Friday, February 8, 2019

Rebecca's Land

Have you ever found you have attributed a record to the wrong person? Unfortunately, with same name research that can happen too easily.

As I was transcribing deeds that I thought were for James and Rebecca (Anderson) Crawford of Garrard County, Kentucky, I began to question whether these deeds were for this James and Rebecca (Anderson) Crawford.

There were some clues in the deeds that should have led me to a different James Crawford.

The first clue was the signatures. Rebecca's name was above James'.



There was another clue within the deed. Instead of saying, James Crawford and his wife, Rebecca, the deed said Rebecca and James Crawford.


The third clue wasn't as obvious: Rebecca and James Crawford were living in Barren County, Kentucky.


As I was transcribing the deed, I began to wonder if this was a deed for the widow Rebecca Crawford. Based on marriage records, it has been theorized that this Rebecca Crawford was the mother of the James Crawford that married Martha Knight. James and Martha did own land in Barren County, Kentucky.

When I plotted the deed on Deed Mapper and compared it to the plot of land Rebecca Crawford purchased from George Douglas, I could lay one deed on top of the other.


Even though the deeds looked like they were for the same piece of land, there was one major discrepancy -- or at least I thought there was. The Crawford to Aldridge deed referenced the Myers pre-emption. I was under the impression that the land Rebecca Crawford purchased from George Doulgass was part of the Douglass survey. 

So, I started searching the Lincoln County, KY grantor index for the sale of land by Jacob Myers. That's when I found that Jacob Myers sold land to George Douglass! The description of the land placed it on Sugar Creek and Boons Mill Creek matching the description of the land sold by George Douglass to Rebecca Crawford. 

In Deed Mapper, Rebecca Crawford's deed can be laid over the George Douglas purchase.


Thus, I think the Garrard County Kentucky deed showing the sale of land by Rebecca and James Crawford to James Aldridge is for the same piece of land purchased by Rebecca Crawford from George Douglass. I believe this Rebecca Crawford is the widow shown in the tax records for Lincoln County, KY.

Thus, I had the deed attached to the wrong James and Rebecca Crawford!

__________________________

Garrard County Kentucky
Deed book A
page 602

This indenture made this 27th day of September Anno Dom
1804 between Rebecca Crawford and James Crawford of the county
of Barren and Commonwealth of Kentucky of the one part and
James Aldridge of the county of Garrard and Commonwealth
aforesaid of the other part witnesseth that the said Rebecca &
James Crawford for and in consideration of the sum of one hundred an
eighty eight pounds current money of Kentucky to them in hand paid
the receipt they do hereby acknowledge and for themselves their heirs
do freely clearly and absolutely bargain and sell unto the aforesaid
James Aldridge and unto his heirs and assigns forever
One certain tract or parcel of land containing by survey ninety nine
acres situate lying and being in the county of Garrard an on
the dividing ridge between Boons Mill Seat Creek and Sugar Creek and is
bounded as follows to wit Beginning at a sugar tree and Iron Wood
on the Hickman Road thence N 36 E 240 poles to a stone from thence
N54W 70 poles to two sugar trees from thence S 35W 230 poles to a Buck
and sugar tree on the South side of the Hickman Road from thence
with the meanders on the road to a large black walnut standing
near the same on the south side from thence S 54E 6 poles to the beginning
with its appertainances to him the said James Aldridge and unto his
heirs and assigns forever. to have and to hold the said ninety nine
acres of land with all and every of its rights members and appertain
ances unto him the said James Aldridge and unto his heirs & assigns
forever and the said Rebecca and James Crawford for them selves
and their heirs do and shall and will by these presents warrant
and defend the title of the afore said tract of land & premises
against the claims of all and every person or persons whatsoever that
shall or may here after claim the same unto the afore said James
Aldridge and unto his heirs and assigns forever. In testimony
whereof the said Rebecca Crawford and James Crawford have
here unto set their hands and affixed their seals the day and
year first above written

Rebecca (her mark) Crawford seal
James Crawford seal

Signed Sealed and
delivered in the presence of

This indenture of bargain and sale from Rebecca Crawford and
James Aldridge was acknowledge din my office
the 26 of Sept 1804 and is admitted to record
Teste
Benj Letcher CeCC
_

___________________________

Lincoln County Kentucky
Deed Book A

Pages 225-227

page 225 (image 123)

Myers to Douglass
This Indenture made this sixteenth day of May Anno
Dom One thousand seven hundred and eighty six between
Jacob Myers of the county of Lincoln of the one part and George
Douglass of the same county of the other part Witnesseth
that the said Jacob Myers for and in Consideration of the sum
of five hundred pounds current money of Virginia to him in
hand paid the receipt whereof he doth hereby acknowledge
hath granted sold aliened [enpossed] and confirmed and by
these presents the said Jacob Myers for himself and his heirs
do freely clearly and absolutely grant sell alien [enposs] and
confirm unto the said George Douglass and unto his heirs &
assigns forever a certain tract or parcel of land con
taining by survey five hundred acres situate lying &

page 226
being in Lincoln County on the Waters of Boons Mill Creek
and Sugar Creek, and is bounded s follows viz Beginning
at a sugar and two beech trees the South west corner of said
Jacob Myers preemption as asssignee of Edward Davis from
thence North thirty six degrees east two hundred and thirty
one poles to a beach sugar and ash trees the North west cor
ner of said pre-emption from thence south fifty four de
grees East three hundred and forty seven poles to a beech and
two sugar trees from thence south thirty six degrees west
two hundred and thirty one poles to a beach and sugar tree
from thence North fifty four degrees west three hundred &
forty seven poles to the beginning with all woods and under
woods water and water courses there unto belonging or in
any wise appertaining unto the same with the reversion &
reversions remainder and Remainders rents [isoues]
and profits of all and singular the said Land and premises
to him the said George Douglass and to his heirs and
assigns forever to have and to hold the said five
hundred acres of land (be the same more or less and all and
ever of its rites members and appertenances unto the said
George Douglass and to his heirs and assigns forever and the
said Jacob Myers for himself and his heirs do freely
clearly and absolutely give up all right title interest
claim and demand whatever he has unto the aforesaid
land and premises before mentioned unto George Douglass
and unto his heirs and assigns forever and the said Jacob
Myers for himself and his heirs do and shall and will forever
warrant and defend the title of the aforesaid five hun
dred acres of land and premises and by these presents will
forever warrant and defend the the same against any person
or persons that shall or may hereafter claim the same
unto the aforesaid George Douglass and unto his heirs and assigns

page 227 (image 124)
assigns forever. In witness whereof the said Jacob
Myers hath hereunto set his hand and affixed his seal
the day and year above written.
Jacob Myers SS
Signed Sealed & delivered
in Presence of
John Bryant
William Henry
Andrew Lynam

Received this 16th day of May 1786 of Mr George
Douglass five hundred pounds current money of
Virginia. It being the full demand for the within men
tioned land and premises recd fr me
Jacob Myers
Test
John Bryant
William Henry
At a court held for Lincoln County the 16th day of
May 1786 this indenture was acknowledged by the
said Jacob Myers to be his act and deed and ordered to be
recorded

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