It’s Saturday Night – 

time for more Genealogy Fun! 

Your mission, should you decide to accept it (cue the Mission Impossible music here) is to:

1) What genealogical discovery surprised you? [Thank you to Linda Stufflebean for suggesting topics!]

This question almost stumped me. However, thinking back thru my research, there are some records that provided a surprising bit of information. This first document was a Garrard County, Kentucky deed for the sale of land by Rebecca and James Crawford.

Garrard County Kentucky
Deed book A page 605

This indenture made this 27th day of September Anno Dom 1804 between
Rebecca Crawford and James Crawford of the County of Barren and Common
wealth of Kentucky of the one part and Rubin Arnold of the County of Garrard
and Commonwealth afore said of the other part witnesseth that the said Rebecca
and James Crawford for and in consideration of the sum of twelve pounds
current money of Kentucky to them in hand the receipt whereof they do hereby
acknowledge and for them selves their heirs do freely clearly and absolutely
bargain and sell unto the afore said Ruebin Arnold and unto his heirs and
assigns for ever one certain tract or parcel of land containing by survey five
acres and an half situate lying and being in the county of Garrard on the
waters of Boon mill Seat Creek and is bounded as follows (to wit) beginning
at an Elm and two Beech trees now a corner to Reubin Arnold formerly a
corner of John Matthews form thence north thirty six degrees East thirty poles
to a Buck and Sugar tree near the Hickman Road from thence keeping on
the south side of said Road as it meanders to a large Black walnut standing
on the south side of the said road in the line of Myer’s preemption from thence
north four degrees west sixty poles to the beginning with its appertarnances
to him the said Reuben Arnold and unto his heirs and assigns for ever to
have and to hold and to hold the said five and an half acres of land with
al and every of its appertainances rites and members unto him the said Reuben
Arnold and unto his heirs and assigns forever and the said Rebecca and James
Crawford for them selves their heirs do and shall and with by these presents for
ever warrant and defend the title of the aforesaid land and premises agst
the claim of all and every person or persons whatsoever that shall or may claim
hereafter the same unto the afore said Reuben Arnold and unto his heirs & assigns
forever In testimony where of the said Rebecca and James Crawford have
here unto set their hand and affixed their seals the day and year above written
Rebecca (her mark) Crawford seal
James Crawford Seal
Signed Sealed and acknowledged
in the presents of

This indenture of bargain and sale from Rebecca and James Crawford
to Reuben Arnold was acknowledged in my office the 26th day of sept 1804
and ordered to record
Test
Bent Jetcher CeCC

Kentucky, Garrard. Book of Deeds. Film #183242 (DGS 7899064). Crawford ro Arnold, 27 Oct 1804; Vol A: page 605 (image 314); digital images, Family Search http://www.familysearch.org : viewed online February 2019.

This deed by itself does not prove anything since there are multiple men named James Crawford living in the area of Garrard County Kentucky prior to 1800 along with at least two women named Rebekah Crawford.

• James Crawford and wife Rebecca Anderson
• Rebekah Crawford, land owner in Garrard County, KY
• James Crawford and wife Martha Knight
• James Crawford and wife Sally Duggins

And it doesn’t help that all three James Crawford families migrated NORTH to Indiana and Ohio. James and Rebecca Crawford migrated to Jefferson County, Indiana while James and Martha along with James and Sally migrated to Preble County, Ohio. So, who are the Rebekah Crawford and James Crawford that migrated SOUTH to Barren County, KY before selling land in Garrard County, Kentucky.

A search of Barren County, KY records uncovered an 1821 deed where James and Martha Crawford of Preble County, Ohio sold land in Barren County.

Barren County Kentucky
Deed Book J page 1
Family Search Film #007899153 image 12

This Indenture made the eleventh day of December in the year of or Lord
one thousand eight hundred and twenty one between James Crawford of the
county of Preble state of Ohio of the one part and John Moorehead
of Barren County Kentucky state of the other part and
witnesseth that the said James Crawford for and in consideration
of the sum of two hundred dollars recents to the said James Craw
ford in hand paid the receipt of which is hereby acknowledge
have granted bargained aliened conveyed & confirmed & by these presents
do grant bargain sell alien convey and confirm unto the said John
Moorhead his heirs & assigns forever a certain tract of land containing
two hundred acres of the county of Barren & State of Kentucky on
the waters of Marrawbone bounded as follows to wit: beginning
at a maple & hickory running thence west 119 poles to a chestnut
& hickory thence south 179 poles to two black oaks thence east 179
poles to a popular & dogwood thence north 179 poles crossing a
branch to an ash and hicory thence west 60 poles to the beginning
to have and to hold the said granted & bargained premances
with all the privileges and appurtenances to the same belonging
or in any wise apertaining in the only proper use benefit and behoof
of the said John Moorehead his heirs and assigns. and the said
James Crawford doth for himself his executors and administrators
do hereby covenant promise & grant to and with the said John Moorhead
his heirs & assigns that before the ensealing ‘ho’ the sd James
Crawford was the true sole & lawful owner of the above barga
ined premises & was lawfully seized and possessed of the
the same in his own rights and good perfect & absolute
estate of inheritance in the fee simple and had in himself good
right full powers lawful authority to grant bargain sell convey
and confirm the said bargained premises in the manner aforesaid
and that the said John Moorehead his heirs & assigns shall at
and at all times forever hereafter by force & virtue of those
presents lawfully peaceably and quietably have hold use
occupy possess & enjoy the said demises & Bargained premises
with the appertenances free & clearly acquitted exonhorated are
discharge of an all & all manners of former or other gifts [grow]
to sales incumbrances if what name or nature soever that might
in any measure or degree obstruct or make void this present
deed.
Furthermore, the said James Crawford for himself his heirs
executors & administrators doth covenant & engage the above demise
premasis to him the said John Morehead his heirs & assigns
agants the lawful claims of any person or persons whatsoever
forever hereafter to warrant secure & defend by these presents

page 2
In testimony whereof, the said James Crawford & Martha his wife has
hereunto set their hands and seal the day and year first above written
James Crawford
Martha (her mark) Crawford
Sealed and Delivered
in the presence of us
David Williamson
Nathan D Sellers

The state of Ohio Preble County SS
Before us the undersigned two of
the justices of the peace in & for the sd county came personaly James
Crawford and Martha Crawford wife of the said James Crawford
the within named grantors she being examined separate & apart from
her said husband they acknowledge the within deed of
conveyance to be their voluntary act and deed for the use and purpose therein
mentioned In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands and
seals this 11th day of December 1822
Isaac Stephens
David Williamson

Kentucky, Barren County. Deeds. Film #7899153. James Crawford to Alexander Moorehead, 11 Dec 1821; J: 1-2; digital images, Family Search http://www.familysearch.org : viewed online January 2019.

This second deed indicates that James Crawford and wife Martha owned land in Barren County prior to their move to Preble County, Ohio. A James Crawford owning 200 acres of land on the Marrowbone is found on the 1800 tax list for Barren County, Kentucky.

Thus, the surprise isn’t the records, but the fact that James Crawford was living in Barren County, Kentucky!