Genealogy.edu

gaiter - a cloth or leather covering for the ankle or the ankle and lower leg

galloping - when in conjunction with a disease, indicating an illness or rapid procession

gallows - a frame work for supporting the ropes by which a condemned man is hung; also, a man's suspenders for holding up the trousers, sometimes referred to as galluses

gallow-tree - a tree from which a man may be hung

gangrene - a corruption or necrosis of a part of the body, an eating sore

G.A.R. - abbreviation for Grand Army of the Republic, a veterans organization of Union soldiers

garnishment - to serve a notice or the process of such by which money or wages can be attached to satisfy a debt

garret - an attic or small room just under the roof of a house

garrison - or garrison-house; a house of fort fortified in defense, and with a military force in attendance

gastro enteritis - an inflammation of the stomach and/or intestines, usually gaseous

gazette - a newspaper, newsheet or periodical of current events

gazetteer - a geographical dictionary or index in which usually the towns and places are described briefly

geb. - (German) abbreviation for geboren

geboren - (German) born

genealogical library - a library or collection of materials specialized in genealogical records

genealogical librarian - the librarian in charge of custody of a genealogical library, usually with some knowledge of the collection and method or research

genealogical journal (or magazine) - any of a large number of periodicals published either professionally or by a genealogical society or historical society, containing source records usually of the area from which it is published, book reviews and news, and suggestions as to research

genealogical periodical - see genealogical journal

Genealogical Periodical Annual Index - a series of books which index the materials contained in various genealogical journals, on an annual basis

genealogical researcher - one who is versed with the locality of genealogical records, and supposedly can throughly search them, usually for a fee

genealogical society - an association of persons interrested in the genealogy of an area, a surname, or genealogy in general, banded together to facilitate research and to aid one another

genealogy - that branch of history which involves the determination of family relationship, by research, not by copying

generation - children of the same parent regarded as a step in a line of descent from an ancestor; 20-30 years

gent. - abbreviation for gentleman

gentile - one of non-Jewish ancestry

gentle birth - one born to parents of some social and cultural standing

Gentleman - a man in superior position in society, usually one of some money and leisure

Gentleman of Fortune - a pirate, a freeholder, one whose livihood was maintained by plunder

geographical index - an index of geographical locations, i.e., states, counties, cities, by which all persons having any connection with that area can be identified, usually in a book

German-American - one born of German parentage in America

German Baptists - see Brethren

gerrymander - a method of re-arranging electoral districts to favor one political party, allowing more representatives to be elected of that party

gest. - (German) abbreviation for gestorben

gestorben - (German) death; died

getauft - (German) baptized

gift deed - a deed by which real property is transferred without the normal consideration, i.e., "for love and affection"

gill - a liquid measure, usually one forth of a pint

gin - an alcoholic spirit made from malt or grain

gingham - a kind of cotton cloth woven of dyed yarn, usually in checks or stripes

given name - the name bestowed upon an individual person; a person's "first" name as "Robert" or "Sarah"

gleaning - to gather what crops have been left in a field after harvesting

glebe - a plot of land given to a clergyman as part of the payment for his services

godchild - (godson, god-daughter); a child sponsored by another, other than parents, at time of baptism, professing for the child his Christian faith and usually guaranteeing a Christian or religious education for the child

god-fearing man - a person who is deeply religious; one who dares not do wrong due to his fear of God's wrath

god-parent - one, other than natural parents, who sponsors a child at time of baptism, professing for him the Christian faith and guaranteeing a religious education

golf-widow - an expression indicating that the husband is away from his home much of the time for various reasons i.e., golf

gonorrhea - an inflammatory discharge of mucous from the membrane of the vag ina or urethra

goodman - the head of a household

goodwife - the mistress of the household; wife of a goodman

goose grease - the melted fat of the goose, used in earlier times as a salve or lubricant of many purposes

G.O.P. - abbreviation for Grand Old Party, the Republican political party

gossips wheel - a spinning wheel so called because it could be operated by two persons who presumably engaged in gossip while doing

gout - a disease, usually of males, characterized by painful inflammation of the smaller joints, particularly the toes

Gov. - abbreviation for Governor

granary - a building, structure or receptacle for storing of grain

Grand Army of the Republic - usually found as "G.A.R.", a veterans organization of Union soldiers

grandfather clause - an exemption of requirements for a license or permit due to one's participation prior to the imposing of the requirements

grange - a farm, particularly in western states emphasizing cattle farming; an organization promoting husbandry and agriculture

grand jury - a group of usually twelve persons selected at random to serve for a specified term, to hear evidence of suspected crime and whose function is to  determine if there is sufficient evidence to prosecute

