Amanuensis Monday -- 1841 Deed of Ranslow and Mary Smith Selling Land in Henderson, Jefferson County, New York To Jesse Smith

 This week's document for transcription is the 1841 Mortgage Deed of the Ranslow and Mary Smith  selling 126.56 acres of land in Henderson, Jefferson County, New York to Jesse Smith for $973.   

Jefferson County, New York, Mortgages 1841-1842:  pages 18-19, image 20 of 327:

Jefferson County, New York, Mortgages 1841-1842:  pages 20-21, image 21 of 327:

The transcription of this deed, starting on page 19 near the top of the right-hand page of the first image, with the assistance of FamilySearch Full-Text Search:

[Page 19 starting near the top of the page]:

This Indenture made the twentieth day of July in the year of our Lord one

thousand eight hundred and forty one, Between Ranslow Smith of Henderson

Jefferson County State of New York and Mary his wife of the first part, and Jesse 

Smith of Newark Licking County State of Ohio of the second part, Witnesseth, that 

the said party of the first part for and in consideration of the sum of 

nine hundred & Seventy three dollars current money of the United States, to 

them in hand paid the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, have granted,

bargained sold, released, enfeoffed and confirmed, and by these presents do 

grant, bargain sell release, enfeoff and confirm unto the said party of the 

second part, in his actual possession now being and to his heirs and assigns 

forever. All that certain piece or parcel of Land situate lying and being in the 

town of Henderson aforesaid, bounded and described as follows, Beginning 

at the northeast corner of lot number twenty three, a Stake twenty six links

northeast of a birch cornered and marked 13.14.23.24. and runs from thence 

S 81°E. along a line of marked trees the bounds of lot No 14, thirty four chains 

to a Stake fifteen links, west south west of a beech cornered and marked 

3.4.1.2. thence S. 9° W. along a line of marked trees thirty six chains, seventy 

links to a stake eight links east, north east of an ironwood cornered and 

marked 1.2.3.4. thence N. 81° W. along a line of marked trees thirty four 

chains Sixty five links to a stake five links north east of an ash comered 

and marked 2.1.4.3. thence along a line of marked trees, the bounds of lot

No 23 W 9° E. thirty seven chains ten links to the place of beginning 

containing One hundred and twenty six acres & 56/100 of an acre of 

Land be the same more or less To have and to hold the above bargained 

premises to the said party of the second part his heirs and assigns, to the 

sole and only proper use benefit and behoof of the said party of the second 

part his heirs and assigns forever Provided always and these presents and 

upon this express condition that if the said parties of the first part their heirs,

executors , administrators or assigns shall well and truly pay or cause 

to be paid to the said party of the second part his heirs, executors, ad-

ministrators or assigns the sum of nine hundred and seventy three 

dollars payable on the fifth day of February A.D. 1846 with interest 

payable from the 5'th day of February 1841 annually on each succeeding

[page 20 continuing at the top of the page]

day of February interest & principal to be paid at the Sackets Harbor Bank 

according to the condition of a certain bond or writing obligatory, bearing 

even date herewith, executed by the said party of the first part to the said party 

of the second part, as collateral Security then these presents and the 

said bond or writing obligatory shall cease, and be null and void, 

but in case of the nonpayment of said sum of or any part thereof , at the time 

or times above limited for the payment thereof then and in such, it shall 

and may be lawful for the said party of the second part, his heirs, executors 

administrators or assigns and the said parties of the first part do hereby 

empower and authorize the said party of the second part, his heirs, exec-

utors, administrators or assigns to grant bargain sell release and 

convey the said premises, with the appurtenances thereunto belonging, 

at public auction or vendue, and on such sale to make and 

execute to the purchaser or purchasers his or her or their heirs and 

assigns forever, good, ample, and sufficient deeds of conveyance in the 

law, pursuant to the statute in that case made and provided, rendering 

the surplus money, if there be, to the said parties of the first part, their 

heirs executors administrators or assigns after deducting the costrds and 

charges of such residue and sale as aforesaid. In witness whereof the 

said parties of the first part have hereunto set their hands and seals 

the day and year first above written.  Ranslow Smith LS. Mary Smith LS

 Signed Sealed and delivered in presence of 

State of New York Jefferson County ss On the 6'th day of August A.D. 1841 

personally came before me the within mentioned Ranslow Smith & Mary 

his wife Known to me to be he persons designated in and who executed the 

within mortgage & severally acknowledged that they executed the 

same for the uses & purposes therein expressed , and the said Mary being 

examined by me separate & apart from her said husband confessed

that she executed the same without fear or compulsion of her said 

husband there being therein no ^interlining^ erasures noticed by me, let it be recorded 

Lucien J. Burr Justice of the peace 

Recorded Augt 7 1841 at 2 oClock Pm Daniel Lee Clerk 

In consideration of nine hundred & Seventy three dollars to me in hand paid by Joseph Wescott 

I hereby sell assign & transfer to him all my right title & interest in and to the within 

mortgage and Bond accompany in the same, and I do hereby guarantee the 

collection of the same Smithville August 6'th 1841 Jesse Smith LS. In presence 

of Willis Robbins.

Jefferson County ss. On this 21'st day of September 1841 Willis Robbins the Subscribing witness 

to the above assignment, to me known personally appeared before me & being by 

me duly sworn did depose and say that he resided in Henderson in said County 

that he knew Jesse Smith the assignor who executed the same that he saw him execute 

the same on the day of the date thereof , and that he thereto subscribed his name as witness let it be recorded. Lucien J. Burr. Justice of the Peace 

Assignment Recorded Sept'r. 27, 1841                                           J. G. Rice D. Clk 

The source citation for this deed record is:

"Jefferson County, New York, United States records," Mortgage Deed of Ranslow Smith to Jesse Smith, executed 20 July 1841, recorded 7 August 1841; imaged, FamilySearch   (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99W5-VFGM?view=fullText : accessed 5 April 2026), Image Group Number 007178980, "Jefferson Mortgages, 1841-1842," pages 19-20, images 20-21 of 327; original records in Jefferson County, New York Court records.

This mortgage deed documents the sale of 126.56 acres of land in Henderson town, Jefferson County, New York (in Lot Number 24?), bounded by Lots 13, 14 and 23, sold by Ranslow and Mary Smith of Henderson to Jesse Smith of Newark, Lickiing County, Ohio for $973 in lawful money on 20 July 1841.  Jesse Smith subsequently assigned the land to Joseph Wescott on 6 August 1841 for $973.

According to my research, Jesse Smith resided in Smithville, Jefferson County for some time previous to this transaction, and was not closely related to Ranslow Smith.  

This is the last deed found in Jefferson County for Ranslow Smith. It is likely that soon after this transaction that the Ranslow Smith family moved from Jefferson County, New York to Dodge County, Wisconsin along with his brothers George Smith and Lyman Smith. 

Ranslow and Mary (Bell) Smith (1805-1873) are the adoptive parents of my 2nd great-grandfather Devier J. Lamphier Smith (1839-1894) who resided in Henderson, Jefferson County, New York until about 1843 when he migrated to Dodge County, Wisconsin.

I found this record using the FamilySearch Full-Text Search feature by searching for Ranslow Smith and Jefferson County, New York.

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Read other transcriptions of records of my relatives and ancestors at Amanuensis Monday Posts.

NOTE: 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."

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