Glossary for Probate Minutes

Ad litem - as in “guardian ad litem,” For the [law] suit; for the purposes of the suit; pending the suit.

Axel trees - like the axel of a car, connected wheels.

Auger - tool used to bore holes in wood.

Bee gums or bee stands - a beehive made from sections of a hollow tree. Originally gum trees were used.

Brittania - sterling silver flatware

Clevis - U-shaped piece of metal with a pin or bolt passing through the holes in the two ends so as to attach a plow or whatever to a draft animal.

Degarian or Dagurean apparatus - Daguerrian, an early type of camera.

Delph ware - blue and white pottery.

Doubletree - an evener for use with a two horse team; a crossbar on a wagon, carriage or plow to each end of which the singletrees are attached when two horses are harnessed abreast.

Executor – a person appointed by a testator (person making his/her will) to carry out the directions and requests in his/her will, and to dispose of the property according to the testamentary provisions after his/her decease (death).

Heir at law - He/She who, after his/her ancestor dies intestate, has a right to all lands, tenements and hereditaments which belonged to the ancestor.

Intestate - one who dies without a will

Jack Screw - Jack screws are used in fixtures to support irregularly shaped work pieces, such as castings and to eliminate bowing or warping of thinner materials during machining.

Non Compos Mentis - not sound of mind; insane.

Queensware - pottery

Scythe - tool or implement for cutting grass, grain or other crops; composed of a long curving blade attached at an angle to a long wooden blade.

Scythe and cradle - sycthe with comb-like or finger-like device attached to catch the grain so as to be able to lay it out together in lines.

Singletree - device to connect one animal (horse, ox) to wagon, plow or other device.

Steelyards - a balance scale whereby the item to be weighted is suspended from the shorter arm of a lever, which turns on a fulcrum and a counterweight slides along the longer arm to produce equilibrium. Its place on this notched or graduated arm indicates the weight of the item.

Testator - one who makes or has made a testament or will; one who dies leaving a will.

Trammel - iron hooks for handing cooking vessels over a fire.

Wheat fan - basket-like device used to separate chaff from the wheat