Dear Elizabeth, Love questions like this! Looked up this MJ Monfore on Ancestry, on the off-chance he *was* a doctor (and they simply would have put the dr. at the end rather than before a given name) - but he was definitely a farmer. Quick search on wiktionary indicates this abbreviation is used to indicate a debtor? That seems to align with the following sentence after each instance ("Debtor to Amelia Monfore...") Hopefully this helped! --- Cameron Crawford he/him/his Library Assistant III - Page Supervisor Baldwin Public Library 248-554-4692 cameron.crawford@baldwinlib.org On Fri, Apr 19, 2024 at 1:58 PM Elizabeth Campion via Michlib-l < michlib-l@mcls.org> wrote:

Hi! This is perhaps slightly off-topic but seems a great place to likely find an answer. A woman in California recently sent a very old composition book to our library because there is writing in the book referencing the village that was once where our library now stands. I have been transcribing and digitizing the book for historical records. There is an abbreviation used frequently throughout the book that I can not interpret.

It is 'Dr.' but it is not used in a common usage like Doctor or Drive. I'm including a picture of a page in the book where the abbreviation appears frequently. The transcription is as follows:

M. J. Monfore Dr. Mary D. Monfore for pasture of horses + cow. Sometimes more cows + horses. M. J. Monfore Dr. To A. J. M. Gillespie + Mary Amelia Monfore for pasture of horse + cow M.J. Monfore Dr. to Amelia Monfore + A. J.M. Gillespie for pasture of horses + cow.

Maria wants but never worked like us. She has been stronger than we but did not want to work. Amelia has a lame arm from infancy. Judson lost money in machinery and she knew it before marriage.

She is very deceitful.

If anyone has any thoughts about the meaning of Dr. in this context, I would love to hear them.

Thanks,

Elizabeth Campion, Librarian Shelby Township Library 52610 Van Dyke Shelby Township, MI 48316 586-739-7414

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I would think for “debits” Such that people were spending money on pastures of cows & horses. Best, [cid:image001.png@01DA9263.36A74380] From: Michlib-l [mailto:michlib-l-bounces@mcls.org] On Behalf Of Elizabeth Campion via Michlib-l Sent: Friday, April 19, 2024 1:53 PM To: Michlib-l@mcls.org Subject: [Michlib-l] Historical Question [cid:image003.jpg@01DA9263.31AD27A0]Hi! This is perhaps slightly off-topic but seems a great place to likely find an answer. A woman in California recently sent a very old composition book to our library because there is writing in the book referencing the village that was once where our library now stands. I have been transcribing and digitizing the book for historical records. There is an abbreviation used frequently throughout the book that I can not interpret. It is 'Dr.' but it is not used in a common usage like Doctor or Drive. I'm including a picture of a page in the book where the abbreviation appears frequently. The transcription is as follows: M. J. Monfore Dr. Mary D. Monfore for pasture of horses + cow. Sometimes more cows + horses. M. J. Monfore Dr. To A. J. M. Gillespie + Mary Amelia Monfore for pasture of horse + cow M.J. Monfore Dr. to Amelia Monfore + A. J.M. Gillespie for pasture of horses + cow. Maria wants but never worked like us. She has been stronger than we but did not want to work. Amelia has a lame arm from infancy. Judson lost money in machinery and she knew it before marriage. She is very deceitful. If anyone has any thoughts about the meaning of Dr. in this context, I would love to hear them. Thanks, Elizabeth Campion, Librarian Shelby Township Library 52610 Van Dyke Shelby Township, MI 48316 586-739-7414 CAUTION: This email originated from outside the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This communication and any attachments may contain confidential and privileged information for the use of the designated recipient named above. If you are not the designated recipient, an employee, or agent responsible for delivering this message to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this communication in error and that any review, disclosure, dissemination, distribution, or copying of it or its contents is strictly prohibited. If you receive this communication in error, please destroy all copies of this communication and any attachments and notify the sender immediately via phone, fax, or electronic mail. Thank you.

Wow! Thank you so much. I got a lot of responses in a very short amount of time. The consensus is that it is an abbreviation for debtor, which also makes sense in context in the rest of the document. The writer feels cheated by Maria and much of the composition book is citing all the ways in which Maria transgressed. Much of it is financial so the debtor word seems most accurate. Thanks so much for everyone who helped me solve this little mystery. Elizabeth Elizabeth Campion, Librarian Shelby Township Library 52610 Van Dyke Shelby Township, MI 48316 586-739-7414 On Fri, Apr 19, 2024 at 1:52 PM Elizabeth Campion <campiee4@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi! This is perhaps slightly off-topic but seems a great place to likely find an answer. A woman in California recently sent a very old composition book to our library because there is writing in the book referencing the village that was once where our library now stands. I have been transcribing and digitizing the book for historical records. There is an abbreviation used frequently throughout the book that I can not interpret.

It is 'Dr.' but it is not used in a common usage like Doctor or Drive. I'm including a picture of a page in the book where the abbreviation appears frequently. The transcription is as follows:

M. J. Monfore Dr. Mary D. Monfore for pasture of horses + cow. Sometimes more cows + horses. M. J. Monfore Dr. To A. J. M. Gillespie + Mary Amelia Monfore for pasture of horse + cow M.J. Monfore Dr. to Amelia Monfore + A. J.M. Gillespie for pasture of horses + cow.

Maria wants but never worked like us. She has been stronger than we but did not want to work. Amelia has a lame arm from infancy. Judson lost money in machinery and she knew it before marriage.

She is very deceitful.

If anyone has any thoughts about the meaning of Dr. in this context, I would love to hear them.

Thanks,

Elizabeth Campion, Librarian Shelby Township Library 52610 Van Dyke Shelby Township, MI 48316 586-739-7414

-- A library is a miracle. A place where you can learn just about anything for free. A place where your mind can come alive." Josh Hanagarne, *The World's Strongest Librarian*