whyenn

whyenn OP t1_j7cotx1 wrote

Reply to comment by jaredfoglesmydad in Lead Plates and Land Claims in North America and Europe: When did the practice begin of burying lead plates to establish ownership of land, and why did it die out, and was it ever used successfully in a court of law to establish ownership? by whyenn

Thanks, it's mentioned here in wikipedia:

>At each point, a tin or copper plate bearing the French royal arms was nailed to a tree. Below, an inscribed leaden plate was buried, declaring the claims of France. This was a traditional European mode of marking territory

...explaining why the title of the post asks about Europe as well as North America. But it doesn't have a source attached for the "traditional European mode" claim.

But yeah, that's great evidence establishing that it least happened. It's even referred to as "The 'Lead Plate" Expedition."

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whyenn OP t1_j7cnqzj wrote

Reply to comment by jesse4788 in Lead Plates and Land Claims in North America and Europe: When did the practice begin of burying lead plates to establish ownership of land, and why did it die out, and was it ever used successfully in a court of law to establish ownership? by whyenn

I read the wiki on the U.S. Public Land Survey system in response to u/duncan345's comment, and apparently moving (or removing) property markers is still techincally a Federal offense in the U.S. (of which Picton, Ontario is admittedly not a part.) But if that isn't still being used as such, that might be of interest to someone somewhere.

Do you remember the dimensions of it?

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whyenn OP t1_j7cmhoy wrote

Reply to comment by johnpseudonym in Lead Plates and Land Claims in North America and Europe: When did the practice begin of burying lead plates to establish ownership of land, and why did it die out, and was it ever used successfully in a court of law to establish ownership? by whyenn

So a hundred years ago a form of this was still being used? That's fascinating. There's got to be some sort of documentation of this on the internet somewhere.

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whyenn OP t1_j7cm8qc wrote

Reply to comment by duncan345 in Lead Plates and Land Claims in North America and Europe: When did the practice begin of burying lead plates to establish ownership of land, and why did it die out, and was it ever used successfully in a court of law to establish ownership? by whyenn

That's fantastic. Thanks for the new term. Interesting to know a form of this is still used.

I just googled "survey pins" which led me to "property pins" which led me to "survey markers" but none of them mention a historical use of lead plates.

I've gone to Wiki for the Public Land Survey System which says that they used wooden posts, trees, and rock piles for establishing "legally binding markers" but the burying of lead plates isn't mentioned.

Appreciated, this is definitely pertinent even if not the exact thing.

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