So I obtained an interesting thing. It’s a deed confirming John Baxter as the heir of James Baxter. It was pretty difficult to decipher and any remaining “[?]”s were left after the old eyes started hurting from staring at the words too long. It’s handwritten in ink on vellum, which is so transparent I had to scan it with white card behind it. The first image is of it folded into approximate thirds with the second being the reverse side once opened. Fortunately not so old as to crack and fall apart when opened, it was still difficult to scan. I’ve done my best with the transcription anyway to make for an easier read. If anyone has any ideas about those I gave up on please leave a comment.
“Gen. Service
John Baxter
1853
5/6″
“At Edinburgh the twenty fourth day of January in the year Eighteen hundred and fifty
three sitting in judgment Patrick Shaw Esquire Advocate Sheriff of Chancery in the Petition
of John Baxter Farmer in Fauld in the County of Cumberland and William and Thomas Paiz[?]:
Stens[?] McGowan writers in Dumfries his Mandatories found[?] and hereby finds that the
late James Baxter Farmer at Farr on Fauld in the County of Cumberland in England died on
or about the second day of November Eighteen Hundred and thirty seven. And that the said
John Baxter is the eldest son and nearest and lawful heir in general of the said James Bax:
ter recorded and extracted in terms of the Statute by me Director of Chancery this thirty
first day of January in the year One thousand eight hundred and fifty three ∼
Archd. McNeill C. D.”
