Thursday, August 29, 2013

Treasure Chest Thursday - Post 179: 1872 Sale of Land in Washington County, Iowa

It's Treasure Chest Thursday - time to showcase some of the collected documents and other treasures of my ancestors.

Here is a piece of ephemera (actually on a linen-type material) found in the treasure box that my mother left me:




The notice above reads:

PUBLIC SALE!

I will sell at my place, 7 miles northeast from Washington, in Jackson township, beginning at 10 a.m., on

FRIDAY, OCT. 11, 1872.

The following property, to wit:

1 Team of Mares, 2 Sets Harness, Wagon, Buckeye Mower and Reaper Combined, Self-rake, Bobsleds, Corn Plows, Double and Stirring Plows, Scotch Harrow, 2 Milk Cows, Calf, 13 Hogs, Berkshire Boar, 20 Shoats, Corn in field, and all my Furniture.

TERMS: A credit of Twelve Months will be given on sums over $5, with approved security.

D.J. CARRINGER

John S. Reeves, Auctioneer.

David Jackson Carringer (1828-1902) was a second great-grandfather, father of Henry Austin Carringer (1853-1946).  The farm failed, they went bankrupt and they had to sell the land and everything on it.  Subsequently, they moved to Colorado.

I tried to make a source citation for this document using the "Miscellaneous Documents, Unpublished" source template in RootsMagic 6.  Here is the result:

"Public Land Sale Notice," 11 October 1872, Washington County, Iowa, personal paper collection of Randall J. Seaver, Chula Vista, Calif.

Do any readers have a suggestion for a better source template?

This is a wonderful document from a historical and family history perspective, but I can't help thinking about the hardship, the fear, the embarrassment that D.J. must have felt.  

More To-Do items to add to my search list for the Family History Library:  Land records for when D.J. purchased and sold this land in Washington County, Iowa.  
  

copyright (c) 2013, Randall J. Seaver

1 comment:

Geolover said...

Randy, that truly is a treasure.

I think I would be inclined to mention some Carringer family provenance in a source citation.

The 1870s were certainly troubled times for many.

The sales of chattels without having to go through the hassle and expense of a Court proceeding instituted by creditors would have been less embarrassing than sale by the Sheriff pursuant to Court order. But I think it would not really be less painful and frustrating.