Researchers in the southern United States have long known the value of land
records in solving genealogical problems. New England researchers have long
thought that because of vital records, they didn't need land records. That may
be true if your ancestors are found in the vital records with no potential
ambiguity. However, many researchers cannot find everything they need in vital
records. Land records may hold the answers to many family mysteries.
Land records are not as easy to use as vital records. In New England, they
are rarely abstracted. Deed indexes contain only the names of the primary
parties (the grantor and grantee), so you have no way of telling what
information might lie in the deeds themselves.
Land records are also voluminous. The indexes alone might require many rolls
of microfilm. On a recent NEHGS trip to the Family History Library in Salt Lake
City, NEHGS Librarian David Dearborn and I agreed that, for this reason,
focusing on land records is a highly efficient use of a researcher's time in
Salt Lake City.
Tip:
In Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Vermont, deeds are maintained at the town
level. In Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, they are at the county level,
although original grants are at the town level.
Tip:To learn more about the location of New England land
records, see Marcia D. Melnyk's Genealogist's Handbook for New England
Research.
You know what to expect to find in vital records. What should
you expect to find in land records? The unexpected.
Identify spouses
When William Beamsley wrote his will in Boston on
September 14, 1658, he named his children Anne Woodward, Grace Graves, Mercy
Wilborne, Hannah Beamsley, Edward Bushnell, Elizabeth Page, and Mary Robinson
[the latter three were actually his stepchildren], but he did not tell us the
identity of any of his sons-in-law.1 There is no marriage record for
Anne. The identification of her husband - and an approximate marriage date -
came from a deed.
14 September 1658. Whereas there was a form[e]r graunt given by me William
Beamslay, unto my Daughter Ann Woodward, now the wife of Ezekiell Woodward of a
Certaine house and Orchard, as it is now fenced in wherein they have lived,
Seaven yeares, or thereabouts.2
Tip: To learn more about early Boston land records and land
holdings, consult the Thwing card index on
CD-ROM.
Although marriage records were found for Anne's
sisters, Mercy and Hannah, no such record exists for Grace. A deed provides the
information, along with the knowledge that Mercy has remarried, this time in an
unrecorded marriage.
16 November 1668. Ann Woodward with Ezekiell Woodward her present husband,
Grace Graves with Samuell Graves her present husband, Mercy Wilborne alias
Peterson with Andrew Peterson hir present husband, Hannah Beamsley alias Perkins
with Abraham Perkins her present husband, Elizabeth Page with Edward Page her
present husband, Mary Roberson alias Dennis with Thomas Dennis her present
husband, Edward Bushnell, all formerly of Boston in Massachusetts ... with
consent of the trustees mentioned in the will of William Beamsley of said Boston
(deceased) to Key Alsop.3
We also get a serendipitous piece of information: Anne Woodward signed with
her "A" mark, so we learn she couldn't write.
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Tip: To learn more about Beamsley and Woodward families, seeThe
Great Migration Begins1:139-42, 3:2061-64 on CD-ROM or
search the database online!
Identify ancestry
As I was reading a number of early Essex County,
Massachusetts deeds as part of the Great Migration project, I was astounded by
the high proportion that revealed ancestral relationships, naming parents,
grandparents, in-laws, and other members of the extended family. Many of these
relationships were found, I'm sure, in vital, church, and probate records, but
many others were not.
David Curtis Dearborn was baffled by the origins of George Curtis, who
suddenly appeared in Danvers, Essex County in the 1750s with a wife Mary. The
problem was compounded even further by the common surname.4 Three
deeds gave George an extended family of in-laws.
1 December 1757. Andrew Tucker mariner, Jonathan Tucker cordwainer, Elizabeth
Osborn widow, Charity Tucker and Lydia Tucker spinsters, all of Salem, and
George Curtis and Mary his wife of Danvers (the said Andrew, Jonathan,
Elizabeth, Charity, Lydia, and Mary being children of Edward Tucker by Elizabeth
his wife) sold a small parcel of land.5
30 November 1758 (two deeds). Jonathan Tucker cordwainer, George Curtis
yeoman and Mary his wife of Danvers, Elizabeth Osborn widow, Charity Tucker
spinster, Thomas Meek blacksmith and Lydia his wife, and Benjamin Smethurst
mariner and Sarah his wife, sold to Andrew Tucker mariner, all of Salem, land
"which descended to us from our late Grandmother Mrs Elizabeth Hill and our Late
mother Mrs Tucker both of Salem deceased said premises was formerly John
Hills."6
15 April 1752. William Curtis of Danvers yeoman in consideration of 100
pounds paid by my Granson George Curtis 60 acres in Danvers.7
After the discovery of first two deeds, it was an easy matter to locate
records for Mary's ancestry. The latter deed provided the name of George's
grandfather, but the names of his parents are still uncertain.
