A metes and bounds description identifies the boundaries of a parcel of real estate using reference points, distances, and angles. A metes-and-bounds description is required in a rectangular survey system description when A)describing a regular tract. The following chart illustrates some of the equivalents for the various measurement terms used in a Metes and Bounds deed. George A. Ogle & Co.: Chicago, 1903. In the case of this deed, the tract we are graphing is in Section 28, shown highlighted below: After locating the section the land deed describes, it’s time to graph out the actual portions of that section which were sold in the deed. B)a tract is too small to be described by quarter-sections. I still remember the first time that I saw a metes and bounds land description in a deed - it looked like a lot of confusing gibberish. Metes and bounds: This type of legal description dates back hundreds of years.. Under the metes and bounds system, the description will begin at a corner and follow the boundaries of the land, locating the parcel in terms of neighboring properties that touch it, trees, rocks and streams, and circling back to end at the beginning point. 24 Geographic townships were named (e.g. Usually, a metes and bounds description will describe the perimeter of the parcel moving in a clockwise direction. Knowing these terms can help you understand whether or not your deed was described in Rectangular Survey, as well as help you get a sense of how much property was bought before you even draw out the description. Mark a dot for your starting point on your graph paper. Pp. Not only do they help build family trees, but land platting will help you understand the world in which your ancestors lived by visually seeing the lay-out of the land and by identifying the neighbors. The legal description pinpoints the location of a given property within its particular township, range, and section. The deed[1] used in the example can be found on FamilySearch at this link: https://bit.ly/2IeLUHk. Track changes in land division, which may be indicative of relationships or changing economic status: This is similar to the first point. There are some difficulties with this system: Irregular shapes for properties make for much more complex descriptions. This could be evidence of relationships. Part II of this Land Records series will focus on land graphing, so keep an eye out for that post. It is important to know these equivalents for times when your deed includes phrases such as “56 chains and 25 links” or “north 80 degrees and 20 minutes west.” Understanding the ratios between the units is important for consistency. Metes and Bounds Metes and bounds is a system or method of describing land, real property (in contrast to personal property) or real estate. System implemented in Quebec, Louisiana, Texas or areas of French influence, that divide the land into narrow parcels stretching back from rivers, roads, or canals ... (township), which is then divided into one-mile square blocks (range). For our example, I would move to the left, following the curve, and mark a dot at 38°. This is a public surveying system that is centuries old. Platting the neighbors land as well allows you to piece together the neighborhood and create a FAN (Friends, Associates, and Neighbors) network for your ancestor. It is important to remember, however, that the term township was also used to indicate a small geographic area within a county. The system of metes and bounds is one used in real estate to describe land or real property based on the physical features of its geography, as well as directions and distances. 36 SECTIONS *Each section is 1 square mile. A bounds description may read something like this: All the lands of Jonathan Cole, bounded on the north by the lands of Sam Smith, on the …