I’ve been hard at work trying finish up the saga of Buchanan’s Tavern, and it still isn’t done. Still some last minute questions to resolve. But I want to share this little surprise I found in the Guardianship papers for the children of Archibald Buchanan dec’d (File No. 73). I guess the Surrogate’s Clerk had some empty moments to fill.
Was the clerk’s name ‘S. Camaken Houd’ ? ¬†Love the tree, the book and the number square.
Ian Schoenherr
May 3, 2013 @ 6:27 am
It’s possible that “S. Camaken Houd” is actually “Slamaken Horse” – which, in turn, might relate to a celebrated mare called Slammerkin, who had a New Jersey connection. Take a look at this:
http://books.google.com/books?id=EakIAQAAIAAJ&lpg=PA113&ots=2YH_ck76jQ&dq=%22miss%20slammerkin%22&pg=PA113#v=onepage&q=%22miss%20slammerkin%22&f=false
Marfy Goodspeed
May 3, 2013 @ 8:36 am
Ian, I have no idea how you figured that out, but it sure looks like you are right. Many thanks.
Deb Radford
May 4, 2013 @ 8:38 am
Ahhh, yes! The last word does certainly look more like “horse” than “houd”. I tried Sla maken Houd and Google translated it as dutch for “Lettuce make Love.” So much for my dutch immigrant clerk theory!
Deb Radford
May 4, 2013 @ 8:14 am
There’s another name on the doodle — James W. Duyckinck —
This may be his headstone at Christ Church, New Brunswick…
Headstone of James Duyckinck (Headstone)
Location: Christ Church, New Brunswick, NJ
James Duyckinck (1803-1837)