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Subject: [[SAR-TALK]] Re: SAR-TALK-D Digest V03 #257
Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2003 13:51:06 EST

In reply to the query about John ELLIS: Check the Grantor/Grantee Indices
for John ELLIS (#1 & 2). (You should be able to use those records at LDS.)
Then trace each record for John ELLIS #1. It could be that you will find him
passing down land "out of love and affection for my son John ELLIS". You might
also find a sister and husband selling land to Brother John ELLIS #2, later in
time. If not, continue tracing the land, deed by deed. Sometimes a later
deed will mention "land that belonged to his grandfather", where land had
remained in a family and a much later deed will tell the relationships of family
members. (Like if one of #2John's sons, buys land from an aunt and uncle. The
relationship might not be readily apparent just by reading the grantor/grantee
records.) After tracing the deeds for John ELLIS #1, if you have not found a
firm connection, trace all of the deeds for John #2 until you have traced his
grantee info. and his grantor info for EACH piece of land. In other words, see
where he got it and how he disposed of the land. Take special note of the
names listed on the boundary "lines". (To find my patriot's farm, I had to trace
the land of all of the neighbors! After 1847, there was no mention of my
ancestor since his land is still in the family of the grantee. However, the
patriot's name is STILL mentioned in the deeds for the neighbors' land as "the
dogwood in John GOATLEY'S line".) Also take note of the names of the wives in
all of the deeds. Sometimes that is the closest you can come for a date of
death for "grandma". I've had to use deeds several times to find "proof" for my
own supplementals for DAR. Working deeds takes LOTS of time. However, it is
worth it. Recent example from our DAR chapter: We had primary proof from the
patriot to his son, Lewis. However, we did NOT have primary proof linking
Lewis to his own children. There was no marriage record for Lewis, the son of the
patriot, in Bourbon Co. KY. There was no list of children for Lewis, except
later "no proof" newspaper articles, etc. The only estate record was an
inventory list of personal property. Using the Grantor/Grantee index, we found the
ONE piece of property Lewis owned - listed as Grantee and later when the land
was sold in one tract. The land was sold after his death. (He, his wife,
and a couple of children died in an epidemic.) A researcher obtained a copy of
the deed, and there were the names of all of the children, plus their spouses
at that time, as heirs selling off the land before they all came to Illinois.
That one deed provided "proof" of heirship for a large number of prospective
members in our area and firmly connected the children to Lewis. One final
thought, if you really hit pay dirt, you might find an affidavit of descend on a
present deed that will give the history of the land as it is passed around
among family members. Hope this will help you as well as some other readers.
>From Kathleen (STANFIELD) COOK, wife of Richard C. Cook, member of Capt. Elijah
Smith Chapter, Illinois

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