Grand Old Party - or G.O.P.; a common name for the Republican Party, a political party

grant - land given under congressional Acts in payment of certain services, primarily military duty, any land conveyed by deed

grantee - the person to whom land is conveyed by deed, the buyer

grantee index - an index of deed records listing names of the grantees in alphabetical order; many court houses have both grantee indexes and grantor indexes, thus an alphabetical listing of both buyer and seller

grantor - the person conveying land to others by deed; the seller

grantor index - an index of deed records listing names of the grantors in alphabetical order. See grantee index

grass widow - an unmarried woman who has lived with one or more men; sometimes referring to a married woman whose husband is absent

gratuity - money or a gift in return for services or favors

grave deed - the certificate of ownership of a burial plot, i.e., the deed to the land or plot on which the burial is made

grave marker - the monument, stone, or other marker of any kind signifying a grave

gravestone - the monument or unmarked stone, signifying a grave

graveyard - a burial ground where more than one person is buried or to be buried; technically, one for less than thirteen graves

grayback - a term for Confederate soldiers in the Civil War, due to the color of the uniform; Confederate script money issued by the Confederacy

grd. - abbreviation for guardian

grdn. - abbreviation for guardian

great aunt - the sister of one's grandmother or grandfather

great grandfather - the father of one's grandfather or grandmother

great grandmother - the mother of one's grandfather or  grandmother

great uncle - the brother of one's grandfather or grandmother

Green Mountain Boys - those patriots who served in the military during the Revolutionary War, from the Green Mountains of Vermont

green sickness - anemia

Gregorian Calendar - (or new style calendar), adopted in 1751 by England, making September 2, 1752 the day which would be followed by September 14, to make the necessary corrections, to the previously used Julian calendar.  Proper corrections should be made in computing a birth date for a person born before the date of change

grippe - a viral infection somewhat like an acute case of influenza

grist mill - a mill for grinding grain

groat - an obsolete English coin worth about four pence

groom - a man about to be, or just married; bridegroom; also a male servant who attends to horses

guardian - a person charged with the management of the rights and property of another, usually a minor, or an incompetent person, legally appointed

guardian am item - a guardian appointed by a court to act in a particular case or suit

Guardian Books - records of guardianships as to appointments and administrations of the rights and properties of minors and incompetents; found in court houses

guidon - a regimental flag, broad at the end next to the staff and pointed or forked at the other end

guilder - a gold coin formerly used in holland and parts of Germany, or a Dutch silver coin

guillotine - an instrument for execution, where the head is placed between two grooved posts, and a knife-blade sliding between them descends with great force to decapitate the prisoner

guttersnipe - a contemptous term for one who gathers refuse from the gutter hoping to find something of value

habeas corpus - a writ calling for the prompt release by judicial decree of a person who is illegally held or detained from the control of the persons who are entitled to custody over them

hackney - a horse for hire; also a horse of medium size and quality used by a lady for ridding, that has an easy gait; also a person who does menial work for hire, a common drudge

half-brother - relationship between a person and another who have either a common mother or father

half mast - refers to a flag or pennant flown at a point half way down from the top of a mast, usually to indicate mourning or respect for a deceased person

halfpenny - or ‘alfpenny, a bronze or copper coin worth half of a penny or two farthings

half-sister - see half-brother

hamlet - a small village in the country usually without a church

hanging - the method of imposing capital punishment, death, upon a person by hanging by the neck from a gallows

happy hunting ground - the "heaven" of American Indians, who thought that after death they would inhabit a place where there was ample game easily obtained

Hard-shell - a designation of a religious group (i.e., Hard-shell Baptists), or a political party (New York Conservative Democratic) with strict and rigid principles

hard tack - a biscuit or cracked able to be easily preserved and stored due to it's dried condition and favored as a ship's fare; also any ordinary sea fare in general

hashmark - a slit used for identification in the ear of livestock; also the stripes worn on the tunic of a person in military service indicating rank

hasty pudding - a pudding of thick batter of flour, and milk or water, sometimes a name for porridge, and also made of Indian meal and water, usually served hot with a syrup

haus - (German) house

hausfrau - (German) housewife

hawker - an itinerant peddler or seller of wares who cried out the virtues of his goods

head of the family - or head of the household: the male or female person who has responsibility for the welfare of the unit