>Date: Wed, 2 Dec 1998 16:24:13 -0500
>Message-ID: <[log in to unmask]>
>From: [log in to unmask] (Susannah Dean)
>Subject: Re: "To" and "By"
 
>     Aaron,
>
>     I've been working with historic account books dating to the late
>     eighteenth to early nineteenth century.  "To" and "by" were used
>     throughout all of these books to record the reciprocal exchanges going
>     on in town.  A typical personal account book allowed a two page spread
>     for each individual with whom the book keeper was exchanging.  The
>     first page recorded the debts, the facing page recorded the credits.
>     Debts were recorded using "to", credits using "by".  In other words, a
>     person would become indebted "to" a certain amount (item, cash, etc),
>     and would later repay "by" a certain amount.  The items exchanged were
>     almost always given a specific worth, usually in pounds.  I don't know
>     if this applies to probates but from your example, it sounds like
>     folks were transcribing economic transactions.
>
>     I hope it helps!
>
>     Susannah