Ken, the yellow book is Historic American Timber Joinery, A Graphic Guide. On page 8 Jack does mention shrinkage due to our higher moisture swings. Perhaps your moisture levels are more consistent. We get wet/dry cycles allowing settlement in the joinery. For this reason some tying joints used the cog system. I am perpetuating this by using 99% cogs in my joinery.

My Mother-in-law just passed through Jamestown and had to call me on the mud and stud wall system she noticed, it was a great conversation and I wished I had been there.

It is interesting, the smells of old buildings and even more that one so far away has the similar smell, it's a small world , really.

As for the plain brick work here in America, We were a developing nation and needed the quick infrastructure, not much time for flash, "get 'er done".

Tim