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.
This morning I decided that I would transcribe some Spurlock deeds; the first image I pulled up contained two deeds to which M.D.L. Spurlock was a party. M.D.L. was my great-granduncle, second son of Ransom Spurlock, my 2nd great-grandfather. In fact all three of the deeds recorded on that one page were for the same piece of property which was described as "The North East Quarter of the North West Quarter of Section Eighteen 18, in Township Nineteen 19 Range 5 Five West, containing Forty Acres more or less." Here is the image of Book L, Page 319, Claiborne Parish, Louisiana, Conveyance Records:
 |
Source: Claiborne Parish,
Louisiana, Conveyance Records, L: 319; FHL microfilm
265,982.
|
The first full transaction on the page is the deed by which 40 acres of land is conveyed by M.D.L. Spurlock to George Haburn in August 1875:
"M. D.
Spurlock
Deed
George
Haburn
Filed
Nov. 10th, 1877
State
of Louisiana )
Parish
of Claiborne)
Know
all men by these presents, that I, M. D. L. Spurlock of the first part for
& in consideration of the sum of Forty Dollars, $ 40.00 Cash in hand do
bargain, sell, and convey unto George Haburn, for his use and his heirs and
assigns the following described land lying and being situated in the Parish and
State aforesaid to wit:
The North East Quarter of the North West Quarter of
Section Eighteen 18, in Township Nineteen 19 Range 5 Five West, containing
Forty Acres more or less.
To
have and to hold the same, and convey at will to him his heirs and assigns free
of all costs taxes and other incumbrances, and I, do bind myself heirs &
assigns &C to Guarantee to him his heirs and assigns the above described
tract of land, with all improvements thereon untill all time, signed in
the presence of the following witnesses at August the 6th, on the AD 1875 day
of AD 1875.
Witness:
(Signed) J. M. Stewart (Signed)
M. D. L. Surlock
Eli E. Bell
A
true Record, Decr. 6th, 1877. J.
R. Ramsey, Recorder"
The second deed, dated 1 January 1877, executed by F. R. Chandler, appears to be a title guarantee to M.D.L. Spurlock for the same property that M.D.L. sold to George Haburn in 1875:
"F. R.
Chandler
Deed
M. D.
L. Spurlock
Filed
Nov. 10th, 1877.
State
of Louisiana )
Parish
of Claiborne)
Know
all men by these presents, that for & in consideration of the sum of Forty
Dollars $ 40.00 paid in hand that F. R. Chandler, his heirs and assigns do this
day bargain, assigns and convey, a guarantee title against all incumbrances
whatever to M. D. L. Spurlock, his heirs heirs & assigns the
following described lot of land to wit:
The North East Quarter of the North West Quarter of
Section 18 Eighteen Township 19 Nineteen Range 5 Five West Containing Forty
acres more or less, lying in the State & Parish aforesaid.
To
hold the above described land, and convey at will thereon these heirs and
assigns, signed in the presents of the witnesses on this the first day of Jany.
1877.
Attest:
(Signed) T. A. Watson (Signed) F. R. Chandler His Mark
J. J. Bukham M. D. L.
Spurlock
A
True Record, Decr. 6th, 1877. J.
R. Ramsey, Recorder"
© 2012 Denise Spurlock
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