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 1868 deed in the Taylor County, Iowa deed books for Devier J. Smith selling land to Ranslow Smith:
The transcription of this deed is (handwritten text in italics, form fields underlined):
01 RECORD OF DEEDS
02 Devier J. Smith to Ranslow Smith
03 Know all Men by these Presents:
04 That we Devier J. Smith and Abbie Smith his
05 wife
06 of the county of Taylor and State of Iowa , in consideration of the
07 sum of Five Hundred Dollars
08 in hand paid by Ranslow Smith
09 of Taylor County , and State of
10 Iowa do hereby Sell and convey unto the said Ranslow Smith upon
11 conditions hereinafter Stated
12 the following described premises, situated in the County of Taylor and State of Iowa, to wit:
13 The undivided half of the South west quarter of Section
14 Twenty three in Township Sixty Eight north of Range
15 Thirty four west, upon the following conditions, to wit,
16 during the natural life of the said Ranslow Smith and
17 after the death of Ranslow Smith then the said premises
18 as above described, Shall revert back to the said Devier
19 J. Smith as his heirs provided Said Ranslow Smith leaves
20 no widow or heirs then the said Devier Smith or his heirs
21 is to pay said widow Five Hundred dollars for them in
22 trust in said premises.
23 and we hereby covenant with the said Ranslow Smith
24
25 that we hold said premises by good & perfect title, that we
26 have good right and authority to Sell and Convey the same; that they are free and clear of all liens and incum-
27 brances whatsoever, and we covenant to Warrant and Defend the said premises against lawful claims of
28 all persons whomsoever; and the said Abbie Smith hereby relinquishes
29 her right of dower in and to the above described premises.
30 Signed this 2nd day of March A D 186 8.
31 IN PRESENCE OF
32 {cts cts } Devier J. Smith
33 {50 Revenue Stamp 50 } Abbie A Smith
34 STATE OF IOWA } SS
35 TAYLOR COUNTY }
36 On this 2nd day of March 186 8, before me
37 Clerk of the District Court
38 within and for said County, personally came Devier Smith & Abbie Smith
39 his wife
40 personally to me known to be the identical person s whose name s are affixed to the above instrument as grantor s
41 and acknowledged the same to be their voluntary act and deed.
42 { Clerks } In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name, and affixed my official
43 { Seal } Seal at Bedford on the date last above written.
44 L J Smith
45 Clerk
46 I certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of
47 the original Deed as filed for Record on the 2nd day of March
48 A D 1868. Daniel Underwood
Recorder
The source citation for this Deed 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) 1872-1873," Volume M, page 80 (stamped), Deed of Devier J. Smith to Ranslow Smith, 1868; accessed 4 February 2014 on FHL US/CAN microfilm 1,535,634.
This deed is between my second great-grandparents, Devier J. and Abbie A. (Vaux) Smith and Devier's father, Ranslow Smith. Devier purchased the southwest quarter of Section 23 on 10 December 1867 from Tobias and Robert Denny. Ranslow and his wife sold it back to Devier on 16 September 1869 for $500. This may have been a way to put capital in the hands of Devier for a period of time, perhaps to start a business or buy livestock. Devier owned the other half of the southwest quarter of Section 23 at the time.
I created a table of
all of the Ranslow Smith and Devier J. Smith deeds in Taylor county, Iowa - it is in Organizing the Taylor County, Iowa Land Deeds of Ranslow Smith and Devier J. Smith (posted 22 July 2014). However, it is not in a date order, it was in my photograph order. I have since put it into date order and will be methodically going through from early date to late date as I post these deed transcriptions. This way, I can figure out which piece of land was owned at what period of time by which person.
Copyright (c) 2014, Randall J. Seaver
