third parts

Set to third parts?

CWatters...

The way I read it ...

Hannah gets the "youngest heffer but one" AND a 1/3rd share in the youngest.

Leaving Joseph with 2/3rds share in the youngest heffer until it's had a
calf of it's own. Presumably Joseph then keeps the calf and the rest reverts
to Hannah.

I confess that I haven't looked at the OED - can anyone explain what this
means in this context?

Lesley Robertson...

Sell her to a third party? (ie someone else)

Chris Dickinson...

Ye Old One...

I give unto my daughter Hannah one heffer of five and a half years old
(or there abouts) being the second youngest heffer. I wish my son
Joseph to keep the heffer until she has a calf and to set aside one
third of her milk for Hannah's use.

The calf gets one third of the milk, the brother and sister share the
other two thirds.

Chris Dickinson...

Ah, thanks. That's just what I wanted.

I hadn't noticed the usage before, but it was obviously common parlance.
Would the term still be understood by farmers?

Ye Old One...

I doubt it very much. I only understand it because I've read many old
wills and some have given a little more details than yours.

In a lot of these cases you have to try and get into the mind of the
writer, its something that just comes with practice. Thanks for giving
me the puzzle :)

Hope this helps.

Umm, that's a thought (I've just checked - the actual writing is definitely
'tt' rather than 'll').

I feel though that the 'Hannah use' implies retention of ownership in some
way?

Lesley Robertson