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actual possession of real property obtained by aggressive or "notorious"
actions, and gaining title to the property by keeping it for a statutory
period of time
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Aetas
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[Latin] lifetime; age; generation
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Aetatis Suae
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[Latin] the condition of being in a specified year of one's life
- aetatis suae 25 means in the twenty-fifth year of one's age, after
a person's twenty-fourth birthday
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After-Aquired Property
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property that was acquired after the date of a will
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Allegation
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a document stating there was no impediment to the marriage (a) not
close relatives, (b) not minors, (c) did not have a wife or husband
living to whom they were already married.
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Apprentice
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1. One bound by indenture to serve another for a prescribed period
with a view to learning an art or trade.
2. One who is learning by practical experience under skilled workers
a trade, art, or calling
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Appurtenances
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the rights, duties, and perquisites of one who held manorial land
- usually, grazing rights, payment of fines, submission to the manorial
court, and a pew in church
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Ascendant
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Ancestor
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Assessor
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the person whose responsibility is to decide on the value of property
and the rate of tax to be paid, sometimes being the local sheriff
or constable
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Banns
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publication or posting of intended marriages, published for three
consecutive Sundays prior to the event
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Baptism
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The ceremony or sacrament of admitting a person into Christianity
or a specific Christian church by dipping the person in water or
pouring or sprinkling water on them
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Baptismal Certificate
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A formal document normally kept by a church of baptisms that occurred
in their congregation. It typically contains the names of the individuals
baptized, the date of baptism, where it took place, the clergyman's
name, and possibly the names of sponsors and place of residence
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Base-born
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an illegitimate child; born out of wedlock
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Bastard
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an illegitimate child; born out of wedlock
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Bequest
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Legacy; usually a gift of real estate by will
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Bond
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A contract to carry out specific duties, which if not performed
satisfactorily, a penalty may be paid
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Bonded Passenger
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passengers convicted of various crimes
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Bondmaid
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a female slave; a bound servant not due wages
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Bondman
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a male slave; one bound to service without wages
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Bond Servant
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See Indentured Servant
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Bondsman
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a person who will vouch for or be liable for a sum of money if a
person fails to appear in court
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Bound Out
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[also Putting Out] the condition of apprenticed or indentured children
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Bounty Land
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Land given to military servicemen as payment for their services
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Bounty Land Warrant
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a right to free land in the public domain; the certificate, to satisfy
the law, showing time served, unit (regiment or corps), and where
served
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Burial Record
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A formal account normally kept by a church of burials that occurred
in their congregation. Besides the names of the deceased, it may
contain the age of the person at death, their birth date, cause
of death, the clergyman's name, and possibly the place of residence
at the time of death.
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Cadastre
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A public record, survey or map for tax purposes showing ownership
and value of land
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Canon Law
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Church law
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Cause me hereinto moving
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person is dying, not moving away
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Chattels
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personal property, both animate and inanimate
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Christening
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Christian ceremony of baptizing and giving a name to an infant.
See also baptism
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Clan
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A Celtic group esp. in the Scottish Highlands comprising a number
of households whose heads claim descent from a common ancestor
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Codicil
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An addition to a will to change, explain, revoke or add provisions
which overrule the provisions in the original will
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Collateral Ancestor
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An ancestor not in the direct line of ascent, but of the same ancestral
family
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Collateral Families
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The families with whom your ancestors intermarried and moved
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Common Law Marriage
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a marriage without ceremony, civil or ecclesiastical, which may
or may not be recognized as a legal marriage
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Compos Mentis
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of sound mind
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Connubial
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Of or relating to the married state; conjugal
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Consanguinity
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blood relationship
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Convey
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transfer property or the title to property
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Conveyance
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An instrument by which title to property is conveyed
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Coroners Inquest
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A legal inquiry, or inquest by a coroner, to determine the cause
of a sudden or violent death.
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Danegeld
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a tax levied annually to maintain forces to oppose the Danes or
to buy them off
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De Bonis Non
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[Latin] "of the goods not administered"; the distribution of property
not completed by the first administrator
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Decessit
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died
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Declaration of Intention
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a declaration filed by a couple in a local court, indicating their
intention to marry; also a document filed in a court by an alien
who intended to become a United States citizen.
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Deed
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A signed and usually sealed instrument containing some legal transfer,
bargain, or contract.
