Have you ever tried to verify a fact found in a county history just to be left with more questions? That’s my situation with my HARRIS line.
I believe one of my 4th great grandfathers is Peter Harris, husband of Rachel VanArsdale and son of Daniel Harris and Elizabeth Demarest. Unfortunately, I don’t know much about Peter or his daughter, Rachel Harris Whittaker Currey. The only lead I have is that Rachel Harris married Andrew Whittaker in Switzerland County, Indiana in 1820.
Trying to learn more about Rachel’s family, I started searching Switzerland county Indiana history. In the book, History of Dearborn, Ohio and Switzerland Counties, Indiana from the Earliest Settlement, is the statement,
In 1815 Peter Harris laid out the town of Jacksonville
Based on that statement, I believe Peter Harris owned land in Switzerland county in 1815. Since he was an early land owner, I searched the Bureau of Land Management for a record and did not find one. So, I turned to the grantor/grantee indexes for Switzerland County, Indiana and found four records where Peter Harris sold lots in Jacksonville before 1820.
Know all men by these presents that I Peter Harris of
Indiana, Switzerland County. Deed Records, 1815-1900. Film #1311717 DGS 7898679. Peter Harris, 6 Dec 1815; Book A: page 97; digital images, FamilySearch http://www.familysearch.org : viewed online 19 June 2023.
Jacksonville I.T. am held and firmly bound to John
T. Deming of Vevay in the penal sum of two hundred
dollars lawful money of the United States, to the true
and faithful payment thereof, I do hereby bind my
self, my heirs executors and administrators firmly by
these presents as witness my hand this 6th day of Dec
1815 the condition of the above obligation is such that
if the above bounden Peter Harris shall on or before
the year 1818 make or cause to be made to John T Deming
his heirs and assigns a good and sufficient title by deed in
fee simple with a general warranty to a certain lot
or parcel of ground adjoining the town of Jacksonville
supposed to be one half acre be the same more or less
bounded as follows, beginning at the southwest corner
of lot No 26, thence running east with the section line till you
come parallel with mulberry street, thence with said
street tot he alley at the corner of lot no. 23 from thence
to the place of beginning then the above obligation to
be void and of no effect otherwise to remain in full
force and virtue
Peter Harris
signed sealed and delivered
in presence of
Ebenezer Starlin
For value received I hereby assign the within bond ot Ralph
B Cotton as witness my hand this 19th Jan 1816
John T. Deming
Ebenezer Starlin
Know all men by these presents that I Peter Harris of Switzer-
Indiana, Switzerland County. Deed Records, 1815-1900. Film #1311717 DGS 7898679. Peter Harris, 23 Nov 815; Book A: page 98; digital images, FamilySearch http://www.familysearch.org : viewed online 19 June 2023.
land county Indiana territory am held and firmly bound
unto John Rutherford of Switzerland county
I territory in the penal sum of sixty dollars good
and lawful money of the United States to the faithful pay
ment whereof I bind myself my heirs executors, administra0
tors and assigns Sealed with my seal
dated this 23 day of Nov. 1815. The condition of the above o
bligation is such that if the above bounden Peter Harris
his heirs or assigns shall convey or cause to be conveyed
John Rutherford his heirs or assign as a
good sufficient title by way of general warrantee deed
in fee simple a certain lot of ground situate in
the town of Jacksonville in the county aforesaid or
known by lot no. 9 then this obli-
gation to be void and of no effect otherwise to remain
in full force and virtue in law and equity.
Peter Harris (seal)
signed Sealed and delivered
in presence of
Averill
I John Rutherford assign to Mr J. B. Minola all my rights
and title to this certain lot of ground situate as aforemention
ed writing to wit Lot No. 9 In witness whereof I sign my name
with heirs respectively, it being for value recd
John Rutherford
Witness John Stepleton
William Brandeburg
Know all men by these presents that I Peter Harris of
Indiana, Switzerland County. Deed Records, 1815-1900. Film #1311717 DGS 7898679. PEter Harris, 23 Nov 1815; Book A: page 99; digital images, FamilySearch http://www.familysearch.org : viewed online 18 June 2023.
Switzerland county Indiana territory am held and firmly
bound unto B. Norton & I. Noble of Switzerland county I
territory in the penal sum of forty-eight dollars good and
lawful money of the United States to the faithful payment
whereof I bind myself my heirs executors administrators
and assigns firmly by these presents, sealed with my seal
dated this 23 day of Nov. in the year of our lord 1815.
The condition of the above obligation is such that if the
above bounden Peter Harris, his heirs or assigns shall convey
or cause to be conveyed unto the said M. Norton & I Noble
their heirs or assigns a good and sufficient title by way
of general warrantee deed unto a certain lot of ground
situate lying and being in the town of Jacksonville in said
county of Switzerland on or before the year 1818, known
by lot no. 10, then this obligation to be void and of none ef
fect otherwise to remain in full force and virtue in
law and equity
Peter Harris (seal)
Signed sealed and delivered in presence of Averill
Jacksonville Sept 30 1817
I assign over to John Minola all my right title interest claim
and demand, for value received by me
Doct. B. Norton
John Latham
For value received I assign my right & title of the within
bond to John B Minola as witness my hand and seal
at Vevay October 1st 1816
Joseph Noble (seal)
Attest Charles Newton
For value received I assign the within bond to Cypriances
Pulasky. Witness my hand and seal at Vevay Nov 26
1817
John B Minola (seal)
Witness Daniel Dufour
Know all men by these presents that I Peter Harris of the
Indiana, Switzerland County. Deed Records, 1815-1900. Film #1311717 DGS 7898679. Peter Harris, 8 Jul 1816; Book A: page 121; digital images, FamilySearch http://www.familysearch.org : viewed online 19 June 2023.
county of Switzerland and Indiana territory am held and
firmly bound unto Henry Stout of the county of Hamil-
ton, State of Ohio, in the penal sum of sixty dollars, money
of the United States, tot he faithful payment whereof I bind
myself, my heirs, executors, administrators and assigns
Sealed with my seal and dated this 8 day of July in the
year of our Lord 1816. The condition of the above obliga-
tion is such if the above bounden Peter Harris, his heirs,
executors, administrators and assigns shall well and truly
convey or cause to be conveyed to the said H. Stout his
heirs, executors, administrators or assigns a good sufficient
title by way of general warrantee deed on or before
the year 1818 unto a certain lot of ground lying and
being within the town of Jacksonville in the county of
Switzerland number eleven, then this obligation to be
void and of no effect otherwise remain in full force &
virtue in law and equity
Peter Harris (seal)
Signed and delivered in
presence of
William Mathews
For value received I do assign overall my right
and title to the within bond to Mical Foulon Feb 7
9, 1818
Henry Stout
J. H. Thomas
So, Peter Harris did own land in Switzerland County, Indiana and sold ‘lots’ in Jacksonville, Indiana. But, when did he acquire this land? That’s the mystery!
To help me locate records for Peter’s purchase of the land, I need to identify the original land owners and then trace the ownership of the land. Since the land was located in Jacksonville, I had to locate that town on a map to identify the land description. A google search led me to a map identifying where this unincorporated town is located.
Using the current map, I used the roads to find Jacksonville on the map of first land owners.
This map identifies the first land owners as Henry Cotton and Dod Lindley. However, their land patents are dated AFTER Peter Harris sells land. While I can’t rule out these two men as a possible land owner who sold land to Peter Harris, the dates of the patents creates doubt. Thus, a deeper dive into the land records of Switzerland county, Indiana is needed.