Many OLD rural surveys around here give descriptions for the corner markers, such as Axle Shaft found (very common) or well pipe, drive shaft, etc, found. Newer ones you will see "IPS" which is "Iron Pin Set" (or found). Some old legal descriptions will state "from the pile of rocks, northerly 1000 ft more or less, to the blackgum tree" or something equally useless.
Originally much of the land surveyed in Georgia (but not the eastern part of the state) was surveyed into land lots of 202½ acres (which is 45 x 45 survey chains per side, a chain being 66ft) Southern part of the state the landlots were 250 acres (50 x 50 chains) and in the "Gold districts" of the NE part of the state, the landlots were 40 acres.
Corner markings for the landlots were hacked by ax into the nearest tree to the corner, using a system of notches to indicate the land lot number, district number, and which corner of the land lot it was. Surveys were done by a surveyor (who was required to post a $10,000 bond, this was the early 1800's) using a compass and chain men (who had to swear an oath to be true and accurate), the ax man, and a wagon driver. They carried hard tack, and other preserved food with them, and hoped to kill small game while in the field for meat, only to discover the Indian's had hunted the land barren of everything, even the rabbits and squirrels were gone, prior to ceding the land to the government.
Trivia, an acre is 43,560 sq ft. This is derived from a standard acre being one chain (66 ft) by ten chains (660 ft), being a rectangle in shape. One test question on my Tax Assessor/Appraiser's "Appraiser I" exam was the sq ft of an acre, I missed it because I had no way to remember a odd number. I later found out about the 1 x 10 chains or 66 x 660 ft dimension, and this is now how I remember it.
Trivia II. An acre square is 208 ft and some odd inches per side. This why the World Trade Center twin towers were each 209 ft square, each being one acre in area, more or less.
Charles
