Monday, July 7, 2014

Amanuensis Monday - Post 225: 1869 Deed of Land in Taylor County, Iowa from Ranslow and Julia Smith to Devier Smith

Genea-blogger John Newmark (who writes the excellent TransylvanianDutch blog) started a Monday blog theme years ago called "Amanuensis Monday."  John offers this definition for "amanuensis:" 

"A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another."

The subject today is an 1869 deed in the Taylor County, Iowa deed books for Ranslow Smith selling land in Taylor County to his son, Devier Smith:


The transcription of this deed is:

Ranslow Smith & wife to Devier Smith

1  Know all men by these presents that we Ranslow Smith, Julia M.
2  Smith his wife of the County of Taylor and State of Iowa
3  for the consideration of the sum of Five Hundred Dollars in
4  hand paid do hereby Quit Claim unto Devier Smith of Taylor
5  County and State of Iowa all their right and interest in
6  and to the following real Estate Situated and lying in
7  Taylor County & State of Iowa, viz.
8  The Undivided one half of the South west quarter of
9  Section twenty three, in township Sixty Eight North of
10 Range thirty four West.  And the said Julia M. Smith 
11 releases all for right of dower in and of the above described premises.
12                    Witness Our hand this the 15th day of September 1869
13                         {.50 Rev Stamp .50}    Ranslow Smith
14                                                           Julia M. Smith

15 State of Iowa  }
16 Taylor county } S.S.
17                    On this the 15th day of September A.D. 1869
18 before me the undersigned Notary Public in and for said
19 County appeared the above named Ranslow Smith and
20 Smith his wife personally known to me to be the identical
21 persons whose names are affixed to the foregoing instrument as
22 grantors, and acknowledged the same to be their voluntary act
23 and deed for the purpose therein expressed.
24                               In testimony whereof I have hereunto set
25 {Notarial Seal }       My hand
26                                                         L. T. McConn
27                                                          Notary Public

28 I certify that the foregoing is a true copy of the 
29 Original Deed as filed for Record Sept. 23 1869.
30                                             James P. Flick
31                                             Recorder

The source citation for this document is:

Taylor County, Iowa, "Taylor County, Iowa, deed records, 1855-1953; index, 1855-1902", "Deed Records (Land) v. M-N (1869-1872), v. O (to p.311),", Volume L, page 205 (stamped), Deed of Ranslow Smith to Devier Smith, 1969; accessed 4 February 2014 on FHL US/CAN microfilm 1,535,633.

This is a very straightforward land transaction from Ranslow Smith and his second wife, Julia M.   (--?--)  (Johnsotn) Smith  to his adopted son, Devier Smith (1839-1894).  Ranslow Smith had moved from Dodge County, Wisconsin in about 1867 after his first wife died there, and married Julia Johnston, apparently a widow.  Devier Smith and his family also migrated from Dodge County, Wisconsin to Taylor County, Iowa in 1867.  

In reviewing my notes, I see that this is not the first transaction in Taylor county by Ranslow and Devier Smith.  There are several more deeds in Taylor County for Ranslow and Devier, it will be interesting to see the land transactions over a period of time in this County.  Ranslow moved to Andrew County, Missouri before 1873 when he dies there, and Devier moved to Cloud county, Kansas by 1875 when he is enumerated in the 1875 Kansas State Census there.  


Copyright (c) 2014), Randall J. Seaver


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