Interpreting Land Records

ACCURATE RETRACEMENT BEGINS WITH SOLID RESEARCH AND KNOWLEDGEABLE INTERPRETATION Haphazard retracement leaves a boundary open to dispute and complicates future retracement efforts; accuracy depends in part on quality research and the correct interpretation of available documents. Interpreting Land Records is the industry's most complete guide to locating, understanding, and applying historical land records, with topical case studies, plain-language explanations, and hundreds of case law citations that help readers build a defense for their findings to present in court. This updated second edition includes guidance on overcoming research problems, including insight into alternative resources when official records are unavailable. Coverage includes boundary retracement and the primary considerations during new boundary establishment, and clear direction on effective research that helps the reader to: Understand the creation and documentation of historical land records Overcome common research issues, including lost or corrupted records Become familiar with the various regional historical survey methods Weigh the relative importance of multiple conflicting elements Establish firm boundaries free of abstraction, with clear documentation Exhaustive coverage and practical, expert guidance make this book a valuable resource for surveyors, judges, students, attorneys, or anyone dealing with land questions.

DONALD A. WILSON, President of Land and Boundary Consultants, Inc., is both a licensed land surveyor and professional forester. With over fifty years in the profession, he is active in many surveying, mapping, and forestry organizations, and has served as the president of both the Maine Society of Land Surveyors and the New Hampshire Land Surveyors Association. Donald has authored over two hundred technical publications and more than fifty books.