Amanuensis Monday - 1831 Deed - Ira Finch to Abijah Cary

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 is the third in a series of transcriptions of deeds representing land purchases in Madison County, Ohio, made by Abijah Cary, one of my maternal 3^rd great-granduncles.  I did not attempt to plat the parcel. This small piece of land (1.5 acres) was part of  Survey 7823 originally patented to Walter Dun, from whom Abijah also purchased land; that deed can be found here.

“Ira Finch          )  Recorders Office February 16" 1831

Deed To             )

Abijah Cary.      )       

This Indenture made this Eight day of January in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty one, between Ira Finch and Nancy his wife of the County of Madison and State of Ohio, And Abijah Cary of said County and State.

Witnesseth that the said Ira Finch and Nancy, his wife, for and in consideration of the sum of Nine Dallars, to them in hand paid, by the said Abijah Cary, have granted, bargained, Sold, and Confirmed to the said Abijah Cary his heirs and assigns forever, all that tract and parcel of land lying and being situated in the County of Madison and state of Ohio on the waters  of Darby Creek, bounded as follows: Beginning at a stake on the East line of said Finchs Survey, forty one and 3/4 poles South of four bur Oaks, from One Root, NE Corner of said Tract. Then on said line South Six degrees W 36 1/2 poles to a stake on the east of a small run. Thence N 18^o W 35 poles to a stake. Thence N 72^o E fourteen and a half poles to the beginning containing one and an half acres, being part of Survey 7823 patented to Walter Dun on the 8^th day of December, 1813.

To have and to hold the said Tract of Land with its appurtenances unto the said Abijah Cary, his heirs and assigns forever, and the said Ira Finch and Nancy his wife for themselves, their heirs and assigns do covenant and agree to and with the said Abijah Cary his heirs and assigns forever against the said Ira Finch and Nancy his wife and their heirs and all and every other person or persons, right or rights, claim or claims, whatsoever will warrant and Forever defend.

In testimony whereof the said Ira Finch and Nancy his wife have hereunto set their hands, and seals on the day and year above written.

Signed, sealed, and delivered

In presence of.                               Ira Finch {seal}

Thomas M. D. Finch

Thomas Kilgore                            Nancy Finch {seal}

State of Ohio Madison County to wit

This day the within names, Ira Finch and Nancy Finch personally appeared before me, the subscriber a Justice of the Peace in and for said County, and acknowledge the same to be their act and deed the [blank space] Nancy being examined Seperate and apart from her husband acknowledge the same to be her owne voluntary and free act without any compulsion from her said husband.

In Testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 12" day of January. 1831.

                                                     Thomas Kilgore

                                                     Justice of the Peace.”

 

[Source: Madison County, Ohio, Deed Books 1810-1922, 7: 175, deed from Ira Finch to Abijah Cary, 16 February 1831; FHL microfilm 522,905.] 

 © 2012 Denise Spurlock