Family construction
Spotty vital records, lack of probate, and
natural out-migration in a family can make family reconstruction difficult. But
deeds may help considerably. These six brothers lived in three towns in two
counties.
17 May 1752. John Kasson of Voluntown in ye County of Windham & William
Kasson of Branford in ye County of New Haven and James Kasson of Woodbury in the
County of Lichfield and Archebald Kesson & Samuel Kasson both of Voluntown,
all of the Colony of Connecticut, yeomen, for £150 to Adam Kasson of Coventry.
40 acres in Voluntown, which our Father Adam Kasson late of Voluntown aforesd
deceaset was lawfully seized and possessed of in his own proper right, adjoining
Miles Jurdas, Rhoad Island line.8
The original town grants in early New England were sometimes made based
on family size, which can help you with family composition.
Tip: To learn more about grants for individual towns, see the
25 10 month [December] 1637. It is agreed that the marsh & meadow lands
that have formerly layed in common to the town shall now be appropriated to the
inhabitants of Salem, proportioned out unto them according to the heads of their
families. To those that have the greatest number an acre thereof & to those
that have least not above half an acre, & to those that are between both 3
quarters of an acre, always provided & it is so agreed that none shall sell
away their proportions of meadow, more or less, nor lease them out to any above
3 years, unless they sell or lease out their houses with their
meadow.9
Edmund Marshall received three quarters of an acre for his household, which
had four persons. The baptism of only one child had been recorded at Salem
Church, raising the possibility (later confirmed), that he had an additional
child.10
Migration
Do you have any ancestors who just appeared out of
nowhere? Deeds are an excellent possibility for learning from whence they came,
which may be another state.
In the 1790 census, Annanias McAllister was enumerated in Suncook Town, York
County, Maine. His origins were elsewhere, as identified by this deed.
9 January 1786. Abel Butters of Newsuncook in the County of York in the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts yeoman to Annanias McAllaster of New Boston in the
County of Hillsborough & State of Newhampshire
yeoman.11
n the 1790 census, Annanias McAllister was
enumerated in Suncook Town, York County, Maine. His origins were elsewhere, as
identified by this deed.
9 January 1786. Abel Butters of Newsuncook in the County of York
in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts yeoman to Annanias McAllaster of New Boston
in the County of Hillsborough & State of Newhampshire yeoman.
In 1790, Jacob Sleeper was enumerated on the census in Corinth, Orange
County, Vermont. Once again, deeds point to his state of origin, and the name of
the witness helps place him within the family.
28 January 1788. John Eastman of Kingston in the county of Rockingham and
State of New Hampshire to Jacob Sleeper of Poplin in said state and county
aforesaid. Witnessed by Sherburne Sleeper.12
How many men?
Do two records belong to the same man, or different
men with the same name? It's a question we often face. Researcher Elaine M. Wood
found two John Holmans in the 1790 census of York, Maine, with slightly
different family structures. Same man? Two men? She used 18 York County deeds to
construct the neighborhoods and determine occupations, showing that he and his
family had been enumerated at both his home and his warehouse.13
The problem encountered by Joseph C. Anderson II and Frank C. Morrone was a
bit different. What was the real surname of Maine Revolutionary pensioner
Abraham Southard? Was it Southworth, Southwick, Southward, Southeard, Sothard,
Southeard, - or Serote? Name variations are common, but cannot be assumed,
especially when the individuals are found in different locations.14
Deeds helped establish links, as when Abraham Serote sold land that had been
purchased by Abraham Sotheard.15 A move was documented by the 1789
deed in which John Serote of Boothbay purchased land in Bowdoinham next to
Nicholas Gaubert.16 In 1790, John Southard was three households from
Nicholas Gobart in Bowdoinham.
