Amanuensis Monday - Arad Franklin Purchases Land in 1828

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 maternal 3rd grand-grandfather Arad Franklin purchased a 50-acre tract of land in Union County, Ohio, in 1828, from Culwell Williamson. The purchase price was $100.28. Following is a transcription and image of the deed.

“Calwell Williamson

to

Arad Franklin

This Indenture made and concluded this tenth day

of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight

hundred and twenty eight by and between Calwell

Williamson of Union County in the State of Ohio of

the first part and Arad Franklin of Union County

in the State of Ohio aforesaid of the other part Witnesseth, that said Culwell

Williamson for and in consideration of the sum of One hundred Dollars

and Seventy five cents to him in hand paid or secured to be paid: the

receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged hath given, granted, bargained, sold

released, conveyed and confirmed and by these presents doth give, grant,

bargain, sell, release, convey and confirm unto the said Arad Franklin

and unto his heirs and assigns forever. a lot of land lying and being in the

county of Union in the State of aforesaid, on the water of Bokes creek being

part of survey No. 8694. bounded and described as follows to wit.

            Beginning at two beeches northeast corner to Isaac White's land: thence

S. 83 E. forty one poles to a sugar tree beech and ash and thence S 5 40 W two

hundred and eighteen poles to two buckey's and a hackburry on the

bank of Bokes creek. then up the creek with the meanders thereof

S. 82 W. fourteen poles N. 50 W. twelve poles S 30 W. twenty poles and

S. 47 W. ten poles to the southeast corner to said White's land: thence

with said White's line N. 5^o 40' W. two hundred and thirty seven poles

to the beginning Containing fifty acres.

            To Have and to Hold the above described premises

with all the privileges and appurtenances belonging or in any wise

appurtaining unto him the said Arad Franklin and unto his heirs

and assigns forever. And the said Culwell Williamson for himself

and for his heirs executors and administrators covenant and promise

to and with the said Arad Franklin his heirs and assigns, that

he is lawfully seized of the premises aforesaid: that he has good

right and full authority to sell and convey the same in manner

aforesaid: and that the said premises are free from all incumbrances.

            And further that he the said Culwell Williamson himself

his heirs executors and administrator will well warrant and truly

defend the premises aforesaid unto the said Arad Franklin

and unto his heirs and assigns forever. against the lawful claims

of any person or persons whomsoever.

            In Testimony whereof the party of the first part hath

hereunto set his hand and seal the day and year above written.

                                                                    _his

Signed sealed and delivered                  Culwell x Williamson {seal}

                                                                  ^mark

in presence of

Levi Phelps

Richard Hoskins

State of Ohio Union County ss: Personally came before me the subscriber a

Justice of the Peace in and for said county, Calwell Williamson signer of the

within deed of conveyance and acknowledged the signing and sealing thereof

to be his act and deed for the purposes therein expressed. Given under my hand

officially this 25th day of September, 1828.

                                                                              Henry Swartz {seal}

                                                                              Justice of the Peace

Filed June 30 and recorded July 8. 1831.

                                    R. Andrew. Recorder."

           

[Source: Union County, Ohio, Deeds, 3:95, deed, Culwell Williamson to Arad Franklin, recorded 8 Jul 1831; Family History Library microfilm 571796.]

© 2011 Denise Spurlock