Land Deeds–A Genealogy Goldmine

I’m a huge advocate of using land deeds in your genealogy journey. Land deeds are a genealogy goldmine overlooked by many budding genealogist because they become so intimidated with the concepts and jargon related to Land Deed research.

Just doing a small amount of reading and research in Land Deeds will open up a whole new world of knowledge and information. 

Just recently, many of the counties I am researching have made a major leap and push in getting all Land Deeds on-line readily available 24 hours a day.

These on-line databases have become my new playground. This week I ran across this Land Deed between “Richard T. Powell & M. G. Powell to Duncan McNair --- Marriage Settlement”

This document consists of 3 pages and is very complex. I have only published a portion of the very first page (DB 1, pg 153)  of the deed. It’s available (free) on-line.



Partial Transcription:

Richard T. Powell & M. G. Powell to Duncan McNair --- Marriage Settlement

The State of South Carolina.
This indenture of Two Part made this 31^st day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty eight Between Richard T. Powell and Margaret G. Powell his wife both of Cheraw in the State aforesaid of the First part and Duncan McNair of the same place of the Second Part. Witnefseth as follows:
Whereas the said Richard T. Powell and Margaret G. Powell his wife parties of the first part hereto lately together with Robert Man and Eliza Jane Man his wife filed their Bill in the Court of Equity for Charleston District praying for Petition of the estate of William Whitaker deceased the father of the said Margaret G. Powell and Eliza Jane Man against Mary Whitaker the widow and administratrix of the said William Whitaker and also against his infant children Catherine J. Whitaker Mary Ann Whitaker Sarah Ellen Whitaker Thomas Whitaker and William Whitaker and whereas James W. Gray Esquire one of the Masters of the said Court to whom the said cause was referred among other things to report a proper settlement of the shares of the Complainants Margret G. Powell and Eliza Jane Man in and by his report dated the sixth day of March last recommended that the shares of the said Complainants should be settled on the following terms terms <sic>. To and for the sole and separate use of the wives for life with remainders to their children respectively that may be living at the time of the deaths of the said wives and the ifsue of such of their children as may have died before them (such ifsue of the deceased children representing their respective parents and among themselves taking per ??) share and share alike the husband, joining their wives in conveying the respective shares to such Master or Trustees as the said parties may nominate…

This is awesome; just look at the genealogy data revealed in the short paragraph above.

• William Whitaker has died intestate sometime before 31 August 1848.
• His widow, Mary, is the administratrix of the Estate
• She is being sued by the 2 oldest daughters, Margaret and Eliza Jane Whitaker
• Margaret G. Whitaker is the wife of Richard Thompson Powell
• Eliza Jane Whitaker is the wife of Robert Man
• 5 additional sibling (all infants under 21) are named - Catherine J. Whitaker, Mary Ann Whitaker, Sarah Ellen Whitaker, Thomas Whitaker and William Whitaker

If you haven’t done any research in land deeds now is a good time to head over to your local Courthouse or go to FamilySearch.org and access some of their land records.




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[1] Chesterfield County, South Carolina, DEED BOOK 1: Pages 153-155, Richard T. Powell & M. G. Powell to Duncan McNair ---Marriage Settlement; 31 August 1848, Register of Deeds, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina.