Monday, October 24, 2016

Amanuensis Monday~Stephen Crawford To James Griggs Land Deed


Amanuensis Monday is a genealogy blogging theme. It was started by John Newmark who writes the TransylvanianDutch blog.
His definition of Amanuensis is:
Amanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.
Today’s subject is a Land Deed ~ Stephen Crawford To James Griggs, 1875.1

Page 396page 397Page 398page 399

Stephen Crawford To James Griggs
This indenture made this the 26th day of February in the year of our Lord 1875 between the heirs of Stephen Crawford viz Permelia Crawford [wife], Hannah Sellers and Husband Adam [Aaron] Sellers, Daniel Crawford & wife Sallie, Michael Crawford, William H. Crawford and Elizabeth Crawford all of the county of Chesterfield and State of South Carolina of the one part and Jas. J. Griggs of the County of Anson & State of North Carolina of the other part witnefseth that the said party of the first part for and in consideration of the sum of one hundred and six dollars & seventy five cents to the said party of the first part in hand paid the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged hath sold and conveyed and doth hereby sell and convey to the said party of the second part all that tract or parcel; of land situate & lying in the County of Anson and State of North Carolina on the waters of Cedar Creek  adjoining the lands of Michael Crawford Henry Mand(?) and others bounded as follows beginning on a maple on the West bank of Cedar Creek and runs North 64 Et 34.80 chs to a pine some pine pts. Then No 27 Wt 8.75 chs to a maple 2 pines pts Then So 64 Wt 34.44 chs to a W. Maple on the east side of cedar Creek one maple ptr then down the various courses pf said creek 9.00 chs to the beginning containing thirty and one half acres more or lefs to have and to hold the same with all appurtenances thereunto belonging to him the said party of the second part and his heirs & assigns forever and the said party of the first part for the consideration aforesaid doth hereby covenant and agree to warrant and forever defend the premises aforesaid to the said party of the second part his heirs executors adms and assigns against the claims and entry of all persons whatsoever and they doth further covenant that they are seized of the premises in fee simple and hath power to make and convey such an Estate by this indenture and hath done the same by these presents to the said Jas. J. Griggs the said party of the  second part.    In witnefs whereof the said party of the first part hath hereunto set their hands and seals the day and date above written.
Signed Sealed & delivered}                                  Stephen Crawford {seal}
In presence of}                                                      Permelia Crawford {seal}
                                                                              Hannah Sellers {seal}
                                                                              Aaron X Sellers {seal}
                                                                              Daniel X Crawford {seal}
                                                                              Sarah A. X Crawford {seal}
                                                                              Michael Crawford {seal}
                                                                              William H. Crawford {seal}

State of North Carolina}
Anson County}  In The Probate Court
Whereas a deed of conveyance of a certain tract of [Land] lying and being in the county and Sate aforesaid made by Stephen Crawford and the heirs of Stephen Crawford to wit Permelia Crawford wife of Stephen Crawford, Aaron Sellers and wife Hannah Sellers, David F. Crawford, Sarah A. Crawford, Michael Crawford and William H. Crawford of the county of Chesterfield and State of South Carolina to Jas. J. Griggs of the County and state first aforesaid has been exhibited to me and it being represented that the grantors therein named are desirous of acknowledging the execution thereof, Now therefore having confirmed in the presence of Thos. J. Hardison  Esquire these are to appoint him commifsioner  to later (?) the acknowledgement of the said grantors and the privy examinations of the Feme Covert parties touching the execution of said deed of conveyance and the said Thos. J. Hardison is hereby commanded at such time as he may think fit to go the said if they cannot conveniently come to him  and examine them touching the execution of said deed and also privily [private] and apart from their husbands examined the said Permelia Crawford Sarah A. Crawford and Hannah Sellers the Feme Covert parties whether they executed the said deed freely and voluntarily and without compulsion of their said husbands or any other persons and having plainly written hereon a certificate of his action in reference thereto and the same  under his seal to Our said Court of Probate In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of said Court at office in Wadesboro the 11th day of March 1875.
                                                                           John C. McLauchlin
                                                                           Judge of Probate
State of South Carolina}
Chesterfield County} On the 2 day of April 1975 before the undersigned a commifsioner by virtue of the foregoing Commifsion to me directed by the Judge of Probate of Anson County in the state of North Carolina personally came Stephen Crawford and wife Permelia Crawford Aaron Sellers and Hannah Sellers his wife and David F. Crawford and wife Sarah Crawford Michael Crawford & William H. Crawford the grantors described in the annexed deed and acknowledged the due execution Thereof by them as their act and deed whereupon the said Permelia Crawford Hannah Sellers and Sarah Crawford being by me privately examined touching their full consent in executing said deed do declare each for herself that she had executed free from or undue influence of her husband or any any <sic>other person and did still voluntarily assent to the execution thereof witnefs my hand and seal this the 2nd day of April 1875.
                                                                                         Thos. J. Hardison
                                                                                         Commissioner

State of North Carolina}  In the Probate Court

Anson County}  It is adjudged that the examination of the annexed deed had been duly acknowledged  by the grantors therein named and the privy examination of the Feme Covert parties  is in form as required by Law. Let it with this Commission and certificate be registered.
                                                                                    John C. McLauchlin
                                                                                    Judge of Probate
Anson County April 22  1875
This day the foregoing deed was duly registered in my office in Book 19, page 396, 397, 398, 399
                                                                                           John Stacey      
                                                                                           Register of Deeds

While this deed is an excellent genealogical resource in that it names all the heirs  of Stephen Crawford it left me thoroughly confused. 

In the very first sentence of the deed it states “ This indenture made this the 26th day of February in the year of our Lord 1875 between the heirs of Stephen Crawford viz Permelia Crawford [wife], Hannah Sellers and Husband Adam [Aaron] Sellers, Daniel Crawford & wife Sallie, Michael Crawford, William H. Crawford and Elizabeth Crawford all of the county of Chesterfield and State of South Carolina of the one part and Jas. J. Griggs of the County of Anson & State of North Carolina…”

“between the heirs of Stephen Crawford viz Permelia Crawford [wife],” 

The verbiage in this sentence clearly implied that Stephen Crawford is deceased. 
  
Yet later in the same deed we find these comments.

"On the 2 day of April 1975 before the undersigned a commifsioner by virtue of the foregoing Commifsion to me directed by the Judge of Probate of Anson County in the state of North Carolina personally came Stephen Crawford and wife Permelia Crawford"
 
“personally came Stephen Crawford and wife Permelia Crawford”

This is in conflict with the first sentence of this deed. These comments suggests that Stephen Crawford was alive on 2 April 1875 and personally appeared before Thos. J. Hardison, Commissioner.

To add to this confusion his tombstone memorial shows that he died in 1879 yet, his demise IS NOT recorded in the 1880 Mortality census. Since there is no listing in the Mortality census I believe the tombstone date could also be wrong.2    

Do you have a source for Stephen Crawford death date? Would you share that source with me?  



________________________________
[1] Anson County, North Carolina, Deed Book 19: pages 396-399, Stephen Crawford To James Griggs; 26 February 1875, Register of Deeds, Wadesboro, Anson County, North Carolina.
[2] Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database and digital images, (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 6 May 2015); Memorial page for Stephen Crawford; (1801–1879); Find a Grave memorial # 43571448, Citing Dred Cemetery; Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, USA.

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