"Letters Patent" : A 12 Step Process

Governmental red tape has been present since the onset of...well, governments. Being sure to jump through all the correct hoops, and in the correct order, is part of the process. In May 1498, it was no different. John Cabot was about to leave England on his voyage to discover land not claimed by another nation. He of course needed a "letters patent" from the King. The process to receive a "letters patent" is not generally discussed in the history books. I thought it might of interest to those genealogist who would appreciate the process.

The following pages are an outline of the 12 step process of obtaining a "letters patent" as it stood in early colonial history. Please remember that you can click on the pages to enlarge them. They are copied from The Jones Genealogist, Vol.X, No. 2, July/August, 1998, pp.4-5. Going through these steps would certainly keep one occupied for a certain period of time. It would also provide many opportunities to line someones pock, or to provide that extra favor.

Understanding this process certainly helps the genealogist to appreciate what our ancestors accomplished.

For The Serious Genealogist

You know your a GENEALOGIST when:

You can't drive past a cemetery without wondering if your ancestors are buried there.

Your neighbors think you are crazy, your friends wonder, and you know you are.

You have to watch the credits of a movie to see if any of the surnames are ones you are researching.

The mailman can't believe that you got this much mail from someone you don't even know.

Your fear of snakes and bugs is overshadowed by the need to get through those brambles to that old gravestone.

You worry about the roof's leaking only if the drips threaten your genealogy section.

When you read the New Testament in Sunday School and find yourself comparing the pedigrees in Matthew and Luke.

When you find your ancestor's executions by hanging or burning at the stake, far more interesting than the mass-murder that just took place next door.

You move to a new town and the first thing you look for is a historical or genealogical society in the area.

submitted by: Mary Jones, MD

Copied from: The Jones Genealogist, Vol.XII, No. 4, Nov/Dec, 2000.

Clarify Dates

Detailed chronology is the foundation to brick wall demolition. Having just started a new blog on Cadwallader Jones, I was reminded how important this is in the documentation of facts. The very first item is such an example. {see: http://cadwalladerjones.blogspot.com } It documents a "Dower" release of Alice Corbin. It is dated "6th day of January 1672". In the text, it records that land transaction occurred "September 21st 1672..."! This would mean that the document was signed before the land transaction even occurred if one did not recognize the old system of dating. In addition, the item was recorded in the court records "4 die 9bris 1674", some one year after the action was taken. If one only looked at the date the item was recorded, it would be some two years after the event. What in the world is one to do?

All this is said to remind the genealogist, that a correct date is important in establishing the identity of many in the family tree. Reading and recording the dates appropriately is vital to breaking down many of those brick walls.

A New Blog: Cadwallader Jones

For those who would like to read about "Primary Documents" and "Secondary Documents" relating to tree climbing, I have started a new blog titled: Cadwallader Jones. [ca. 1650-1703] I hope to tell his life story using these types of documents. The link is:

http://cadwalladerjones.blogspot.com/

come see what the documents tell.