Learn more about the lives of your ancestors
It is not unusual to
find wills where real estate is left jointly to two sons, or where the widow is
to be allowed to reside in the house until her death. But we don't often think
about what happens if it isn't practical to share. This deed, in which Daniel
Harper bought half a house, gives us a glimpse.
28 September 1769. Eliphalet Dinsmore (wife Hannah signs) of Littleton in the
County of Middlesex yeoman to Daniel Harper of Littleton aforesaid Cordwainer, a
certain piece of Land lying in said Littleton with part of a Dwelling House and
part of a Barn on the same being what I bought of Samuel Treadwell being what
was set off to him by the Commissioner appointed by the Judge of Probate in
& for the County aforesd to divide the Estate of Thomas Treadwell late of
said Littleton deceased excepting what the said Samuel sold to Samuel Wood of
said Littleton namely the West End of the lower Room in the House and the Cellar
under the Same and the upper Loft over the Same and the back lintal of said
House that part of the Barn that is on the West Side of the Floor and the
Scaffold over the great Beams the said Daniel to have the barn floor in common
with Thomas Treadwell and the widow Hephzibah Treadwell together with part of
the Barn yard bounded thus beginning at the northwest Corner of said Barn and
running as the Barn Stands West twenty Seven feet and then turning Southwardly
fifty Seven feet and then turning and running Eastward so far as to Have the
North Line and South both of a length the line at the northwest Corner of the
Barn where it began is to run parallel with the Barn & furthermore the said
Daniel is to use the Well from Time to time.4
It is not unusual to find wills where real estate
is left jointly to two sons, or where the widow is to be allowed to reside in
the house until her death. But we don't often think about what happens if it
isn't practical to share. This deed, in which Daniel Harper bought half a house,
gives us a glimpse.
28 September 1769. Eliphalet Dinsmore (wife Hannah signs) of
Littleton in the County of Middlesex yeoman to Daniel Harper of Littleton
aforesaid Cordwainer, a certain piece of Land lying in said Littleton with part
of a Dwelling House and part of a Barn on the same being what I bought of Samuel
Treadwell being what was set off to him by the Commissioner appointed by the
Judge of Probate in & for the County aforesd to divide the Estate of Thomas
Treadwell late of said Littleton deceased excepting what the said Samuel sold to
Samuel Wood of said Littleton namely the West End of the lower Room in the House
and the Cellar under the Same and the upper Loft over the Same and the back
lintal of said House that part of the Barn that is on the West Side of the Floor
and the Scaffold over the great Beams the said Daniel to have the barn floor in
common with Thomas Treadwell and the widow Hephzibah Treadwell together with
part of the Barn yard bounded thus beginning at the northwest Corner of said
Barn and running as the Barn Stands West twenty Seven feet and then turning
Southwardly fifty Seven feet and then turning and running Eastward so far as to
Have the North Line and South both of a length the line at the northwest Corner
of the Barn where it began is to run parallel with the Barn & furthermore
the said Daniel is to use the Well from Time to time.
Try them, you'll like them
What will New England land records hold
for you? I can't predict. But I do know that for many of you, the answer you
seek is in deeds.
1.Suffolk Probate Records 336-37 [new pagination]. FHL #584,127.
2.Suffolk Land Records 3:305-6
3.Suffolk Land Records 5:519-22.
4.David Curtis Dearborn, "The Family of William Curtis of Danvers, Massachusetts," A Tribute to John Insley Coddington (New York City: Association for the Promotion of Scholarship in Genealogy, 1980), 31-46.
5.Essex Deeds 113:227.
6.Essex Deeds 123:54-55.
7.Essex Deeds 104:170.
8.Voluntown Deeds 4:66. FHL #5,882.
9.Salem Town Records, 61 (published); spelling modernized.
10.Salem Town Records, 101-103 (published).
11.Western District, Oxford County, Maine, Deed Book 5:409. FHL #11,672.
12.Corinth, Vermont, [Town] Deeds 2:28. FHL #28,077.
13.Elaine M. Wood, "Two John Holmans in the York, Maine, 1790 Census: One Man or Two?" The Maine Genealogist 22(2000): 163-66.
14.Joseph C. Anderson II and Frank C. Morrone, "Abraham Southard alias Serote of Maine," The American Genealogist 76(2001): 161-73.
15.Lincoln County Deeds 13:54.
16.Lincoln County Deeds 23:233.
17.Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Deeds 69:471. FHL #554,039.