Showing posts with label Dry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dry. Show all posts

Friday, March 25, 2011

Having trouble finding a deed in FHL film

This is a repost from 2009. I was really looking for some feedback on this particular situation. Now that there are so many more experts out there, I am hoping to get some help in this area.

Ok, I've been going to my local Family History Library for several years now. I've had very good success in finding records that were pertitent to my genealogy research. I got stumped one year on some deed records that I am trying to locate. Here is my story. Does anyone have any suggestions?

I went to the FHL website's library catalog and in the Search Box I selected "Place-names" and in the "For" box I entered "Illinois, Perry."

A list of results came up. I then clicked on the "Land and Property" link to pull up the Perry County, Illinois records on Land transactions. I then clicked on the "Land Records, 1827-1950, index" link. This brought up a list of all of the microfilm from 1827-1950, including the Grantee and Grantors indexes and the deed volumes themselves.

The first film I ordered was the Grantor's index, 1827-1876, film no. 975892. When I viewed the film I listed the items I wanted to see the actual deeds of. The typical Grantor index allows you to search for the surname alphabetically, then usually the date, names of the parties involved, and book and/or volume and page number of the actual deed records are listed. This particular index included the names of the parties involved, the book and page number. Dates were not included. Here is my list:

Cornelius Godwin to James Huggins, Book 6, p. 14
Sarah Godwin to Wilson Godwin, Book 6, p. 45
Sarah Godwin to Wilson Godwin, Book 6, p. 45
Ezekial Godwin to Patrick M Farlin, Book 6, p. 446
William Godwin and wife to William A Allen, Book J., p. 221
Cornelius Godwin to Frederick Fleck, Book L., p. 273 (Mortgage)
Daniel Dry to John Woodrun, book A, p. 86, deed
Daniel Dry and wife to Jacob House, book B, p. 30
John F Dry to Edmond House, book B, p. 38
John F Dry to John House, book b, p. 39

Some of these entries reference a Book followed by either a number or a letter. Now I want to order the corresponding films in the Family History Library catalog and order them.

The first book I want to order is book no. 6.

The first options of films I have to choose from are Deed Book volumes A-Z and dates 1827-1873, contained in a total of 14 reels of film. Each film contains two letters of the alphabet. As the letters go through the alphabet, the dates associated with the films get more recent. Deed Book Volume A-B corresponds with dates 1827-1842. Book volume C-C1 corresponds with years 1841-1848 (volume C1 covers 1872-1878). And so forth.



The next set of films available are the Deed Book volumes 1-15 covering years 1872-1888. Since I was looking for Deed Book #6, I ordered the Deed Book v. 5-6 film no. 975910. This film covers 1876-1950.




A couple of weeks later the film arrived but it was not as I expected. This film did not contain deed transactions between two parties; It contained land grants that were issued to individuals from the state. And most of these land grants weren't recorded until 100 years later! For example, I found a land grant issued to John Huggins in 1854 that was recorded in 1923. I also found a land grant issued to Daniel Dry in 1838 that wasn't recorded until 1948.

Since I don't know the dates of any of these deed transactions, how do I know which films to order? Are these films only for land grants or deeds or both? Does anyone have any suggestions?

Oh and I didn't find what I was looking for in Deed book 6 either in case you were wondering. I'm afraid to order more deed books in case I'm not doing something right. I don't want to waste the time or the money.

Do you have any suggestions? Have you run into this before?

Monday, July 5, 2010

Amanuensis Monday – John F Dry Estate File

Transylvanian Dutch blog author John Newmark started the Monday blog theme called Amanuensis Monday. According to John, “amanuensis” means:
"A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another."
This week I am posting a transcript of 2 documents that were included in the estate files of John F Dry of Perry County, Illinois.

John F Dry was born about 1780 and died 25 August 1847 in Perry County, Illinois. John F and Elizabeth Dry’s son, John Moses Dry married Sarah GODWIN, March 30th, 1837, in Perry County, Illinois.

I believe Sarah GODWIN was the sister of my ancestor Elijah GODWIN of Lawrence County, Arkansas.

I have done a lot of research on the DRY family because they were instrumental in reconstructing my GODWIN family once they left Randolph County, North Carolina, moved to Putnam County, Indiana, and finally settled in Perry County, Illinois in the early 1830s.


John F Dry’s sister Ellen married Cornelius GODWIN, and his sister Sarah married (2nd) Nathan GODWIN both of whom were probably both brothers of my ancestor Elijah GODWIN.


Below are two documents. The first is the Administrators Oath of Jeffery Thornsberry. Jeffrey  THORNBERRY  was the 2nd husband of Sarah DRY (the daughter of John F Dry and sister of John Moses Dry). Sarah DRY married 1st to Nathan GODWIN  in 1835. Nathan must have died because in 1840, Sarah married Jeffrey THORNBERRY. 


Jeffrey THORNBERRY testified that his Father-in-Law, John F Dry, died on or about the 25th of August, 1847 without a will. Here is the transcript: 


Administrators Oath, filed 6 Sept 1847


“State of Illinois
Perry County

Act. Jefferson Thornberry duly sworn deposes and says that John F Dry late of said county departed this life on or about the 25th day of Aug 1847 and that so far as he knows or believes, he died without making any last will and testament.
Jefferson Thornberry”


The second document is the “Affidavit of Heirs of John F Dry filed 4 Oct 1849 in which John F Dry lists all the heirs of his deceased Father, John Moses Dry, and his wife’s name – Elizabeth – who has since died and not produced any more heirs.


"Affadavit of heirs of John F Dry” 
filed 4 Oct 1849


“State of Illinois
Perry County

Act.John M Dry being duly sworn deposes and says that John F. Dry, late of said county deceased left at the time of his death a widow Elizabeth Dry, who is since deceased without other heirs than those herein aforementioned as the heirs of the said John F Dry that the said John F Dry left at the time of his decease:


1.  Daniel M Dry
2.  Leah Jinks, wife of Weston Jinks
3.  Lydia Bridges, wife of John Bridges
4.  John M Dry
5.  Ellen Godwn, wife of Cornelius Godwin
6.  Sally Thornsberry, wife of Jeffrey Thornsberry
7.  Daniel Dry
8.  John Dry
9.  Edmond Dry
10.  Paul Dry
11.  Jackson Dry



His children and heirs of law him surviving who are all now living as far as I know or believe.

John M Dry (his mark)”
--------------------------------

Notes:
The John F Dry Estate file was probate file no. 158 retrieved from the Perry County courthouse by a volunteer for me. This packet also included an admistrator’s oath and a Sale Bill.
Images:




Thornberry’s affidavit of date of death of John F Dry

John M Dry’s affidavit of heirs of John F Dry