Amanuensis Monday - 1900 Deed - Owens Heirs to R. W. Caskey

On his TransylvanianDutch blog, John Newmark defines an amanuensis as “a person employed to write out what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.” For more information about this daily blogging prompt, see John’s post Amanuensis – Why?.

I have amassed quite a collection of scans of handwritten documents related to my ancestors—primarily marriage records, deeds, and wills. As I have been transcribing these documents, it occurred to me that most of these documents were not actually written by my ancestors, but rather dictated to someone else, and then transcribed by a clerk into official records.

My 2^nd great-grandfather Houston T. Owens died 15 September 1895; his wife Sherreldia J. (Hammontree) Owens died on 31 December 1896. In the following deed, their children, as heirs, convey the parcel of land owned in Bienville Parish, Louisiana, to R. W. Caskey. I am not sure of the relationship of  R. W. Caskey to the heirs, but the Caskey, Hammontree and Owens families in the area were closely related. Two of Houston and Sherreldia’s known children predeceased them and are not represented in the succession: Andrew J. Owens, who died during the Civil War, and Dialtha Jane (Owens) Spurlock, my great-grandmother, who died in 1893.

"State of Louisiana       )

Parish of Bienville       )

Know all men by these presents that we the following named parties Hugh R. Owens, Sarah A. Owens, Rebecca U Sims wife nee, Owens wife of Geo. Sims who aids, authorizes, joins his wife herein, Gabral H. Owens, Stewart S. Owens, Sarilda Angeline Owens, Charles T. Owens, John D. Owens, Nancy C. Owens, each owning an undivided one twelfth interest in & to the following described tract or parcel of land lying & situated in Bienville parish Louisiana, viz N E [?] of Sec ³ & Sw ⁴ of SE ² Section 5 & NW⁴ Section 8 less ten acres off of the Sw⁴ of NW⁴ Section 8 Tp 18N Range 5W together with all & singular the appurtinances & improvements thereto belonging, said tract of land belonging to the succession of our deceased father & mother, H. T. & S. J. Owens & Geo. W. Sims who owns two twelfths interest in said land having bought the one undivided twelfth interest of T. A. Owens & Missouri A. Spurlock nee, Owens, both also children of the said H. T. & S. J. Owens, deceased have this day & do by these presents for & in consideration of the price & sum of thirty five dollars for one undivided twelfth of said land to each of us paid cash in hand, the receipt of which is by each of us is hereby acknowledged, granted, bargained sold & delivered with full guaranty unto R. W. Caskey each of us our above mentioned undivided interest in said tract of land to have & to hold to his own use & benefit & his hiers & assigns forever, thus done & signed on this the 4 day of Jan. A.D. 1900.

Attest:                                                 J. D. Owens

C. Emery Tooke                                  C. P. Owens

H. N. Upton                                                      _her

                                                            Sarah A   X  Owens

                                                                          ^mark

                                                            S. A. Owens

                                                            G. W. Sims

                                                            S. S.  Owens

                                                                            _her

                                                            Nancy C.   X  Owens

                                                                           ^mark

                                                                      _his

                                                            R. N.  X  Sims

                                                                     ^mark

                                                            G. W. Sims

                                                                      _his

                                                            G. H.  X  Owens

                                                                     ^mark

                                                            E. G. Owens

                                                                     _his

                                                            H. R.  X  Owens

                                                                     ^mark

State of Louisiana       )

Parish of Bienville       )

Personally came & appeared before me the undersigned authority H. N. Upton, who on oath says he saw E. G. Owens & H. R. Owens sign the within deed for the purposes therein expressed & now recognizes all the signatures to be genuine.

                                                            H. N. Upton

Sworn to & subscribed before me on this 19 day of May 1900

                                                            C. E. Tooke Dy clk

                                                            & Ex. off. Not. Pub.

State of Louisiana       )

Parish of Bienville       )

Personally came before me C. E. Tooke who on oath says he saw all the parties to the foregoing deed except E. G. Owens & H. R. Owens sign it for the purposes therein expressed & now recognizes all the signatures to be true.

                                                            C. E. Tooke

Sworn to & subscribed before me on this 19 day of May 1900

                                                            J. W. Tooke clk D.C.

                                                            & Ex off. Not Pub.

Attest a true record of original this 14^h day of June 1900

                                                            C. E. Tooke Dy. Clk.

                                                            & Ex Officio Recorder for

                                                            Bienville Parish

                                                                        Louisiana"  

 [Source: Bienville Parish, Louisiana, Conveyance Records, 1848-1900, GG: 530, Heirs of H. T. and S. J. Owens deed to R. W. Caskey, 14 June 1900; FHL microfilm 266,022.]

                  

 © 2012 Denise Spurlock