Complicated Deed

On By mcphilbrickIn Crawford, Preble County, Sellers

As I’m researching the William Sellers family, I’m trying to figure out how his wife, Sarah Crawford, is related to my CRAWFORD research. While I’ve yet to come across anything that helps solve that mystery, the deed where William Sellers sells his Preble county land is not only complicated but names both of my James Crawford men.

For background on these various families, see the following posts:

So, in 1843, William Sellers and his wife, Sarah, sell land being part of the southwest and northwest quarters of section 14 township 7 range 2 to John Acton.

Sellers to Acton present & Record d the 9th & Record 11 Sept 1843

Know all men by these presents that William Sellers
of the county of Preble and State of Ohio for and in considerat
ion of the sum of twelve hundred dollars to him in hand paid
by John P. Acton of the same place has bargained and sold
and does hereby grant bargain sell and convey unto the said
John P. Acton his heirs and assigns forever the following
premises situate and being in the county of Preble and state
of Ohio and bounded and discribed as follows that is to
say Being part of the South West and North West quar
ters of section No 14 fourteen in township No 7 seven and
Range two East and Beginning at the north west corner
of the said South West quarter which is a cross + on a
Boulder witness the center of the letter W on a boulder
S 53 1/2 W 47 links and a + on a line S 24 E 28 2/3 links thence
S 1/4 W 50 poles and 1 link to a + on a boulder witness the center
of the letter W on a sand stone N 11 1/2 E 42 1/2 links and a Black
Walnut tree 18 inches diameter S 87 3/4 E 19 links thence S 87 1/2 E
119 poles and 5 links to a + on a lime stone witness the center of
the letter W on a boulder N 57 1/4 W 18 2/3 links on the center of the
letter W on the W side of a boulder N 76 1/3 E 16 links thence
N 26 1/2 E 63 poles and 9 links to the center of + on a boulder on
the hill side Witness the center of the letter W on a boulder
N 31 E 19 links thence N 89 1/2 E 13 poles to a + on a boulder at
the foot of the hill witness the center of the letter W on a
boulder N 33 W 59 links and the center of the letter W on the
E side of a boulder S 5 3/4 W 43 2/3 links thence N 1/3 E 95 poles
and 10 links along the N and S middle line of the section to a
point at common water mark on the South side of the creek
and 62 poles form the North line of the section thence along
South South west and west side of the creek at common water
mark 95 poles and 21 links to a point on the N. line of the Sect
ion and 63 poles 10 1/2 links W of the NE corner of the West half
of the section thence S 89 3/4 W 16 poles 20 links to a notch on
the SW die of a Beech tree 12 inches diameter near the roots
witness a + on the W side of a crackley boulder S 33 1/2 E 64
links thence S 1/4 W 157 poles and 15 links through the cen
ter of the North West quarter North and South to a + on a
boulder on the E and W middle line of the section witness
the center of the letter W on a boulder S 10 E 43 1/2 links thence
S 89 1/2 W 80 poles to the place of beginning contain
ing 96 Ninety six acres of land be the same
more or less and being the same lands which was
conveyed to the said William Sellers by James
Crawford Senr Esqr and James Crawford Jun by
their deeds dated Dec the 11th 1821 and Recorded
in Book No. 5 pages 85-86 and 87 or Preble

page 2
county land records and also by a patent from the United States
dated the first day of June AD 1816 conveying the said
North West quarter of said Sec. No 14 to the said James Craw
ford Junr and the said William Sellers as tenants in common
and not as joint tenants
To have and to hold said premises with the appurtenances
unto the said John P Acton his heirs and assigns forever and
the said William Sellers for himself and heirs do hereby covenant
with said John P Acton his heirs and assigns that he is lawfully
seized of the premises aforesaid and that the premises and free
and clear from all incumbrances whatever and that he will
forever warrant and defend the same with the appurtenances
unto the said John P Acton his heirs and assigns against the
lawful claims of all persons whomsoever
In testimonies whereof the said William Sellers and Sarah
Sellers his wife who hereby relinquishes her right of dower
in the hereby conveyed premises have hereunto set their hands and seals
this ninth day of September in the year AD 1843
William Sellers (his mark) (seal)
Sarah Sellers (her mark) (seal)
Signed sealed and acknowledged
in presence of us
R S Cunningham
I Stephens

The state of Ohio Preble County
Before me Isaac Stephens a Justice of the Peace in and for
said county personally appeared the above named William
Sellers and Sarah his wife and acknowledged the above and
foregoing deed of conveyance to be their voluntary act and
deed and the said Sarah being at the same time examin
ed by me seperate and apart from her said husband and the
contents of said instrument made know to her by me she then
declared that she did voluntarily sign seal and acknowled
ge the same and that she is still satisfied therewith
This 9th day of September AD 1843
I Stephens JP

Ohio, Preble County. Deeds, 1805-1963. Film #564919 DGS 8587969. William Sellers, 11 Sep 1843; Vol 33: page 1-2; digital image, Family Search http://www.familysearch.org : viewed online 6 November 2022.

The next page of deed book 33 includes a transcription of the original patent as tenants in common for William Sellers and James Crawford.

Patent to Crawford & Sellers presentd & Recordd the 11th Sept 1843

James Madison President of the United States
of America
To all to whom these presents shall come Greeting
Know ye, that William Sellers assignee of George Harlan
and James Crawford in his won right having deposited in
the General Land Office a Certificate of the Register of
the Land Office at Cincinnati whereby it appears that
full payment has been made for the North West
quarter of section fourteen in township seven in
range two lying East of the meridian line of the
lands directed to be sold at Cincinnati by the act of
Congress entitled “an act providing for the sale of
the Lands of the United States in the Territory North
West of he Ohio and above the mouth of Kentucky River
and of the acts amendatory of the same There is granted
by the United States unto the said William Sellers and
James Crawford the quarter lot or section of land
above described to have and to hold the said
quarter lot or section of land with the appurtenances unto
the said William Sellers and James Crawford their heirs
and assigns forever as tenants in common and not as joint
tenants
In testimony whereof I have caused these Letters to
be made patent and the seal of the General Land
Office to be hereunto affixed Given under my hand
at the City of Washington the first day of June in the
year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixteen
and of the Independence of the United States of Ameri
ca the fortieth
James Madison
By The President
Josiah
Meigs
Commissioner of the General Land Office

Ohio, Preble County. Deeds, 1805-1963. Film #564919 DGS 8587969. William Sellers, 1816; Vol. 33: page 3; digital image, Family Search http://www.familysearch.org : viewed online 6 November 2022