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Deed of Acquittance
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a deed by which additional acreage is transferred or sold to the
original patent owner when and if it was found that, by survey,
the patented land had more acreage than was originally thought
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Deed of Agreement
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a deed concerned with the sale of personal property, deeds land
to persons who agree to take care of the grantor for the remainder
of his life
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Deed of Conveyance
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document showing the transfer of ownership of property and perhaps
the ownership of a land warrant
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Deed of Decree
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document showing property transferred usually as a result of a petition
or court action
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Deed of Gift
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deed showing a transfer of property made without a monetary payment
as consideration
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Deed of Separation
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an instrument through the medium of a third party acting as trustee,
in which provision is made by a husband for separation from his
wife, and for her separate maintenance
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Deed of Trust
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a mortage arrangement which allows a third party to hold the deed
until the buyer has paid his debt
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Deed Poll
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a deed made by one person, and ony one person is obligated to fulfill
the terms of the deed
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Descendant
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A person who is an offspring, however remote, of a certain ancestor
or family
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Domesday Book
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[also Doomesday Book] ancient record of the Grand or Great Inquest
or Survey of lands in England by the order of William the Conqueror,
giving a census-like description of the realm, with the names of
the proprietors and the nature, extent, value, liabilities, etc.
of their properties
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Double Date
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A double date appears on some documents as a result of two changes
introduced by the adoption of the Gregorian calendar, introduced
by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582 to resolve the error caused by the
Julian calendar in use up to that time. Scientists resolved that
a year was slightly longer than the 365 ¼ specified by the Julian
calendar, which resulted in the loss of 10 days. The new calendar
also changed the first day of the year from March 25th on the Julian
calendar to January 1st. Different countries adopted the new calendar
at different times and the practice of providing a double date was
common. The British Commonwealth and the United States adopted the
new calendar in 1752. By this time, the calendar was behind by 11
days. So, the day following September 2, 1752 was decreed to be
September 14, 1752..
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Dowager
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a widow with a title or rank - the queen dowager; a jointure, or
property from her husband
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Dower
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The portion of an estate that a widow is entitled to upon the death
of her husband.
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Dower Right
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the right of a wife to one-third of the land which her husband had
at the time of their marriage or aquired during the marriage, after
his death
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Dowery
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[also Dowry] any land, money, goods, or personal property brought
by a bride to her husband in marriage
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Easement
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a right to use another's land because of necessity or convenience
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Easement Appurtenant
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an easement proper or one which passes with the dominant estate
to all subsequent grantees and is inheritable
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Easement in Gross
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a personal privilege to use another's land, which is not assignable
and cannot be inherited
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Easement of Necessity
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an easement necessary for the continued use of land when a large
tract has been subdivided
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Emigration
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The process of leaving one's home country to live in another country
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Enumeration
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Process by which persons are counted for purposes of a census
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Enumerator
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census taker
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Executor
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The individual who carries out the instructions and provisions of
a will
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Exheres
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Latin] disinherited
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Faculty
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a person who did not own land and as a professional, and thus was
taxed on income - faculty included lawyers, physicians, dentists,
carpenters, merchants, bankers, etc.
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Failure of Issue
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in a will or deed, indicates that in the event of there being no
children born to or surviving the deceased person, the property
will go to a third party; in common law, the condition continues
with the chidlren of the first taker
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Fee Simple
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an inheritance having no conditions or limitations in its use; a
direct and complete inheritance
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Feet of Fines
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documents, first kept during the reign of Richard I, that had the
same function as deeds in transferring land; the bottom part of
an indenture or deed kept by the recording office
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Feodary
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one who holds land of an overlord on condition of homage
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Forbid the Banss
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public or formal objection to a marriage
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Fortnight
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two weeks
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Freeholder
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a person who owns property rather than rents it; one in possession
of a freehold
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Freeman
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in general, a white male over 21 years of age holding full rights
of citizenship who is free to ply a trade, own land, and to vote
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Gazetteer
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An alphabetically organized book describing the names and places
of a particular region.
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Gentleman
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a member of the gentry, a descendant from an aristocratic family
whose income came from the rental of his land
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Gentlewoman
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a woman of good family or breeding; a woman who has the occupation
of waiting on or caring for a person of high rank
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Goodman
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a man ranking below a gentleman but above a freeman
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Goods and Chattels
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personal property - goods meant inanimate objects; chattels were
livestock
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Goodwife
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the wife or mistress of a household
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Goody
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a woman or housewife, especially an old woman
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Grantee
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A person who buys or receives land
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Grantor
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A person who sells or gives the land
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Grass Widow
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an unmarried woman with a child; a divorced or separated woman;
a discarded mistress
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Guardian
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a person appointed by the court to take care of someone unable to
care for himself, such as a minor, an incompetent, an invalid, an
idiot, etc.
