Jacob‘s staves were commonly used by field surveyors to support instruments (primarily compasses). As opposed to a ―three legged staff, a Jacob‘s Staff consists of one leg, with a brass ball-and socket attachment for the instrument. Some modern authors speak of the Jacob‘s Staff as if it is a stop-gap measure until a surveyor could get a ―real support mechanism like a three-legged staff. However, this is not necessarily the case as many surveyors of the period seemed to actually prefer the staff. The bottom end of the staff is generally shod in iron or brass. Thomas Hutchins requested three “Jacob‘s staves” for the Southern Department in 1781.