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Guild
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a medieval association of merchants and craftsmen which regulated
price, quality, and decided who could make and sell the merchandise
under its supervision
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Habendum Et Tenendum
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[Latin] "to have and to hold to the grantee (buyer or donee) his
heirs and assigns"; a clause in a deed that specifies the type of
property or estate that the buyer will receive
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Holographic Will
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a will written entirely by hand and bearing the date and having
the signature of the testator
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Homestead
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the house and adjoining land where the head of the family lives,
which passes to the widow when her husband dies and is exempt from
the claims of his creditors; this is similiar to a widow's dower,
the difference being that the homestead includes the dwelling
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Homestead Act
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any of several legislative acts authorizing the sale of public land
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Impressment
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the act of seizing people and forcing them into labor
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Indenture
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A contract binding one person to work for another for a given period
of time
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Indentured Servant
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a servant who sold himself to a master for a period of time (usually
4 to 7 years) in order to pay for passage to another country; the
contract was transferrable, saleable, and was passed on to heirs
if the master died
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Intestate
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1. Having made no valid will. 2. Not disposed of by will. 3. When
an owner of real property has died intestate, title to the property
is said to pass by descent to the heirs. See also testate
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Illegitimate
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Born of parents not married to each other
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Letters Testamentary
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a document from the court allowing the executor named in the will
to carry out his duties; he has no authority until this document
is issued
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Liber
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a book of public records
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Liberi
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children; grandchildren
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Liberum Animum Testandi
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free will in bequeathing
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Life Estate
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an interest in property that lasts as long as a person lives
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Liferent
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property which the owner can hold for a lifetime but cannot be passed
on
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Lineage
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Direct descent from an ancestor
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Manumission
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Formal act to free slaves
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Marriage Banns
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A religious tradition by which engaged couples had to announce their
intention to marry. This announcement allowed anyone in the congregation
to voice their protest. The marriage banns normally took place a
few weeks before the actual marriage date. In many churches, they
banns were read aloud on three successive Sundays.
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Marriage Record
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A formal document normally kept by a church of marriages conducted
within their congregation. Besides the names of the individuals
being married, it may also contain their ages, occupation and residence,
the clergyman's name, and possibly the names of sponsors.
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Metes and Bounds
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(also Courses and Distances) a method of surveying property which
made use of the natural physical and topographical features in conjunction
with measurements and artificially designated objects or places
- metes refers to the measuring of direction and distance while
bounds refers to natural or man-made features on the land
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Mulatto
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the offspring of one white and one black parent - sometimes used,
especially on census schedules, for Indians
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Muniment
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documents showing that a person has legal rights to land, possessions,
or other privileges
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Muniment of Title
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all written evidence of title which can show proof of ownership
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Née
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Born, usually refers to a woman's maiden name
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Non Compos Mentis
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incompetent, or not mentally capable of handling one's affairs
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Nuncupative Will
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oral will which, to be valid, must be given by a person in their
last hours, witnessed by two or more witnesses, and written within
a period of six to twelve days
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Now Wife
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exclusively found in wills, this term implied that there was a former
wife
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Per Stirpes
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distribution of an inheritance by giving equal shares to family
groups rather than an equal percentage to each descendant
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Pole
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a measure of length that is exactly 16.5 feet. 'Rod' and 'perch'
are also used to indicate a length of 16.5 feet. The 16.5 feet measure
was standardized in 1607 by the English mathematician Edmund Gunter.
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Posthumous
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1. Born after the death of the father
2. Published after the death of the author
3. Following or occurring after death
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Primary Record
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A record created at the time of the event (birth, marriage, death,
etc.) as opposed to records written years later
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Primogentor
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Earliest ancestor or forefather
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Primogeniture
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an old common-law system of inheritance whereby the oldest son inherited
the father's property
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Probate
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1. The action or process of proving in a court of law that a document
offered for official recognition and registration as the last will
and testament of a deceased person is genuine.
2. The officially authenticated copy of a probated will
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Progeny
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Descendants, children
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Progenitor
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An ancestor in the direct line, forefather
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Quadroon
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a child of a mulatto and a white; a child with one black grandparent
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Quit-Claim Deed
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a deed releasing claim to an estate or property by an individual
to another person
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Quit Rent Fee
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in early Virginia, an annual fee (1 shilling for 50 acres of land)
paid to the king in exchange for the right to live on and farm the
property
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Redemptioner
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An immigrant to the United States in the 18th and 19th centuries
who obtained passage by becoming an indentured servant
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Relict
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Widow
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Secondary Record
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A record created some time after the event
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Sepulchre (Sepulcher)
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A place of burial, tomb
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Sine Prole
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without offspring, sometimes seen as D.S.P. - died sine prole
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Sponsor
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A person who presents a candidate for baptism or confirmation and
undertakes responsibility for the person's religious education or
spiritual welfare
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Testament
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The act by which a person determines the disposition of his or her
property after death
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Testate
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Adjective, having left a valid will. When he has died testate, or
leaving a will that has been probated, the property passes by devise
to the person or persons so designated in the will.
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Testator
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A person who dies leaving a will or testament in force
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Tithe
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A tenth part of something paid as a voluntary contribution or as
a tax especially for the support of a religious establishment
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Trustee
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A natural or legal person to whom property is legally committed
to be administered for the benefit of a beneficiary.
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Will
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A legal statement of a person's wishes concerning the disposal of
his or her property after death
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Witness
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An individual present at an event such as a marriage or the signing
of a document who can vouch that the event took place
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